Royal Dutch Shell Plc (NYSE: RDS-A, RDS-B) entered into an irrevocable, non-discretionary share buyback program with an independent third party.

The program will enable the purchase of 'B' ordinary shares, for cancellation, from Sept. 26 to Oct. 31. The period includes 3Q 2013 results close period.

As previously announced, the purpose of the share buyback program is to offset dilution created by the issuance of shares for the company's scrip dividend program. At this time, it is less economic for the company to purchase 'A' ordinary shares under the share buyback program due to Dutch dividend withholding tax rules.

Any purchases will be effected within certain pre-set parameters and in accordance with the company's general authority to repurchase shares and chapter 12 of the listing rules.

Additionally, Shell issued some 39.1 million A ordinary shares in relation to the scrip dividend program for 2Q 2013 interim dividend.

Following this issue and the cancellation of shares previously bought back and announced, the total number of A shares in issuance is 3,860,677,003 and the total number of B shares is 2,499,999,650. Royal Dutch Shell plc holds no ordinary shares in treasury.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc operates as an independent oil and gas company worldwide. The company is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands.