1

                                                               EXHIBIT (a)(1)(j)

                   PRELIMINARY COPY -- SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

                            SRM ACQUISITION COMPANY
                                 P.O. Box 8985
                           Wilmington, Delaware 19899

To the Stockholders of Barrett Resources Corporation:

    On March 12, 2001, SRM Acquisition Company, a Delaware corporation and an
indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Shell Oil Company, a Delaware corporation
("Shell"), commenced an offer to purchase for cash all outstanding shares of
common stock of Barrett Resources Corporation (the "Company"), including the
outstanding associated preferred stock purchase rights, at a price of $55.00 per
share (and associated right), on the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth in our offer to purchase dated March 12, 2001 and in the related letter of
transmittal (which, together with any amendments or supplements thereto,
collectively constitute the "offer"). The purpose of our offer is to enable
Shell to acquire control of, and the entire equity interest in, the Company.

    A number of impediments to consummation of our offer presently exist. The
Company's board of directors has rejected Shell's offer to acquire the Company
in a negotiated transaction at our offer price and refused to take action Shell
has requested to permit our all-cash, fully funded offer to be consummated.
Accordingly, we are today commencing a solicitation of all the Company's
stockholders to remove the Company's entire board of directors without cause and
to replace them with three new directors (who we expect will consider,
consistent with their fulfillment of their fiduciary duties under Delaware law,
whether to take actions that will facilitate the consummation of our offer). The
accompanying consent statement describes the specific features of our proposal,
as well as the consent procedure itself.

    We urge you to vote all shares that you were entitled to vote as of the
  , 2001, record date on your WHITE consent card.

                                            Very truly yours,

                                            W. van de Vijver
                                            President and Chief Executive
                                            Officer,
                                            SRM Acquisition Company
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                                   IMPORTANT

    1. If you hold your shares of common stock in your own name, please sign,
date and mail the enclosed WHITE consent card to Morrow & Co., Inc. in the
post-paid envelope provided.

    2. If your shares of common stock are held in the name of a brokerage firm,
bank nominee or other institution, only it can execute a consent representing
your shares and only on receipt of your specific instructions. Accordingly, you
should contact the person responsible for your account and give instructions for
a WHITE consent card to be signed representing your shares. We urge you to
confirm in writing your instructions to the person responsible for your account
and provide a copy of those instructions to SRM Acquisition Company in care of
Morrow & Co., Inc. so that we will be aware of all instructions given and can
attempt to ensure that those instructions are followed.

    If you have any questions or require any assistance in executing your
consent, please call:

                               MORROW & CO., INC.

                           445 Park Avenue, 5th Floor
                            New York, New York 10022

                          Call Collect: (212) 754-8000
             Banks and Brokerage Firms, Please Call: (800) 654-2468

                    Stockholders Please Call: (800) 607-0088

                       E-mail: barrett.info@morrowco.com
   3

                   PRELIMINARY COPY -- SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
                                 MARCH   , 2001

                               CONSENT STATEMENT
                                       OF
                            SRM ACQUISITION COMPANY

    SRM Acquisition Company, a Delaware corporation (the "Purchaser," "we" or
"our") and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Shell Oil Company, a Delaware
corporation ("Shell"), is furnishing this consent statement in connection with
its solicitation of written consents from the holders of common stock, par value
$.01 per share, of Barrett Resources Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), to take the following actions without a stockholders' meeting in
accordance with Delaware law:

    - removing without cause all members of the board of directors of the
      Company who are in office immediately prior to that removal; and

    - electing Francis L. Durand, R. W. Leftwich and J. Hugh Roff, Jr. (the
      "Nominees") to serve as directors of the Company.

    We are proposing these actions (each a "Proposal") to expedite the prompt
consummation of our offer to acquire the Company, which we describe below. WE
ARE ASKING THE STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY TO EXPRESS THEIR CONSENT TO THE
PROPOSALS ON THE ACCOMPANYING WHITE CONSENT CARD.

    The effectiveness of each Proposal will require the properly completed and
duly delivered, unrevoked written consent to that Proposal by the holders of
record, as of the close of business on            , 2001, the record date for
this consent solicitation, of a majority of the shares of the Company's common
stock then outstanding. See "Consent Procedure."

    The effectiveness of the removal Proposal is not subject to, or conditioned
on, the election Proposal also having become effective. Absent judicial relief,
which Shell and we are seeking (see "Litigation"), or action by the Company's
board, a Company bylaw requiring advance notice of stockholder nominations for
directors to be elected by written consent of the stockholders could delay the
election of the Nominees. If such a delay were to occur following the removal of
the entire board in accordance with the removal Proposal, the Delaware General
Corporation Law (the "DGCL") provides a mechanism for the election of new
directors of the Company. See "The Proposals -- Election of Nominees."

    The effectiveness of the election Proposal also is subject to, and
conditioned on, all members of the Company's board immediately prior to the
election of the Nominees having been removed in accordance with the removal
Proposal or otherwise having ceased to be directors of the Company.

    This consent statement and the related WHITE consent card are first being
sent or given on or about            , 2001 to all holders of record of shares
of the Company's common stock on the record date for this consent solicitation.
On that date, we, Shell and Shell's other direct or indirect subsidiaries,
beneficially owned 107,100 shares, or less than one percent of the outstanding
shares.

    The Company's bylaws provide that any stockholder of record seeking to have
the stockholders authorize or take corporate action by written consent without a
meeting must request the Company's board to fix a record date in order to
determine the stockholders entitled to give that consent. The Company's board
must reasonably promptly, but in all events within 10 business days after the
date on which the request is received, adopt a resolution fixing that record
date. If the board does not fix a record date within that period, the record
date for the solicitation will be the date on which the first signed consent is
delivered to the Company. Shell, through us and another of its indirect
wholly-owned subsidiaries, beneficially owns 107,100 shares of common stock, of
which we are the record owner of 100 shares. [We, as record holder, intend to
request the board to fix a record date for this consent solicitation. If the
board does not timely fix a record date for this consent solicitation, the
record date will be the date on which the first signed consent is delivered to
the Company. Otherwise, the record date will be the date the Company's board
sets.]

    On March 12, 2001, we commenced a fully funded all-cash offer to purchase
(1) all outstanding shares of the Company's common stock and (2) the outstanding
associated preferred stock purchase rights (the "Rights") issued under the
Rights Agreement dated as of August 5, 1997, as amended (the "Rights
Agreement"), between the Company and BankBoston, N.A., as Rights agent (the
common stock, together (unless the context otherwise requires) with the
associated Rights, being herein referred to as the "shares"),
   4

at a price of $55.00 per share, net to the seller in cash, without interest
thereon (the "offer price"), on the terms and subject to the conditions set
forth in our offer to purchase dated March 12, 2001 and in the related letter of
transmittal (which, together with any amendments or supplements thereto,
collectively constitute the "offer").

    Complete information about our offer is contained in our offer to purchase,
which is available on request from Morrow & Co., Inc., the information agent for
the offer, at 445 Park Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, New York 10022, at no
charge, and in our tender offer statement on Schedule TO, which is on file with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. That tender offer statement and any
amendments thereto, including exhibits, are available for inspection and copies
thereof may be obtained in the manner set forth under "Certain Information
Concerning the Purchaser and its Affiliates" in our offer to purchase.

    THIS CONSENT STATEMENT IS NEITHER A REQUEST FOR THE TENDER OF SHARES NOR AN
OFFER WITH RESPECT THERETO. WE ARE MAKING THE OFFER ONLY BY MEANS OF THE OFFER
TO PURCHASE AND THE RELATED LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

    The purpose of our offer is to enable Shell to acquire control of, and the
entire equity interest in, the Company.

    Shell currently intends, as soon as practicable after the Nominees have
become members of the Company's board, to request that the board duly consider
and take the actions we describe below. If the board takes these actions and the
other conditions to the offer are satisfied or waived by us, Shell currently
intends to effect, as soon as practicable after we consummate the offer, a
merger or similar business combination between the Company and us or another
indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Shell as a result of which:

    - the Company would become a direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of
      Shell; and

    - each then outstanding share (other than shares Shell or its direct or
      indirect subsidiaries, including us, own, shares the Company holds in its
      treasury and shares of stockholders who perfect available appraisal rights
      under the DGCL) would convert into the right to receive an amount in cash
      equal to the price per share we have paid pursuant to the offer.

    In this consent statement, "our transaction" refers to both our offer and
the proposed follow-on merger of the Company.

    We have conditioned the offer on, among other things:

    - the Company's board having redeemed the Rights, or our being satisfied, in
      our sole discretion, that the Rights have been invalidated or are
      otherwise inapplicable to our transaction (the "Rights Condition"); and

    - the Company's board having approved the acquisition of shares pursuant to
      the offer and the proposed merger before Shell or we become "interested
      stockholders" under section 203 of the DGCL, or our being satisfied, in
      our sole discretion, that the provisions of section 203 are otherwise
      inapplicable to the offer and the proposed merger (the "Business
      Combination Condition").

We also have conditioned the offer on our being satisfied, in our sole
discretion, that article IV of the Company's bylaws is inapplicable to the
acquisition of shares in our transaction (the "Bylaws Condition"). Section 14 of
the offer to purchase describes other conditions applicable to the offer. These
other conditions do not include any financing condition.

    The Rights represent one of the antitakeover measures the Company has in
place. Another of these measures is a provision in the Company's bylaws which
requires nominations by stockholders for directors to be elected by written
consent of the stockholders to be made to the Company at least 60 days prior to
the first solicitation of any written consent for that election. See "The
Proposals -- Election of Nominees." Article IV of the Company's bylaws is
another antitakeover measure. It provides that, subject to specified exceptions,
a beneficial owner of 15 percent or more of the outstanding shares shall not
become the beneficial owner of additional shares. These measures, taken together
with section 203, would, if applicable to our transaction, render it both
economically unfeasible and difficult to complete. This consent solicitation is
one of the measures Shell and we are taking, in addition to the offer and the
lawsuits we describe under the caption "Litigation," to bring our transaction to
the Company's stockholders.

                                        2
   5

    The principal reason we are seeking to replace the members of the Company's
board with the Nominees is the willingness of the Nominees to consider,
consistent with their fulfillment of their fiduciary duties under Delaware law,
whether to take such actions as they may deem necessary or appropriate to
expedite the prompt consummation of our transaction, including:

    - redeeming the Rights or amending the Rights Agreement to make the Rights
      inapplicable to our transaction, thereby satisfying the Rights Condition;

    - approving the offer and the proposed merger before Shell and we become
      "interested stockholders" under section 203, thereby satisfying the
      Business Combination Condition; and

    - rendering inapplicable, if otherwise applicable, article IV of the
      Company's bylaws to our transaction, thereby satisfying the Bylaws
      Condition;

or, if a proposal has been made respecting a transaction that is determined to
be superior to our transaction for the Company's stockholders, whether to take
such actions as they may deem necessary or appropriate to facilitate that
proposed transaction.

    The Company's bylaws provide that, if stockholders deliver to the Company
the requisite unrevoked written consents to take corporate action and the action
involves the removal or election of directors:

    - the Company's corporate secretary will engage nationally recognized
      independent inspectors of elections to conduct such reasonable
      investigation as they deem necessary or appropriate for the purpose of
      determining the validity of the consents and all matters incidental
      thereto; and

    - pending the certification by these inspectors to the Company that those
      consents represent at least the minimum number of votes that would be
      necessary to take the action, the action will not be effective.

    Because this bylaw provision does not establish any time period within which
the inspectors must act, there can be no assurance that, absent judicial relief,
the effectiveness of the election Proposal would not be delayed for an
indefinite time.

    ADOPTION OF THE PROPOSALS, WHICH WILL EFFECT THE REMOVAL WITHOUT CAUSE OF
THE ENTIRE BOARD DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY AND THE ELECTION OF THE NOMINEES TO
THAT BOARD, IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD PROMPT CONSUMMATION OF OUR TRANSACTION.
ACCORDINGLY, WE URGE YOU TO PROMPTLY SIGN, DATE AND MAIL THE ENCLOSED WHITE
CONSENT CARD. YOU MUST SEPARATELY TENDER YOUR SHARES PURSUANT TO THE OFFER IF
YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OFFER. EXECUTING A CONSENT DOES NOT OBLIGATE YOU
TO TENDER YOUR SHARES PURSUANT TO THE OFFER, AND YOUR FAILURE TO EXECUTE A
CONSENT DOES NOT PREVENT YOU FROM TENDERING YOUR SHARES PURSUANT TO THE OFFER.

    Because each Proposal will become effective only if executed consents to
that Proposal are returned by holders of record on the record date for this
consent solicitation of a majority of the total number of shares of common stock
then outstanding, the failure to execute and return a consent will have the same
effect as voting against the Proposals.

    Shell and we have retained Morrow & Co., Inc. to assist in the solicitation
of consents to the Proposals.

    If your shares are registered in your own name, please sign, date and mail
the enclosed WHITE consent card to Morrow & Co., Inc. in the post-paid envelope
provided. If your shares are held in the name of a brokerage firm, bank nominee
or other institution, only it can sign a WHITE consent card with respect to your
shares and only on receipt of specific instructions from you. Accordingly, you
should contact the person responsible for your account and give instructions for
a WHITE consent card to be signed representing your shares. We urge you to
confirm in writing your instructions to the person responsible for your account
and to provide a copy of those instructions to SRM Acquisition Company in care
of Morrow & Co., Inc., 445 Park Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, New York 10022, so
we will be aware of all instructions given and can attempt to ensure that those
instructions are followed.

                                        3
   6

    If you have any questions about executing your consent or require
assistance, please contact:

                               MORROW & CO., INC.

                           445 Park Avenue, 5th Floor
                            New York, New York 10022

                          Call Collect: (212) 754-8000
             Banks and Brokerage Firms, Please Call: (800) 654-2468

                    Stockholders Please Call: (800) 607-0088

                       E-mail: barrett.info@morrowco.com

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                               TABLE OF CONTENTS



                                                              PAGE
                                                              -----
                                                           
SUMMARY.....................................................      6
  The Proposals.............................................      6
  Our Transaction...........................................      6
  Voting Securities And Principal Holders...................      7
  Consent Procedure.........................................      7
REASONS FOR THE SOLICITATION................................      7
THE PROPOSALS...............................................      8
THE OFFER AND THE PROPOSED MERGER...........................     11
VOTING SECURITIES AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS THEREOF.............     11
INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PURCHASER AND SHELL..............     12
SOLICITATION OF CONSENTS....................................     12
CONSENT PROCEDURE...........................................     13
  Effectiveness and Revocation of Consents..................     13
  Special Instructions......................................     14
  Appraisal Rights..........................................     15
LITIGATION..................................................     15
ANNEX I.....................................................    I-1
ANNEX II....................................................   II-1
ANNEX III...................................................  III-1


                                        5
   8

                                    SUMMARY

    The information in this summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to
the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this consent statement or
in the offer to purchase, as applicable.

THE PROPOSALS

    We are soliciting written consents from the Company's stockholders to remove
without cause all members of the board of directors of the Company who are in
office immediately prior to that removal and to elect the Nominees to serve as
the directors of the Company. The principal reason we are seeking to replace the
Company's board with the Nominees is the willingness of the Nominees to
consider, consistent with their fulfillment of their fiduciary duties under
Delaware law, whether to take such actions as they may deem necessary or
appropriate to expedite the prompt consummation of our transaction, including:

    - redeeming the Rights or amending the Rights Agreement to make the Rights
      inapplicable to the offer and the proposed merger, thereby satisfying the
      Rights Condition;

    - approving the offer and the proposed merger before Shell or we become
      "interested stockholders" under section 203 of the DGCL, thereby
      satisfying the Business Combination Condition; and

    - rendering inapplicable, if otherwise applicable, article IV of the
      Company's bylaws to our transaction, thereby satisfying the Bylaws
      Condition;

or, if a proposal has been made respecting a transaction that is determined to
be superior to our transaction for the Company's stockholders, whether to take
such actions as they may deem necessary or appropriate to facilitate that
proposed transaction.

    Adoption of the Proposals by the Company's stockholders would expedite the
prompt consummation of our transaction.

OUR TRANSACTION

    On March 12, 2001, we commenced our offer, which provides for our purchase
of all outstanding shares at the offer price ($55.00 per share). The purpose of
the offer is to enable Shell to acquire control of, and the entire equity
interest in, the Company. Shell currently intends, as soon as practicable after
the Nominees have become members of the Company's board, to request that the
board duly consider and then take the actions respecting our transaction which
we describe above in "The Proposals." If the board takes these actions and the
other conditions to the offer have been satisfied or waived by us, Shell
currently intends to effect the proposed merger as soon as practicable after we
consummate the offer.

    The Company would become an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Shell as a
result of this merger. When the merger takes place, each then outstanding share
(other than shares Shell or Shell's direct or indirect subsidiaries, including
us, own, shares the Company holds in its treasury and shares of stockholders who
perfect available appraisal rights under the DGCL) would convert into the right
to receive an amount in cash equal to the price per share we have paid pursuant
to the offer. For additional information respecting the proposed merger, see
"The Offer and the Proposed Merger."

    On February 28, 2001, the last trading day before Shell delivered to the
Company its letter offering a price of $55.00 per share, the last sale price of
the shares reported by the NYSE was $44.25. A $55.00 per share price represents
an approximately 24 percent premium over the February 28, 2001 last sale price.
On March 6, 2001, the last full trading day before the first public announcement
of Shell's intention to commence the offer, the last reported sale price of the
shares on the NYSE was $45.62 per share. On March 7, 2001, prior to the
commencement of trading, Shell issued a press release announcing its proposal to
acquire all outstanding shares of the Company for a price of $55.00 per share.
On March 9, 2001, which was the last full trading day before commencement of the
offer, the last reported sale price of the shares on the NYSE was $62.52 per
share.

    As of March 12, 2001, the Rights were attached to the shares and were not
traded separately. As a result, the sales quotations per share set forth above
are also the sales prices per share and associated Right on the dates indicated.
Unless the Company's board redeems the Rights, amends the Rights Agreement to
make the Rights inapplicable to the offer or delays the distribution date of the
Rights, we believe that, as a result of

                                        6
   9

Shell's announcement on March 7, 2001 of its intention to commence the offer,
the distribution date of the Rights may occur as early as March 21, 2001. On the
basis of publicly available information, the Purchaser believes that, as of
March 12, 2001, the Rights were not exercisable, certificates for Rights had not
yet been issued and the Rights were evidenced by the certificates for shares. If
the Rights begin to trade separately from the shares, stockholders should be
able to obtain, and should obtain, a current market price for the Rights.

    Although the adoption of our Proposals is an important step toward prompt
consummation of our transaction, we are not asking the Company's stockholders to
tender their shares by means of this consent solicitation or to consent to or
vote on the proposed merger at this time.

VOTING SECURITIES AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS

    The common stock of the Company constitutes its only class of voting
securities. Accordingly, only holders of common stock are entitled to execute
consents. For information regarding the persons we believe beneficially own more
than five percent of the common stock, see "Voting Securities and Principal
Holders Thereof."

CONSENT PROCEDURE

    We will pay all costs of our solicitation of consents. The consents are
being solicited in accordance with the applicable provisions of the DGCL.
Holders of record of the common stock as of the close of business on the record
date for this consent solicitation are entitled to consent to our Proposals. To
be effective, the requisite consents must be delivered to the Company within 60
days of the earliest dated consent delivered to the Company.

    For additional information respecting the consent procedure applicable to
this consent solicitation, see "Consent Procedure."

                          REASONS FOR THE SOLICITATION

    We are soliciting written consents to the Proposals in order to expedite the
prompt consummation of our transaction. The purpose of our transaction is to
enable Shell to acquire control of, and the entire equity interest in, the
Company.

    We believe our transaction is in the best interests of the stockholders of
the Company because, among other reasons, the consideration they would receive
in the transaction reflects a substantial premium over the unaffected trading
price of the shares immediately preceding the first public announcement of our
offer.

    We anticipate that the Nominees, acting as the Company's board, would
consider, consistent with their fulfillment of their fiduciary duties under
Delaware law, whether to take such actions as they may deem necessary or
appropriate to expedite the prompt consummation of our transaction, including:

    - redeeming the Rights or amending the Rights Agreement to make the Rights
      inapplicable to the offer and the proposed merger, thereby satisfying the
      Rights Condition;

    - approving the offer and the proposed merger before Shell or we become
      "interested stockholders" under section 203 of the DGCL, thereby
      satisfying the Business Combination Condition; and

    - rendering inapplicable, if otherwise applicable, article IV of the
      Company's bylaws to our transaction, thereby satisfying the Bylaws
      Condition;

or, if a proposal has been made respecting a transaction that is determined to
be superior to our transaction for the Company's stockholders, whether to take
such actions as they may deem necessary or appropriate to facilitate that
proposed transaction.

    The adoption of the Proposals under this consent solicitation by the
Company's stockholders would expedite the prompt consummation of our
transaction. This adoption will require the affirmative written consent of the
holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock
and either the amendment or waiver by the Company's board of one or more
provisions in the Company's bylaws or the invalidation of those provisions by,
or other relief from, a court. See "The Proposals -- Election of Nominees" and
"Litigation."

                                        7
   10

                                 THE PROPOSALS

    We are seeking written stockholder consents without a meeting to the
Proposals, which consist of taking the following actions:

    - removing without cause all members of the board of directors of the
      Company who are in office immediately prior to that removal; and

    - electing the Nominees as the directors of the Company.

    The effectiveness of each Proposal will require the duly completed and
delivered, unrevoked written consent to that Proposal by the holders of record,
as of the close of business on the record date for this consent solicitation, of
a majority of the shares of the Company's common stock then outstanding.

    The effectiveness of the removal Proposal is not subject to, or conditioned
on, the election Proposal also having become effective. Absent judicial relief,
which Shell and we are seeking (see "Litigation"), or action by the Company's
board, a Company bylaw requiring advance notice of stockholder nominations for
directors to be elected by written consent of the stockholders could delay the
election of the Nominees. See "-- Election of Nominees" below for a description
of this bylaw. If such a delay were to occur following the removal of the entire
board in accordance with the removal Proposal, section 223 of the DGCL provides
a mechanism for the election of new directors of the Company. Section 223
provides that if a Delaware corporation should at any time have no directors in
office, various persons, including any of the corporation's officers and
stockholders, may apply to the Delaware Court of Chancery for a decree summarily
ordering an election of directors pursuant to section 211 of the DGCL.

    The effectiveness of the Proposal to elect the Nominees is subject to, and
conditioned on, all members of the Company's board immediately prior to that
election having been removed in accordance with the removal Proposal or
otherwise having ceased to be directors of the Company.

    WE URGE YOU TO CONSENT TO EACH PROPOSAL.

    REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS.  This Proposal includes the removal without cause of
all the Company's current directors and any other person who may be a director
at the time that removal becomes effective. The Company's current directors are
C. Robert Buford, Derrill Cody, Peter A. Dea, James M. Fitzgibbons, Hennie L. J.
M. Gieskes, William W. Grant, III and Philippe S. E. Schreiber.

    Section 141(k) of the DGCL provides that any director or the entire board of
directors of a Delaware corporation may be removed, with or without cause, by
the holders of a majority of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of
the corporation's directors, subject to exceptions if the corporation has a
classified board or cumulative voting in the election of its directors.

    According to publicly available information, the Company does not have a
classified board or cumulative voting in the election of its directors.
Consequently, section 141(k) permits the stockholders of the Company to remove
its entire board without cause.

    ELECTION OF NOMINEES.  This Proposal includes the election as directors of
the Company of the three Nominees the table below names, each of whom has
consented to serve as a director, if elected, until the next annual meeting of
stockholders and until his successor has been elected and qualified. Our
principal purpose in seeking to elect the Nominees to the Company's board is to
obtain the redemption of the Rights (or an amendment of the Rights Agreement to
make the Rights inapplicable to our transaction), the approval of the offer and
the proposed merger before Shell and we become "interested stockholders" under
section 203 of the DGCL and action rendering article IV of the Company's bylaws,
if otherwise applicable, inapplicable to our transaction. These actions would
expedite the prompt consummation of our offer and the proposed merger. If
elected, however, the Nominees would be responsible for managing the business
and affairs of the Company. Each director of the Company has an obligation under
Delaware law to discharge his or her duties as a director on an informed basis,
in good faith and in a manner the director honestly believes to be in the best
interests of the Company. In this connection, circumstances may arise in which
the interests of Shell and us may differ from the interests of other
stockholders of the Company. In any such case, we understand that the Nominees
intend to discharge fully the fiduciary obligations they would then owe to the
Company and its stockholders under Delaware law.

                                        8
   11

    We have no reason to believe that any Nominee will be unable or unwilling to
serve as a director of the Company, but if any Nominee is not available for
election, the Nominee or Nominees who are elected will fill the resulting
vacancy.



NAME AND                                               EMPLOYMENT HISTORY OR PRESENT PRINCIPAL
BUSINESS ADDRESS                              AGE    OCCUPATION AND FIVE-YEAR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
- ----------------                              ---    -------------------------------------------
                                               
FRANCIS L. DURAND..........................     78   Mr. Durand is a retired partner of Ernst &
  11746 Mission Trace                                Young, LLP, independent certified public
  San Antonio, Texas 78230                           accountants and a successor to Ernst &
                                                     Whinney. Prior to his retirement in 1982,
                                                     he was the Chairman of the Ernst & Young
                                                     Energy Committee, focusing on services to
                                                     the oil and gas industry on a national
                                                     basis. Prior to that, he served as the
                                                     managing partner of Ernst & Young's
                                                     Louisiana, Kansas City, and San Antonio
                                                     offices. He served on the American
                                                     Institute of Certified Public Accountants'
                                                     Oil and Gas Committee from 1981 to 1982.
                                                     Mr. Durand was a board member for Phoenix
                                                     Resource Companies, Inc. for six years
                                                     prior to its acquisition by Apache
                                                     Corporation in 1996. Mr. Durand is
                                                     presently engaged in consulting to the oil
                                                     and gas industry.
R. W. LEFTWICH.............................     58   Mr. Leftwich has been employed by Shell and
  c/o Shell Oil Company                              its affiliates for over 37 years beginning
  One Shell Plaza                                    in 1964. Mr. Leftwich has served as the
  910 Louisiana                                      treasurer of Shell since February 1999.
  Houston, TX 77002                                  From February 1995 to January, 1999 Mr.
                                                     Leftwich served as the assistant treasurer
                                                     of Shell and was a practice area
                                                     coordinator who was responsible for
                                                     corporate financing and corporate insurance
                                                     programs. Mr. Leftwich joined Shell after
                                                     graduating from Culver-Stockton College in
                                                     Missouri, where he is currently a member of
                                                     the board of trustees, with a Bachelor of
                                                     Science in Business and Economics. He is a
                                                     director and an officer of numerous Shell
                                                     subsidiaries.
J. HUGH ROFF, JR...........................     69   Mr. Roff was the Chairman, President and
  c/o Roff Resources LLC                             Chief Executive Officer of United Energy
  333 Clay Street, Suite 4300                        Resources, Inc., a diversified energy
  Houston, TX 77002                                  company engaged principally in interstate
                                                     and intrastate natural gas transmission and
                                                     oil and gas exploration, development and
                                                     production operations, from 1974 to 1985,
                                                     when United Energy was acquired by Midcon
                                                     Corp., a company principally engaged in the
                                                     natural gas pipeline business. Since 1985,
                                                     Mr. Roff has been engaged in privately held
                                                     businesses of which he has been the
                                                     principal owner, including Alabama Methane
                                                     Production Company, Inc. (1986-1989), Petro
                                                     United Terminals, Inc. (1986-1998), and
                                                     Roff Resources LLC (1998 to present). Mr.
                                                     Roff has been a director of Tidewater, Inc.
                                                     since 1986.


    Annex III sets forth certain information relating to shares the Nominees own
[and certain transactions between any of them and the Company].

    We contemplate that we will pay each Nominee a fee of $25,000 for agreeing
to stand for election as a director of the Company. Mr. Leftwich has stated his
intention to donate all compensation he receives for standing for election as a
director, and for his services as a director of the Company should he be so
elected,

                                        9
   12

other than reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses, to Shell Oil Company
Foundation, a charitable foundation. Mr. Roff has requested that any
compensation (other than reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses) that Shell
would otherwise pay him for standing for election as a director of the Company
instead be donated in his name to the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of
Management at Rice University.

    We anticipate that each Nominee, on his election, will receive director's
fees, consistent with the Company's past practice, for services as a director of
the Company. According to the Company's 2000 Proxy Statement, directors who are
not also employees of the Company received an annual retainer of $20,000,
payable quarterly, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999. Each such
director also received a fee for each board or committee meeting attended in
person ($1,000) or by telephone ($500). The chairmen of the audit and
compensation committees each received an additional $500 for each committee
meeting that they chaired. All directors were reimbursed for out-of-pocket
expenses incurred in connection with attending board and committee meetings. In
addition, directors who were not also employees were granted options to purchase
10,000 shares of the Company's common stock under the Company's
Non-Discretionary Stock Option Plan which become exercisable in 1,000 share
increments on each board or committee meeting attended.

    Shell has agreed to indemnify each Nominee, to the fullest extent applicable
law permits, from and against any and all expenses, liabilities or losses of any
kind arising out of any threatened or filed claim, action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, asserted against or
incurred by the Nominee in his capacity as a nominee for election as a director
of the Company, or arising out of his status in that capacity. Shell also has
agreed that if the Nominees are elected as directors of the Company, it will
assure to them, to the fullest extent section 145 of the DGCL and other
applicable law would permit the Company to indemnify them as directors, the same
indemnity in their capacities as those directors or arising out of their status
in those capacities. Shell has also agreed to reimburse each Nominee for other
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including reasonable fees and expenses of
counsel he incurs in his capacity as a nominee.

    The Company's bylaws, in article III, section 3 (the "advance notice
bylaw"), provides in part that:

        Nominations by stockholders for directors to be elected by written
    consent of stockholders shall be made by notice in writing, delivered or
    mailed by first class United States mail, postage prepaid, to the secretary
    of the corporation not less than 60 days nor more than 90 days prior to the
    first solicitation of any written consents of stockholders for the election
    of those nominees.

    The advance notice bylaw further provides that, "[n]o person shall be
eligible for election as a director of the Corporation unless nominated in
accordance with the procedure set forth in this Section."

    Section 228(a) of the DGCL provides in part that:

        Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, any
    action required by this chapter to be taken at any annual or special meeting
    of such stockholders of a corporation, or any action which may be taken at
    any annual or special meeting of such stockholders, may be taken without a
    meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents
    in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the
    holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of
    votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting
    at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and
    shall be delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office
    in this State, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of
    the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings
    of stockholders are recorded.

(emphasis added).

    According to publicly available information, the certificate of
incorporation of the Company contains no limitation on the stockholder right to
act by written consent and does not require any prior notice in connection with
any action by written consent to elect any of its directors. In an action for
declaratory and injunctive relief, Shell and we have requested the Delaware
Court of Chancery to declare that the advance notice bylaw is invalid as a
violation of section 228 of the DGCL and enjoin the Company or anyone acting on
its behalf or in concert with it from enforcing that bylaw. See "Litigation."

    We gave the Company's corporate secretary written notice of our election
Proposal on March   , 2001 and first solicited written consents to the election
Proposal on            , 2001.

                                        10
   13

                       THE OFFER AND THE PROPOSED MERGER

    On March 12, 2001, we commenced the offer, which provides for our purchase
of all outstanding shares at the offer price ($55.00 per share). The purpose of
the offer is to enable Shell to acquire control of, and the entire equity
interest in, the Company. Shell currently intends to effect the proposed merger
as soon as practicable following consummation of the offer. When the proposed
merger takes place, each then outstanding share (other than shares Shell and its
affiliates, including us, own, shares the Company holds in its treasury and
shares of stockholders who perfect available appraisal rights under the DGCL)
would convert into the right to receive an amount in cash equal to the price per
share we have paid pursuant to the offer.

    The DGCL provides that if one corporation owns at least 90 percent of the
outstanding shares of each class of another corporation, the two corporations
may merge in a "short-form" merger without a vote of the subsidiary's minority
stockholders. Accordingly, if, as a result of the offer or otherwise, we acquire
at least 90 percent of the outstanding shares, we could, and intend to, effect
the proposed merger as a "short-form" merger without prior notice to, or any
action by, any other stockholder of the Company.

    If we cannot effect the proposed merger as a "short-form" merger, the DGCL
will require the approval of the Company's board of directors and the
affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding shares (including
the shares we own) in order to effect the proposed merger. If we acquire,
through the offer or otherwise, at least a majority of the outstanding shares,
we would have sufficient voting power to effect the proposed merger without the
vote of any other stockholder of the Company.

                VOTING SECURITIES AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS THEREOF

    The common stock of the Company constitutes its only class of voting
securities and only holders of that stock are entitled to execute consents.
According to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
September 30, 2000, 33,055,586 shares of common stock were outstanding as of
November 8, 2000. According to a press release the Company issued on March 1,
2001, 33,394,063 shares were outstanding as of December 31, 2000. Each share
entitles its record holder to one vote. Stockholders of the Company do not have
cumulative voting rights in the election of directors.

    The following table sets forth the name of and other information respecting
each person who we believe, on the basis of the publicly available information
indicated below, owned beneficially more than five percent of the shares of the
Company's common stock outstanding at the dates indicated.



                                                                 AMOUNT AND
                                                                   NATURE
                                                               OF BENEFICIAL          PERCENT OF
NAME AND ADDRESS OF BENEFICIAL OWNER                             OWNERSHIP              CLASS
- ------------------------------------                          ----------------        ----------
                                                                                
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and
  affiliates................................................  2,938,638 Shares(1)(5)    8.79%
  One State Farm Plaza
  Bloomington, IL 61710
Franklin Resources, Inc. ...................................  2,467,215 Shares(2)(5)     7.5%
  777 Mariners Island Boulevard
  San Mateo, CA 94404
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc. ...........................  1,906,100 Shares(3)        5.8%
  345 Park Avenue
  New York, New York 10154
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. .............................  1,753,936 Shares(4)        5.3%
  100 E. Pratt Street
  Baltimore, Maryland 21202


- ---------------

(1) According to a Schedule 13G the named person filed on February 9, 2001 with
    the SEC.

(2) According to a Schedule 13G the named person filed on February 12, 2001 with
    the SEC.

(3) According to a Schedule 13G the named person filed on February 14, 2001 with
    the SEC.

(4) According to a Schedule 13G the named person filed on February 6, 2001 with
    the SEC.

(5) Includes shares affiliates of the named person (which collectively may
    constitute a "group") owned.

                                        11
   14

    For information relating to the ownership of common stock by directors and
executive officers of the Company, see Annex I hereto.

                 INFORMATION CONCERNING THE PURCHASER AND SHELL

    We are a Delaware corporation and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of
Shell. We were organized to acquire the Company and have not conducted any
unrelated activities since our organization. Our principal office is located at
Shell's principal offices.

    Shell is a Delaware corporation with its principal offices located at One
Shell Plaza, 910 Louisiana, Houston, Texas 77002.

    Shell is wholly owned by Shell Petroleum Inc., a Delaware corporation, whose
shares are directly or indirectly owned 60 percent by Royal Dutch Petroleum
Company, The Hague, The Netherlands, and 40 percent by The "Shell" Transport and
Trading Company, p.l.c., London, England. Royal Dutch Petroleum Company and The
"Shell" Transport and Trading Company, p.l.c., are holding companies which
together directly or indirectly own securities of companies of the Royal
Dutch/Shell Group of Companies, the members of which are severally engaged
throughout the greater part of the world in all of the principal aspects of the
oil and natural gas industry. They also have substantial interests in chemicals
and additional interests in power generation, renewable resources (chiefly in
forestry and solar energy), coal and other businesses.

    Annex II sets forth information about the Nominees, the directors and
executive officers of Shell and the Purchaser who may solicit consents and their
employees and other representatives, if any, who may also assist Morrow & Co.,
Inc. in soliciting consents. Annex III sets forth certain information relating
to shares these participants own [and certain transactions between any of them
and the Company].

    Available Information.  Shell is no longer subject to the informational
requirements of the Exchange Act, and has ceased to file reports and other
information with the SEC. However, Royal Dutch Petroleum Company and The "Shell"
Transport and Trading Company, p.l.c. are each subject to the informational
requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance therewith, are required to
file annual reports on Form 20-F with the SEC relating to their business,
financial condition and other matters. Such reports and other information should
be available for inspection at the public reference facilities of the SEC at 450
Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549, and at the regional offices of the SEC
located at Seven World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10048 and Citicorp
Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60661. Copies of such
information should be obtainable, by mail, on payment of the SEC's customary
charges, by writing to the SEC's principal office at 450 Fifth Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20549. The SEC maintains a web site that contains reports and
other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC.
Those reports and other information may be found at the SEC's web site address,
http://www.sec.gov. That material should also be available for inspection at the
offices of the NYSE at 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.

                            SOLICITATION OF CONSENTS

    Solicitation of consents may be made by the directors, officers, investor
relations personnel and other employees of Shell and its affiliates. Consents
will be solicited by mail, advertisement, telephone or telecopier and in person.
None of those persons will receive additional compensation for their
solicitation efforts.

    In addition, Shell and we have retained Morrow & Co., Inc. to assist in the
solicitation, for which we will pay Morrow & Co. a fee of $150,000 and will
reimburse Morrow & Co. for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. Shell has
agreed to indemnify Morrow & Co. against various liabilities and expenses,
including various liabilities and expenses under the federal securities laws.
Morrow & Co. anticipates that it will use approximately     persons to solicit
stockholders. Morrow & Co. is also acting as information agent in connection
with the offer, for which Morrow & Co. will be paid customary compensation in
addition to reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.

    Banks, brokers, custodians, nominees and fiduciaries will be requested to
forward solicitation material to beneficial owners of shares. We and our
affiliates will reimburse banks, brokers, custodians, nominees and fiduciaries
for their reasonable expenses for sending solicitation material to the
beneficial owners.

                                        12
   15

    Lehman Brothers Inc. ("Lehman Brothers") is acting as dealer manager in
connection with the offer and is providing financial advisory services to Shell
and us in connection with our transaction. Under an engagement letter dated
November 20, 2000, between Shell and Lehman Brothers, fees totaling $500,000.00
are currently payable to Lehman Brothers. An additional fee of $6 million will
be payable to Lehman Brothers in the event the offer is consummated. Shell has
also agreed to reimburse Lehman Brothers for its reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses, including the fees and expenses of its counsel and any other advisor
Lehman Brothers retains in connection with its engagement, and to indemnify
Lehman Brothers and various related persons against various liabilities and
expenses, including various liabilities under federal securities laws.

    We will bear the costs of this consent solicitation and will not seek
reimbursement of those costs from the Company. Costs related to the offer and to
the solicitation of consents include expenditures for attorneys, accountants,
financial advisors, consent solicitors, public relations advisors, printing,
advertising, postage, litigation and related expenses and filing fees and, other
than the payment for shares under the offer, are expected to aggregate
approximately $    million, of which          has been paid to date. The portion
of those costs allocable solely to the solicitation of consents is not readily
determinable.

                               CONSENT PROCEDURE

    Section 228 of the DGCL states that, unless the certificate of incorporation
of a Delaware corporation otherwise provides, any action required to be taken at
any annual or special meeting of stockholders of that corporation, or any action
that may be taken at any annual or special meeting of those stockholders, may be
taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent
or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by the
holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes
that would be necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting at which
all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted, and those consents
are delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office in
Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or agent of the
corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of
stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Company's registered office
shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.
The Company's certificate of incorporation does not prohibit stockholder action
by written consent.

    Section 213(b) of the DGCL provides that the record date for determining the
stockholders of a Delaware corporation entitled to consent to corporate action
in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the corporation's board of
directors is required and that board has not fixed that record date, will be the
first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or
proposed to be taken is delivered to the corporation by delivery to its
registered office in Delaware, its principal place of business or an officer or
agent of the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of
meetings of the stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Company's
registered office shall be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return
receipt requested. No prior action is required by the Company's board with
respect to the Proposals. The Company's bylaws provide that any stockholder of
record seeking to have the stockholders of the Company authorize or take
corporate action by written consent is required to request that the Company's
board fix a record date. The board must reasonably promptly, but in all events
within 10 business days after the date on which the request is received, adopt a
resolution fixing the record date for the solicitation. If the board does not
fix a record date within 10 business days after the receipt of the request, the
record date for the solicitation will be the date on which the first signed
consent is delivered to the Company. [We, as record holder, intend to request
the board to fix a record date for this consent solicitation. If the board does
not timely fix a record date for the solicitation, that record date will be the
date on which the first signed consent is delivered to the Company. Otherwise,
the record date will be the date the board fixes.]

    If either or both Proposals become effective as a result of this consent
solicitation, prompt notice will be given under section 228(e) of the DGCL to
stockholders who have not executed consents.

EFFECTIVENESS AND REVOCATION OF CONSENTS

    The Company's bylaws provide that, if stockholders deliver to the Company
the requisite unrevoked written consents to take corporate action and the action
involves the removal or election of directors:

    - the Company's corporate secretary will engage nationally recognized
      independent inspectors of elections to conduct such reasonable
      investigation as they deem necessary or appropriate for the purpose of
      determining the validity of the consents and all matters incidental
      thereto; and
                                        13
   16

    - pending the certification by these inspectors to the Company that those
      consents represent at least the minimum number of votes that would be
      necessary to take the action, the action will not be effective.

Because this bylaw provision does not establish any time period within which the
inspectors must act, there can be no assurance, absent judicial relief, that the
effectiveness of the election Proposal would not be delayed for an indefinite
time.

    An executed consent card may be revoked at any time by marking, dating,
signing and delivering a written revocation before the time that the action
authorized by the executed consent becomes effective. A revocation may be in any
written form validly signed by the record holder as long as it clearly states
that the consent previously given is no longer effective. The delivery of a
subsequently dated consent card that is properly completed will constitute a
revocation of any earlier consent. The revocation may be delivered either to SRM
Acquisition Company in care of Morrow & Co., Inc., 445 Park Avenue, 5th Floor,
New York, New York 10022 or to the Company at 1515 Arapahoe Street, Tower 3,
Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado 80202 or any other address the Company has
provided. Although a revocation is effective if delivered to the Company, we
request that either the original or photostatic copies of all revocations of
consents be mailed or delivered to SRM Acquisition Company in care of Morrow &
Co. at its address set forth above, so that we will be aware of all revocations
and can more accurately determine if and when consents to the Proposals have
been received from the holders of record on the record date for this consent
solicitation of a majority of the outstanding shares.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

    If you were a record holder of shares of common stock as of the close of
business on the record date for this consent solicitation, you may elect to
consent to, withhold consent to or abstain with respect to each Proposal by
marking the "CONSENTS," "DOES NOT CONSENT" or "ABSTAIN" box, as applicable,
underneath each Proposal on the accompanying WHITE consent card and signing,
dating and returning it promptly in the enclosed post-paid envelope.

    In addition, you may withhold consent to the removal of any individual
member of the board or to the election of any individual Nominee by writing that
person's name on the consent card. However, the effectiveness of each Proposal
is subject to, and conditioned on, the receipt of consents from the holders of
record on the record date for this consent solicitation of a majority of the
shares of common stock then outstanding to the removal of each member of the
board immediately prior to the effectiveness of the removal Proposal (in the
case of the removal Proposal) and to the election of each Nominee (in the case
of the election Proposal).

    IF A STOCKHOLDER EXECUTES AND DELIVERS A WHITE CONSENT CARD, BUT FAILS TO
CHECK A BOX MARKED "CONSENTS," "DOES NOT CONSENT" OR "ABSTAIN" FOR A PROPOSAL,
THAT STOCKHOLDER WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE CONSENTED TO THAT PROPOSAL, EXCEPT THAT
THE STOCKHOLDER WILL NOT BE DEEMED TO CONSENT TO THE REMOVAL OF ANY INCUMBENT
DIRECTOR WHOSE NAME IS WRITTEN IN THE SPACE THE INSTRUCTION TO THE REMOVAL
PROPOSAL PROVIDES ON THE CARD OR TO THE ELECTION OF ANY CANDIDATE WHOSE NAME IS
WRITTEN IN THE SPACE THE INSTRUCTION TO THE ELECTION PROPOSAL PROVIDES ON THE
CARD.

    YOUR CONSENT IS IMPORTANT. PLEASE MARK, SIGN AND DATE THE ENCLOSED WHITE
CONSENT CARD AND RETURN IT IN THE ENCLOSED POST-PAID ENVELOPE PROMPTLY. FAILURE
TO RETURN YOUR CONSENT WILL HAVE THE SAME EFFECT AS VOTING AGAINST THE
PROPOSALS.

    If your shares of common stock are held in the name of a brokerage firm,
bank nominee or other institution, only it can execute a consent with respect to
those shares and only on receipt of specific instructions from you. Accordingly,
you should contact the person responsible for your account and give instructions
for the WHITE consent card to be signed representing your shares of common
stock. We urge you to confirm in writing your instructions to the person
responsible for your account and provide a copy of those instructions to SRM
Acquisition Company in care of Morrow & Co., Inc. at its address set forth above
so that we will be aware of all instructions given and can attempt to ensure
that those instructions are followed.

                                        14
   17

APPRAISAL RIGHTS

    The stockholders of the Company are not entitled to appraisal rights in
connection with the Proposals or the offer. If the proposed merger is
consummated, however, holders of shares at the effective time of the merger who
do not vote in favor of, or consent to, that merger will have rights under
section 262 of the DGCL to demand appraisal of their shares. Under section 262,
stockholders who demand appraisal and comply with the applicable statutory
procedures will be entitled to receive a judicial determination of the fair
value of their shares (exclusive of any element of value arising from the
accomplishment or expectation of the merger) and to receive payment of that fair
value in cash, together with a fair rate of interest, if any. Any such judicial
determination of the fair value of shares could be based on factors other than,
or in addition to, the merger consideration per share in the merger or the
market value of the shares. The value so determined could be more or less than
the merger consideration per share to be paid in the proposed merger.

    If the Company and Shell enter into a merger agreement (other than with
respect to the proposed merger), stockholders of the Company may or may not have
appraisal rights under the DGCL in connection with the consummation of the
merger contemplated thereby depending on the terms of that merger.

    EXECUTING A WRITTEN CONSENT IN FAVOR OF EITHER OR BOTH PROPOSALS WILL NOT
PREVENT A HOLDER OF SHARES AFTER CONSUMMATION OF THE OFFER FROM SUBSEQUENTLY
DEMANDING APPRAISAL OF THOSE SHARES IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONSUMMATION OF ANY
MERGER.

                                   LITIGATION

    On March 7, 2001, Shell commenced litigation against the Company in the
Chancery Court, New Castle County, Delaware seeking declaratory and injunctive
relief to invalidate certain of the Company's bylaw provisions on grounds that
the provisions are improper limitations on the ability of the Company's
stockholders to act by written consent and to enjoin the Company from enforcing
those provisions. On March 12, 2001, we joined Shell as a plaintiff in this
lawsuit and we amended the original complaint to add the present members of the
Company's board as defendants.

    In addition, on March 12, 2001, Shell commenced litigation against the
Company in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware seeking
declaratory and injunctive relief to (1) declare that the Schedule TO documents
and exhibits thereto which we filed, including the offer to purchase, and this
consent statement are proper and comply with all applicable securities laws,
rules and regulations and (2) enjoin the Company from commencing litigation
relating to our transaction other than in state and federal courts in Delaware.

                            SRM ACQUISITION COMPANY

    If you have any questions about giving your consent or require assistance,
please contact:

                               MORROW & CO., INC.

                           445 Park Avenue, 5th Floor
                            New York, New York 10022

                          Call Collect: (212) 754-8000
             Banks and Brokerage Firms, Please Call: (800) 654-2468

                    Stockholders Please Call: (800) 607-0088

                       E-mail: barrett.info@morrowco.com

Dated: March   , 2001

                                        15
   18

                                    ANNEX I

                     SHARES HELD BY THE COMPANY'S DIRECTORS
                             AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

    The following table is derived from the Company's Proxy Statement filed
March 29, 2000 and, to our knowledge, summarizes information as of March 15,
2000 with respect to the ownership by each director, by each of the five most
highly compensated executive officers, by all executive officers and directors
as a group and by each other person who was the beneficial owner of more than
five percent of the Company's common stock:



                                                              AMOUNT/NATURE
NAME OF                                                       OF BENEFICIAL       PERCENT OF CLASS
BENEFICIAL OWNER                                                OWNERSHIP        BENEFICIALLY OWNED
- ----------------                                              -------------      ------------------
                                                                           
William J. Barrett..........................................       595,199(1)(8)         1.8%
C. Robert Buford............................................       642,866(2)            2.0%
Derrill Cody................................................        31,560(3)              *
Peter A. Dea................................................        65,740(3)              *
James M. Fitzgibbons........................................        28,500(3)              *
Hennie L.J.M. Gieskes.......................................       899,214               2.8%
William W. Grant, III.......................................        39,250(3)              *
Bryan G. Hassler............................................        34,741(3)              *
J. Frank Keller.............................................       139,197(3)(8)           *
A. Ralph Reed...............................................       141,666(4)(8)           *
James T. Rodgers............................................        28,000(3)(8)           *
Philippe S.E. Schreiber.....................................        27,507(3)              *
All directors and executive officers as a group (16
  persons)..................................................     1,998,036(5)            6.0%
Franklin Resources, Inc.
  777 Mariners Island
  San Mateo, CA 94403.......................................     3,627,021(6)(7)        11.1%
State Farm Mutual Automobile
  Insurance Company and affiliates
  One State Farm Plaza
  Bloomington, IL 61710.....................................     2,936,938(6)(7)         9.0%


- ---------------

 *  Less than 1% of the common stock outstanding.

(1) Includes 90,412 shares owned by Mr. Barrett's wife, 230,000 shares owned by
    the Barrett Family L.L.L.P., a Colorado limited liability limited
    partnership for which Mr. Barrett and his wife are general partners and
    owners of an aggregate of 48.626622% of the partnership interests, and
    360,000 shares underlying options that were exercisable or became
    exercisable within 60 days following March 15, 2000. Pursuant to Exchange
    Act Rule 16a-1(a)(4), Mr. Barrett disclaims ownership of all but 111,841
    shares held by the Barrett Family L.L.L.P., which constitutes Mr. and Mrs.
    Barrett's proportionate share of the shares held by the Barrett Family
    L.L.L.P.

(2) Includes 548,210 shares of which Zenith Drilling Corporation ("Zenith") is
    the record owner. Mr. Buford owns approximately 89% of the outstanding
    common stock of Zenith. Also includes 10,000 shares that are owned by
    Aguilla Corporation, which is owned by Mr. Buford's wife and adult children.
    Mr. Buford disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by Aguilla
    Corporation pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 16a-1(a)(4). The number of shares
    indicated also includes 20,500 shares underlying stock options that were
    exercisable or that became exercisable within 60 days following March 15,
    2000.

(3) Includes the following number of shares underlying options that were
    exercisable or that became exercisable within 60 days following March 15,
    2000 that were held by each of the following persons: Derrill Cody, 31,300;
    Peter A. Dea, 56,157; James M. Fitzgibbons, 16,500; William W. Grant, III,
    26,900; Bryan G. Hassler, 31,512; J. Frank Keller, 67,812; James T. Rodgers,
    18,000; and Philippe S.E. Schreiber, 20,500.

(4) Includes 6,700 shares owned by Mary C. Reed, Mr. Reed's wife, and 88,125
    shares underlying options that were exercisable or that became exercisable
    within 60 days following March 15, 2000.

                                       I-1
   19

(5) Includes shares owned by Zenith that are beneficially owned by Mr. Buford as
    described in note (2) and the aggregate of 737,306 shares underlying the
    options described in notes (1), (2), (3) and (4), an aggregate of 38,010
    shares owned by six executive officers not named in the above table, and an
    aggregate of 185,800 shares underlying options that were exercisable or that
    became exercisable within 60 days following March 15, 2000 that were held by
    those six executive officers.

(6) According to a Schedule 13G the named person filed with the SEC.

(7) Includes shares affiliates of the named person (which collectively may
    constitute a "group") owned.

(8) Messrs. Barrett, Keller, Reed and Rodgers no longer hold positions on the
    Company's board.

                                       I-2
   20
                                    ANNEX II

                      INFORMATION CONCERNING PARTICIPANTS

    The following tables set forth the name and the present principal occupation
or employment, and the name, principal business and address of any corporation
or other organization in which such employment is carried on, of (1) the
directors and executive officers of Shell and us who may solicit consents, (2)
the Nominees and (3) certain employees and other representatives of those
companies who may assist Morrow & Co., Inc. in soliciting consents from the
Company's stockholders.



NAME                                                                 POSITION
- ----                                                                 --------
                                               
W. van de Vijver...............................   Director/Chairman, President and Chief
                                                    Executive Officer of SRM Acquisition Company
Marvin E. Odum.................................   Director and Vice President -- Development and
                                                    Technology of SRM Acquisition Company


The business address of each of the above named directors and executive officers
is SRM Acquisition Company, One Shell Plaza, 910 Louisiana, Houston, Texas
77002.

NOMINEES

Francis L. Durand
   11746 Mission Trace
   San Antonio, Texas 78230

R. W. Leftwich
   Shell Oil Company
   One Shell Plaza
   910 Louisiana
   Houston, TX 77002

J. Hugh Roff, Jr.
   Roff Resources LLC
   333 Clay Street, Suite 4300
   Houston, TX 77002



                                    II-1
   21

                                   ANNEX III

                          SHARES HELD BY PARTICIPANTS
          AND CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN ANY OF THEM AND THE COMPANY

    Shell, through us and another of its indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries,
beneficially owns 107,100 shares of the Company's common stock. On March 9,
2001, Shell transferred beneficial and record ownership of 100 of those shares
to us. No part of the purchase price or market value of any of the shares
described in this paragraph was represented by funds borrowed or otherwise
obtained for the purpose of acquiring or holding those shares. Cede & Co. is the
record owner of the shares Shell and we beneficially own, other than the 100
shares described above and an additional 100 shares which Shell holds of record.
Shell and we disclaim beneficial ownership of any shares owned by any pension
plan of Shell or any affiliate of Shell.

    In the ordinary course of its business, Lehman Brothers engages in
securities trading, market-making and brokerage activities and may, at any time,
hold long or short positions and may trade or otherwise effect transactions in
securities of the Company. [AS OF MARCH 9, 2001, LEHMAN BROTHERS DID NOT HOLD
ANY SHARES OF THE COMPANY FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT.]

    [NOTE: INSERT DISCLOSURE, IF ANY, CONCERNING RELATIONSHIPS/CONFLICTS BETWEEN
SHELL/PURCHASER OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS AND THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR OR SUBJECT.]

    Except as this consent statement discloses, none of the Purchaser or Shell
or their directors or executive officers, the Nominees or the employees or other
representatives of the Purchaser or Shell named in Annex II owns any securities
of the Company or any parent or subsidiary of the Company, beneficially or of
record, has purchased or sold any of those securities within the past two years
or is or was within the past year a party to any contract, arrangement or
understanding with any person with respect to those securities. Except as
disclosed in this Consent Statement, to the best knowledge of the Purchaser,
Shell, their directors or executive officers, the Nominees and the employees and
other representatives of the Purchaser or Shell named in Annex II, none of their
associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, any securities of the
Company.

    Except as this consent statement discloses, none of the Purchaser or Shell
or their directors or executive officers, the Nominees, the employees or other
representatives of the Purchaser or Shell named in Annex II, or, to their best
knowledge, their associates has any arrangement or understanding with any person
(1) with respect to any future employment by the Company or its affiliates or
(2) with respect to future transactions to which the Company or any of its
affiliates will or may be a party, nor any material interest, direct or
indirect, in any transaction that has occurred since January 1, 2000 or any
currently proposed transaction, or series of similar transactions, which the
Company or any of its affiliates was or is to be a party and in which the amount
involved exceeds $60,000. Certain Nominees, directors and executive officers of
Shell or Purchaser and/or their respective associates may also be directors or
officers of other companies and organizations that have engaged in transactions
with the Company or its subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business since
January 1, 2000, but Shell believes that the interest of those persons in those
transactions is not of material significance.

                                      III-1
   22
                                                          [FORM OF CONSENT CARD]

                     PRELIMINARY COPY--SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

  WHITE            SRM ACQUISITION COMPANY IN OPPOSITION TO THE
 CONSENT                       BOARD OF DIRECTORS
  CARD                  OF BARRETT RESOURCES CORPORATION

     Unless otherwise indicated below, the undersigned, a stockholder of record
of Barrett Resources Corporation (the "Company") on ___________ ___, 2001 (the
"Record Date"), hereby consents pursuant to Section 228(a) of the Delaware
General Corporation Law with respect to all shares of common stock of the
Company (the "Common Stock") held by the undersigned to the taking of the
following actions without a meeting of the stockholders of the Company:

1.   The removal without cause of all directors of the Company who
     are in office when this removal action becomes effective, including,
     without limitation, C. Robert Buford, Derrill Cody, Peter A. Dea, James M.
     Fitzgibbons, Hennie L. J. M. Gieskes, William W. Grant, III and Philippe S.
     E. Schreiber.

     [ ] CONSENTS              [ ] DOES NOT CONSENT                 [ ] ABSTAIN

INSTRUCTION:  TO CONSENT, WITHHOLD CONSENT OR ABSTAIN FROM CONSENTING TO THE
              REMOVAL OF ALL THE ABOVE-NAMED DIRECTORS AND ANY OTHER DIRECTOR OR
              DIRECTORS WHO HOLD OFFICE AT THE TIME THE ACTION TAKEN BY THIS
              WRITTEN CONSENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE, CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX
              ABOVE. IF YOU WISH TO CONSENT TO THE REMOVAL OF CERTAIN OF THE
              ABOVE-NAMED DIRECTORS AND/OR CERTAIN OF THE DIRECTORS NOT NAMED
              ABOVE WHO ARE DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY AT THE TIME THE ACTION
              TAKEN BY THIS WRITTEN CONSENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE, BUT NOT ALL OF
              THEM, CHECK THE "CONSENTS" BOX ABOVE AND WRITE THE NAME OF EACH
              PERSON YOU DO NOT WISH REMOVED IN THE FOLLOWING SPACE:

              ------------------------------------------------------------------

              IF NO BOX IS MARKED ABOVE WITH RESPECT TO THIS PROPOSAL, THE
              UNDERSIGNED WILL BE DEEMED TO CONSENT TO SUCH PROPOSAL, EXCEPT
              THAT THE UNDERSIGNED WILL NOT BE DEEMED TO CONSENT TO THE REMOVAL
              OF ANY INCUMBENT DIRECTOR WHOSE NAME IS WRITTEN IN THE SPACE
              PROVIDED ABOVE.

2.   The election of the following persons as directors of the Company to hold
     office until their successors are elected and qualified: Francis L. Durand,
     R. W. Leftwich, and J. Hugh Roff, Jr. (the "Nominees").

     [ ] CONSENTS              [ ] DOES NOT CONSENT                 [ ] ABSTAIN

             (CONTINUED AND TO BE DATED AND SIGNED ON REVERSE SIDE)


   23


INSTRUCTION:  TO CONSENT, WITHHOLD CONSENT OR ABSTAIN FROM CONSENTING TO THE
              ELECTION OF ALL THE ABOVE-NAMED PERSONS, CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX
              ABOVE. IF YOU WISH TO CONSENT TO THE ELECTION OF CERTAIN OF THE
              ABOVE-NAMED PERSONS, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM, CHECK THE "CONSENTS" BOX
              ABOVE AND WRITE THE NAME OF EACH SUCH PERSON YOU DO NOT WISH
              ELECTED IN THE FOLLOWING SPACE:

              ------------------------------------------------------------------

              IF NO BOX IS MARKED ABOVE WITH RESPECT TO THIS PROPOSAL, THE
              UNDERSIGNED WILL BE DEEMED TO CONSENT TO SUCH PROPOSAL, EXCEPT
              THAT THE UNDERSIGNED WILL NOT BE DEEMED TO CONSENT TO THE ELECTION
              OF ANY CANDIDATE WHOSE NAME IS WRITTEN-IN IN THE SPACE PROVIDED
              ABOVE.

IN THE ABSENCE OF DISSENT OR ABSTENTION BEING INDICATED ABOVE, THE UNDERSIGNED
HEREBY CONSENTS TO EACH ACTION LISTED ABOVE.

The effectiveness of the election proposal set forth above is subject to, and
conditioned upon, the adoption of the removal proposal set forth above or the
incumbent directors otherwise having ceased to be directors of the Company
immediately prior to the election of directors pursuant to the election
proposal. The effectiveness of the removal proposal is not subject to or
conditioned upon the adoption of the election proposal set forth above.

                                   Please sign exactly as name appears on stock
                                   certificates or on label affixed hereto. When
                                   shares are held by joint tenants, both should
                                   sign. In case of joint owners, EACH joint
                                   owner should sign. When signing as attorney,
                                   executor, administrator, trustee, guardian,
                                   corporate officer, etc., give full title as
                                   such.

                                   DATED:
                                          --------------------------------------

                                   ---------------------------------------------
                                                   Signature

                                   ---------------------------------------------
                                            Signature, if held jointly

                                   ---------------------------------------------
                                                Title or Authority

            IN ORDER FOR YOUR CONSENT TO BE VALID, IT MUST BE DATED.
      PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND MAIL YOUR CONSENT PROMPTLY IN THE POSTAGE-PAID
                               ENVELOPE ENCLOSED.