RICHMOND, Va. – In an effort to repair the image of its industry, Shell Oil is holding gatherings similar to dances or self-help seminars.

At one event, John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil, welcomed invited guests that included supportive state politicians to deeply skeptical environmentalists.

Hofmeister told USA Today Shell executives were dumbfounded by the anger unleashed after Hurricane Katrina, and concluded they had to respond. They debated spending millions on a new ad campaign or offering consumers special discounts, but ultimately opted to implement a strategy – invitation-only get-togethers – that the United Kingdom unit of multinational Royal Dutch Shell had used with some success.

Michael Glasser, a lawyer and environmentalist, at one point challenges Hofmeister to undertake a "bold stroke" by advocating higher auto fuel economy standards. Hofmeister bathes him in warmth – "That's a very good question and a very good challenge, and I welcome it" – before demurring.

Much of the roughly 90-minute event is consumed by small-group discussions led by Shell executives around easels and bearing questions such as, "What does the U.S. need to do to manage energy demand?" Later, Shell executives briefly summarized for the broader group what had been discussed.

Shell received praise from many attendees for reaching out to the public. Yet, there is a tension between Hofmeister's diagnosis of a critical moment that demands new thinking and his prescription that what Shell always has favored – incremental technological progress – will still provide the good life.

"I think we can have it all," Hofmeister said.