North European Oil Royalty Trust (the Trust) is a grantor trust which, on behalf of the owners of beneficial interest in the Trust, holds royalty rights covering gas and oil production in certain concessions or leases in the Federal Republic of Germany. The rights are held under contracts with local German exploration and development subsidiaries of ExxonMobil Corp. (ExxonMobil) and the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies (Royal Dutch/Shell Group). Under these contracts, the Trust receives various percentage royalties on the proceeds of the sales of certain products from the areas involved. The royalties are received for sales of gas well gas, oil well gas, crude oil, distillate and sulfur. Neither the Trust nor the trustees on behalf of the Trust conduct any active business activities or operations. The function of the trustees is to monitor, verify, collect, hold, invest and distribute the royalty payments made to the Trust.