Europe's major oil and gas companies have turned a corner after a three-year slump, reporting strong growth in profits as cost cutting paid off and vowing to press on with saving more money amid a fragile recovery in oil prices.

Royal Dutch Shell, France's Total and Norway's Statoil reported sharp increases in cash flow from operations in the second quarter as profits beat analyst expectations, meaning they can all comfortably pay dividends and reduce debt.

Oil investor hopes were raised at the start of the year by a deal to cut production between members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and some non-OPEC producers. That lifted oil prices above $58 a barrel in January, well above their 2016 low of just $27.

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