Royal Dutch Shell and Virent Energy Systems inc. formed a five-year partnership to produce a gasoline alternative from plant sugars that won't impact food prices or need modified gasoline engines. The deal follows a larger trend of oil companies investing in biofuel research. BP is working with several universities, such as University of California at Berkley and Arizona State University, to transform low-carbon feedstocks into biofuels. Chevron has partnered with Weyerhaeuser Co., a paper and wood business, to form Catchlight Energy to explore converting nonfood substances into biofuels.