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August 8th, 2005:

Emigrant Online (Ireland): Shell postpones all work on pipeline

Emigrant Online (Ireland): Shell postpones all work on pipeline

“The Minister urged the five to reconsider their stance in light of the new Shell decision.”: “Their spokesman said, however, that they would remain in prison until Shell abandoned its plans for an onshore terminal.”

Monday 8 August 2005

The Shell pipeline dispute in Mayo took an unexpected turn on Thursday when the company announced it would delay all work on the pipeline until next year, to “allow for a period of discussion and dialogue”, and to await the outcome of the safety review ordered by Minister for Natural Resources Noel Dempsey. It had been expected that Shell was about to start laying the 75km of pipeline on the seabed as the company had arranged for the world’s largest pipelaying vessel, the 285-metre Solitaire, to begin work on August 15. On Tuesday Mr Dempsey granted permission for the commencement of this work. His decision angered Shell’s opponents who saw it as further evidence that the Government was on the side of the oil giant. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

SHELL: Two radical steps could further distance Royal Dutch Shell from the reserves scandal

SHELL: Two radical steps could further distance Royal Dutch Shell from the reserves scandal

Monday 8 August 2005

By John Donovan

Although the media has welcomed the appointment of Jorma Ollila as the new Shell Chairman from June 2006, many of the news reports about his recruitment also include references to the Shell reserves debacle. This is despite the fact that over a year and a half has passed since news first broke about the scandal.

Commentary harking back to the scandal has been a regular feature of news reports about Shell. Although Shell has paid nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in regulatory fines and litigation settlements, other litigation is still proceeding, as well as on-going investigations, so there is no prospect of negative commentary abating any time soon. There is also the matter of the pending FSA tribunal ruling in respect of proceedings brought by disgraced former Shell Chairman Sir Phillip Watts. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell refuses to lift injunction against jailed Rossport Five

Irish Times: FG leader wants TD to apologise for office picket

“The five men in Cloverhill face into their sixth week in prison, with no sign of any breakthrough due to Shell’s insistence on building an onshore terminal and its refusal to lift the injunction against north Mayo residents opposed to the onshore pipeline.”

Monday 8 August 2005

Lorna Siggins, Marine Correspondent

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has called for an apology from fellow Mayo TD Dr Jerry Cowley (Ind) about a picket of his constituency office over the Corrib gas issue.

Mr Kenny says he holds Dr Cowley “personally responsible” for “the behaviour, attitude and abusive language” towards two of his staff during an eight-hour protest on Friday in Castlebar.

Mr Kenny says he was “compelled for the safety and security” of his office and staff to call the gardaI to remove Dr Cowley “and his supporters” late on Friday. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Planet Ark, NY: Shell Halts Work on Disputed Irish Pipeline for Talks

Planet Ark, NY: Shell Halts Work on Disputed Irish Pipeline for Talks

“The row escalated in late June after five residents were jailed for contempt of court for refusing not to obstruct the laying of the pipeline through their lands. The Corrib field, containing 1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas 70km off the Mayo coast, was discovered in 1996 and was Ireland’s first significant offshore find since Kinsale Head off the southwestern coast in 1971.”

Monday 8 August 2005

DUBLIN – Ireland’s natural resources minister has offered to appoint an intermediary to broker talks between oil giant Royal Dutch Shell and residents in western Ireland who oppose its plans for an onshore gas pipeline.

“He’s offered to appoint an intermediary if requested by both parties,” a spokesman for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Minister Noel Dempsey said.

Shell Exploration & Production Ireland is embroiled in a bitter dispute with residents of Rossport, County Mayo, over the safety of the pipeline, which it plans to run for 9 km (5.5 miles) inland from its gas platform to a processing plant. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Irish Independent: Anti-pipeline group furious as FG leader calls in gardai

Irish Independent: Anti-pipeline group furious as FG leader calls in gardai

“FINE Gael leader Enda Kenny yesterday launched an attack on the “Shell to Sea” protest group…”

Monday 8 August 2005

FINE Gael leader Enda Kenny yesterday launched an attack on the “Shell to Sea” protest group and on Independent TD Dr Jerry Cowley, whom he said was personally accountable for a sit-in at his Castlebar constituency offices at the weekend.

Mr Kenny said his staff were “intimidated and abused” by the group.

After an eight-hour protest, which included two of the wives of the incarcerated Rossport Five, gardai ejected the group from Mr Kenny’s Linenhall Street offices at 9.30pm on Friday night. Inspector William Keavney confirmed that Mr Kenny had alerted gardai to the situation. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Irish Times: Ministers can’t play both sides in key projects

Irish Times: Ministers can’t play both sides in key projects

“The dispute between Shell and the residents of north Mayo spilled over into the British papers last week. With the clarity that observing something from a distance allows, the story was distilled down to the company being ordered by the Irish Government to dismantle a pipeline because it had been built illegally.”: It is not the sort of publicity that any company likes, particularly one with Shell’s sensitivities…”

John McManus

Aug 08, 2005

Business Opinion: The dispute between Shell and the residents of north Mayo spilled over into the British papers last week.

With the clarity that observing something from a distance allows, the story was distilled down to the company being ordered by the Irish Government to dismantle a pipeline because it had been built illegally.

The other key fact to be gleaned from the UK newspaper reports was that five local men are in jail in Ireland for opposing this apparently illegally built pipeline, the safety of which appears to be an issue, because the Government is ordering an independent inquiry. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Oil and Gas Prices Hit Records Following Trouble at Refineries

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Oil and Gas Prices Hit Records Following Trouble at Refineries

“Refinery outages have lifted gasoline futures more than 10% in the past two weeks. In the latest, a gasoline-producing unit at Motiva’s Norco, La., refinery was shut Thursday and was in the process of restarting Friday. Motiva is a joint venture between Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Saudi Aramco.”

Monday 8 August 2005

By MASOOD FARIVAR
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
August 8, 2005; Page C4

Fresh news of trouble at U.S. refineries added to worries about summertime supplies and sent crude-oil and gasoline prices to record high settlements Friday.

The September crude-oil contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange jumped 93 cents to $62.31 a barrel, the highest settlement since the contract began trading in 1983. Friday’s strong close suggests the market is poised to set fresh record highs this week, said Chris McCormack, a technical analyst and broker at brokerage firm ABN Amro. A breach of last Wednesday’s intra-day high of $62.50 could send the contract to $63.40 “at a minimum.” read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

The Guardian: We have been here before: the price of oil will fall

The Guardian: We have been here before: the price of oil will fall

“One piece of conventional wisdom which is hardening into a truism is that oil prices will continue to rise. Recent headlines include: “Shell predicts two decades of rising oil prices” and “Oil will hit $100 by winter”.

Monday August 8, 2005

Vincent Cable

One piece of conventional wisdom which is hardening into a truism is that oil prices will continue to rise. Recent headlines include: “Shell predicts two decades of rising oil prices” and “Oil will hit $100 by winter”.

The futures markets are expecting prices to continue to rise from just over $60 a barrel to $64-$65 in six months. The mainstream forecasters anticipate continued high prices in the short and even long term.

We have been here before. At the peak of the 1979/80 oil shock, when prices reached $80 a barrel in today’s terms, a poll of forecasters showed a consensus expecting prices to rise indefinitely. The forecasts were underpinned by the belief that supplies were becoming exhausted or that the Opec cartel had limitless capacity to adjust supply to maximise revenue. Little account was taken of the supply and demand response which led to the collapse of prices within five years. The old adage of all commodity markets that high prices lead to low prices was forgotten. It is being forgotten again. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

BBC News: Platform evacuated in leak alert

BBC News: Platform evacuated in leak alert

“Sixty staff remained on Shell’s Brent Bravo platform and work was under way to repair the leak.”: “Offshore union leaders have expressed concern as Shell was recently fined £900,000 for a breach of health and safety on Brent Bravo, following the death of two offshore workers.”: “A fatal accident inquiry into that incident has still to be held.”

Monday 8 August 2005

More than 80 North Sea workers have been evacuated from a production platform after a leak was discovered in a leg of the installation.

Sixty staff remained on Shell’s Brent Bravo platform and work was under way to repair the leak.

The alarm was raised on Sunday night when staff reported a release of oil from the platform’s utility leg.

A spokesman for Shell said 85 non-essential workers were flown to neighbouring installations.

A controlled shut down of production has been carried out in order to repair the leak. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Mail on Sunday: Shell in Russian pipeline turmoil

Mail on Sunday: Shell in Russian pipeline turmoil

“SHELL has been forced to delay full production at its giant Sakhalin oilfield off the coast of eastern Siberia until 2008. It is yet another blow for the oil giant, which had previously postponed the controversial project to 2007. Shell stunned the market last month, revealing that costs on the Sakhalin II project had doubled to £10.5 billion.”

Posted 8 August 2005

By TomMcGhie

SHELL has been forced to delay full production at its giant Sakhalin oilfield off the coast of eastern Siberia until 2008.

It is yet another blow for the oil giant, which had previously postponed the controversial project to 2007.

Shell stunned the market last month, revealing that costs on the Sakhalin II project had doubled to £10.5 billion.

The Russian project, one of the most important in Shell’s portfolio, has been plagued with technical and environmental problems from the start. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

THE TIMES: Death and disaster spur on oil prices

THE TIMES: Death and disaster spur on oil prices

“Shell frittered away years of credibility by getting itself into a corporate mess for overstating hydrocarbon reserves, a sensitive issue when you are a bit short of them.”

Published by The Times on August 06, 2005

PERSONAL INVESTOR

GRAHAM SEARJEANT

SPECULATORS are so bullish about crude oil at the moment that almost any excuse, any hint of uncertainty, gives a pretext for another push. This week it was the death of King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. In reality, poor King Fahd had a bad stroke in 1996. Since then, the world’s biggest oil exporter has been led by Crown Prince Abdullah, who was quickly made the new King. But no matter.

Long-term issues may not affect the supply of oil coming out of the ground now but that is not the way traders think. The Middle East is more volatile than usual. Anything can happen. And the West needs Middle East oil. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.