May 15th, 2006:
Friends of the Earth International: Shell Neighbors Want Action Not Words
Shell Neighbors Want Action Not Words
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LONDON – May 15 – Community representatives from seven countries will attend oil giant Shell's Annual General Meeting in The Hague on May 16 calling for Shell to be held accountable for the environmental destruction and human suffering it causes, particularly in Nigeria. The activists from communities neighbouring Shell facilities around the world bought single shares in this Anglo-Dutch corporation in order to gain direct access to Shell shareholders with the hope of raising awareness of their concerns and demands. 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.American Chronicle: UK marine campaigners try to stop public money destroying gray whalesOn May 22nd, members of the public have been invited to join a peaceful protest outside of the European Bank's Annual General Meeting in London. The critically endangered western Pacific gray whales face extinction if the Bank backs oil giant Shell's plans to drill for oil and gas in their feeding grounds off Sakhalin Island. Shell’s Sakhalin II project in Russia's far east is the largest oil and gas extraction project in the world and they are seeking up to $300 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). AME Info: Shell ponders Iran LNGShell ponders Iran LNGRoyal Dutch Shell will make a decision next year about its involvement in Iran's natural liquefied gas project, reported Gulf News citing MarketWatch. The company signed a $1.5bn frame work deal in 2004 with the National Iranian Oil Company and Repsol YPF, to form the Persian LNG Production Company. No investment has yet been made and Shell is studying the current international tensions closely.Manila Standard Today, Philippines: Customs gets go-ahead to dun ShellCustoms gets go-ahead to dun Shell By Rey E. Requejo The Court of Appeals has upheld the tax case filed by the Bureau of Customs against Pilipinas Shell for allegedly failing to pay P220 million in customs duties and taxes in connection with its importation of petroleum products. In a 16-page decision, the appellate court’s 16th Division granted the petition filed by the bureau seeking to reverse and set aside the Jan. 28, 2003 resolution of the Court of Tax Appeals. The tax court’s resolution denied the bureau’s motion seeking the dismissal of the petition for review filed by Pilipinas Shell on May 23, 2002. The bureau asked Shell for P220 million to settle its tax deficiencies. The Times: Need to Know: Natural ResourcesNatural Resources Financial Times: Energy landscape redesignedEnergy landscape redesignedBy Carola Hoyos and Alison Maitland in London Jeroen van der Veer, chief executive of Royal Dutch Shell, has warned that the increasingly nationalistic position of oil-rich countries and their redrawing of contracts is a new reality that international energy companies have to accept.
However, not all his competitors share his view. Financial Times: Hard lessons from the oil frontierHard lessons from the oil frontier By Carola Hoyos in London Rising oil prices and the consequent shift of power in favour of resource-rich countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Saudi Arabia, have left demand for the traditional services of international oil companies waning.
Petro-states with increasingly sophisticated national oil companies no longer need foreign help to extract oil and gas. This has brought the renegotiation of contracts, exclusion of foreign companies from projects and a host of demands on international groups that range from funding local schools to involvement in electricity or refining sectors. Bolivia is the latest country to change the rules, taking full control of its gas fields from companies including Petrobras of Brazil, Repsol of Spain and the UK’s BG. The Guardian: Shell faces ecological assault on three fronts at general meetingShell faces ecological assault on three fronts at general meeting
Terry Macalister Monday May 15, 2006 The Guardian
Shell will face a barrage of protests tomorrow at its annual meeting in The Hague over projects at Sakhalin Island in Russia, Bayelsa in Nigeria and Corrib in Ireland. The Anglo-Dutch oil group will contest a resolution calling on directors to act in a more socially responsible way in terms of the environment and local communities. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) will back shareholder resolution 15 and argue that new research shows Shell would be unable to clear up any oil spill properly at Sakhalin for six months of the year because of ice. |