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July 1st, 2006:

Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com: THE CHANGING FACE OF SHELL: BY PADDY BRIGGS

An interesting 2004 article by a Shell insider, Paddy Briggs, who worked for Shell for over 37 years, latterly as a Marketing Executive. It is being added to our online searchable archive currently containing over 9,000 articles relating to the Royal Dutch Shell Group.

THE  CHANGING FACE OF SHELL

y Paddy Briggs

An insider’s view of the remarkable world of a corporate giant and how it sought to change the way the world perceived.

The same week that I went to the (delayed) “Shell Transport and Trading” Annual General Meeting I also went to see the new Harry Potter film. The movie presents a parallel world of wizardry and spells that operates alongside the “real” world in which most of us live our daily lives. Harry Potter’s world overlaps with the real world from time to time – and many of the elements of his world are very similar to real world elements – but it would be dangerous to draw any comfort from that. No sooner do you think that you are back in familiar surroundings than magic intervenes and your journey returns to one in which the dimensions of space and time work quite differently and where the application of normal logic (cause and effect) has to be suspended. And so it is with Shell. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com: Shell talks up Arctic exploration

From Petroleum News
By Kay Cashman

A June 28 news story out of Stavanger, Norway, about Shell’s Arctic exploration plans confirms the company hopes to drill offshore northern Alaska next year. The story, written by Ian Talley of Dow Jones Newswires, also confirmed Shell’s interest in bidding in both the next Alaska Chukchi Sea lease sale and Russia’s licensing rounds for its part of the Chukchi.

The article also provided previously unreported information, such as the new name for the Alaska Hammerhead prospect — Siv Ullig. That means Shell has dropped its interim name for the 1985 discovery, which was Kaktovik. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com: Oil sands projects face credit concerns

From Petroleum News
Article by Gary Park

Standard & Poor’s says capital costs could put stress on balance sheets, but thinks takeovers of producers a ‘viable possibility’

Galloping costs at some of Alberta’s integrated oil sands mining projects are setting off alarm bells at Standard & Poor’s, but not enough for the powerful rating agency to suggest that takeover activity by international (notably U.S.) companies will fade.

Because the list of projects scheduled for completion by 2015 has ballooned from C$30 billion to C$115 billion there is unease in the credit sector about the costs associated with launching and completing the ventures, said Michelle Dathorne, S&P’s director of utilities, energy and project finance. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc. com: Seismic survey permits issued to Shell Offshore and ConocoPhillips Alaska

From Petroleum News
By Kay Cashman

MMS issues Chukchi seismic permits

On June 20, the U.S. Minerals Management Service issued seismic survey permits for the Chukchi Sea to Shell Offshore, ConocoPhillips Alaska and GX Technology. A permit for Shell to shoot seismic in the Beaufort Sea will be issued in the next couple of weeks, MMS said.

All work will start this summer and must be completed by Nov. 30, MMS said.

Shell and ConocoPhillips’ seismic contractor is already gearing up in Dutch Harbor for the voyage north. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com: Meet the oil CEOS

Extracts from Petroleum News “Oil Patch Insider”

Meet the oil CEOS
By Rose Ragsdale

Top officials at Chevron, Shell and ConocoPhillips sat down with Tim Russert on Meet the Press June 18 to address the questions, “‘Why are gasoline prices so high, while oil company profits are soaring?’ and ‘Can we be self-sufficient in our energy needs?’”

Russert said polls show the American people have overwhelmingly negative feelings about oil companies.

Chevron CEO David O’Reilly said he could understand why most people feel negative toward the industry because rising gasoline prices have been a shock. But the huge profits earned recently by oil companies have created a misperception that the industry is outrageously and consistently profitable. In reality, the oil industry’s profits over the long term are in the mid-range when compared with other industries, he said. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com: Intl. companies competing for presence in Iran

From The Tehran Times Economic Desk

TEHRAN — Pars Oil and Gas Company managing director Akbar Torkan on Wednesday said six international companies are competing for contracts in the Assaluyeh region of Iran’s southern Bushehr Province.

Presently, the international companies of Royal Dutch Shell, French Total, Italian oil and gas company Eni S.P.A., Norwegian Statoil, Russian Lukoil, and Chinese Sinopec are working in site No. 2 of the South Pars (SP) Gas Field, competing on more active presence in the giant gas field projects, he added during the ceremony held to sign SP phases 15 and 16 development contract in Assaluyeh. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com: Retailing joint venture with Royal Dutch Shell Plc

TURKEY: Turcas-Ibedrola To Bid in Energy Sector  
From seeurope.net

Turkey’s Turcas Petrol and Spanish utility Iberdrola plan to bid in Turkey’s privatization of electricity distribution and production, Turcas Chairman Erdal Aksoy said.

Energy Minister Hilmi Güler said earlier in June that Turkey was trying to prepare the power privatization tenders this month. The aim is to liberalize the market through the sale of distribution grids and switch to a system of regional tariffs. Turkey is divided into 21 grids, 20 of which are due to be privatized. Turkish energy demand is expected to grow amid robust economic expansion. The gross national product in Turkey — which has attracted large foreign investment flows in recent years — grew almost 8 percent last year and the government has said it expects 6 percent for this year. Investors from Russia, Italy and Belgium have also expressed interest in the electricity sell-off. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com: Rosneft reportedly asks Shell to invest $1 billion

From Times Online
July 01, 2006
Natural resources: Need to Know

Rosneft, the Russian oil group preparing to list in London, has reportedly asked a number of existing or potential corporate partners, including BP and Royal Dutch Shell, to invest up to $1 billion (£541 million) in its initial public offering.

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.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com: Sibir Energy sees ‘substantial’ FY profits from Salym

From AFX UK (Focus)

LONDON (AFX) – Sibir Energy PLC said it expects to report substantial profits in 2006 from its Salym fields in western Siberia, which it jointly owns with Royal Dutch Shell PLC.

Earlier this month, Sibir said production at the Salym fields had exceeded 50,000 barrels per day and had dramatically increased since it went on stream last December.

At the end of 2005, Sibir said, it contributed to the joint venture in share subscriptions, share premium and loans of over 400 mln usd. This has now increased to 510 mln usd and according to the company’s latest estimates it has a further 21.5 mln usd to be contributed before Salym becomes self funding. It added it expects repayment of the loans to start in the second half of 2007. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc. com: SHELL PLANS TO PARTICIPATE IN CHINA’S COAL GASIFICATION PROJECT

From Asia Pulse

BEIJING, June 30 Asia Pulse – Shell plans to participate in China’s coal gasification project and synthesis gas project with its coal gasification technology, an officer in charge of Shell (China) Co.’s Clean Coal Business told the Xinhua-run Shanghai Securities News.

It is a significant strategic transform for Shell, which has been transferring coal gasification technology in China over the past five years.

It means that Shell will share both interest and risks with its Chinese joint venture partners, instead of making gains from technology transfer. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com: Russians try to round up BP’s backing for Rosneft float

By: Saeed Shah, The Independent – United Kingdom
Published: Jul 01, 2006

Rosneft, the Russian company poised for a controversial $10bn (pounds 5.6bn) fundraising in London, has held talks with the oil giant BP about investing in the flotation, according to financial and industry sources.

The two have held talks about an investment for “weeks”, insiders said. There is talk that BP might buy $1bn of shares.

The main attraction for BP would be political advantage, analysts said, as the Kremlin has staked huge political capital in a successful flotation of Rosneft. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com: Lingle, Shell Oil announce plans for $200 million Hawaii wind farm

AP Worldstream
Published: Jul 01, 2006

Energy giant Shell Oil Co. USA plan to build a $200-million (A157.3-million) wind farm on the slopes of a 20,000-acre (8,000-hectare) ranch on the island of Maui.

Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle and John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Co. USA, announced the project Friday at the capitol, alongside Sumner Erdman, president of Ulupalakua Ranch, Inc.

Erdman said his ranch, which has been in operation for more than 100 years, had been looking for such an arrangement for six years as a means of branching out from agriculture. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com: Kerr-McGee Agrees to Negotiate With U.S. on Oil Royalties in Gulf

FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES
By EDMUND L. ANDREWS
Published: July 1, 2006

WASHINGTON, June 30 — The Kerr-McGee Corporation, under pressure from Congress, said on Friday that it would begin negotiations to settle a lawsuit that if it went to trial could deprive the government of as much as $60 billion in oil and gas royalties.

At issue are thousands of leases the government signed with companies seeking to drill in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico. The leases include incentives that allow companies to avoid paying royalties to the government on much of what they initially produce. 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.