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September, 2012:

Shell gains approval for early well work in Beaufort, seeks OK from whalers

Alex DeMarban | Sep 20, 2012

Kulluk shell offshore rig Shell Alaska photo

Federal regulators on Thursday gave Royal Dutch Shell the green light to move forward with preliminary well work in the Beaufort Sea off northeast Alaska as soon as the subsistence whaling season ends.

The company is also working to obtain support from Inupiat Eskimo whalers that could allow Shell to move its drill rig over the Sivalluq prospect in the Beaufort, 20 miles north of Point Thomson off Alaska’s northeast coast, Shell spokesman Curtis Smith 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.

Shell wins approval for limited Beaufort drilling

By Yereth Rosen

ANCHORAGE, Alaska | Thu Sep 20, 2012 6:01pm EDT

(Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) on Thursday won approval for limited drilling in the Beaufort Sea off northern Alaska, allowing the British oil company to start one exploration well there while it pursues a separate prospect in the Chukchi Sea.

The U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement granted Shell a permit to drill to shallow depths at the Beaufort well, which follows approval three weeks ago for similar preliminary drilling in the Chukchi. 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 gets OK from Feds to drill in Beaufort Sea

The Kulluk conical drilling rig is docked in the Vigor shipyard in Seattle, where it has undergone refurbishments meant to ready the 1980s-era conical drilling rig for Arctic drilling this summer. (Jennifer A. Dlouhy / The Houston Chronicle)

Posted on September 20, 2012 at 1:50 pm by Jennifer A. Dlouhy

Although federal regulators today gave Shell the green light to begin initial drilling operations in the Beaufort Sea, that work will wait until native Alaskans finish their fall hunt of the bowhead whale migrating through the area. 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.

WWF Statement on Royal Dutch Shell’s Decision to Scale Back Offshore Drilling in Alaska this Summer

Royal Dutch Shell’s decision to put off efforts to drill for oil in America’s Arctic Ocean this summer reiterates the difficulty – and elevated risk – of Arctic oil exploration. We’ve learned a critical lesson from Shell’s initial foray into the Arctic: despite billions of dollars in investments, it was still unable to overcome the natural and logistical challenges to safely operate in harsh Arctic conditions. While local communities and wildlife may be safe from spills for one more year, we remain concerned that future offshore oil exploration cannot be done without placing those communities at too great a risk. 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 Arctic Setback Shows Risks, Environmentalists Say

By Jim Snyder – Sep 18, 2012 6:13 PM GMT+0100

Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA)’s decision to abandon oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic waters this year underscores the risks of working in harsh maritime conditions, environmentalists said.

“We think it’s crazy,” said Niel Lawrence, senior attorney for the New York-based Natural Resources Defense Council, which has opposed exploring in the region. “And the evidence is mounting that shows it’s crazy.”

Sub-freezing temperatures, high sea swells and ice floes make the Arctic off the Alaska coast a particularly difficult location for offshore drilling, the NRDC and other critics of drilling in the region say. 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.

MPs’ call to halt Arctic drilling amid safety concerns

Shell has reputedly invested almost $5bn in its Arctic projects. It suffered a major setback at the weekend after a huge containment dome designed to corral any Arctic spill broke down under trials. Shell abandoned drilling for the winter.

By Roger Harrabin Environment analyst: 20 September 2012 Last updated at 02:21

A committee of MPs has called for a halt on drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic until safety is improved.

They say current techniques for dealing with any spill do not inspire confidence.

The Environmental Audit Committee fears that a spill could have caused unprecedented environmental damage.

The MPs want to see a standard pan-Arctic spill response standard, unlimited liability for firms and an Arctic environmental sanctuary. 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.

U.K. Lawmakers Call for Moratorium on Arctic Oil & Gas Drilling

By Alex Morales on September 19, 2012

Oil and gas companies including Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) and Cairn Energy Plc (CNE) should be prevented from drilling in the Arctic until rigorous environmental regulations are in place, a panel of U.K. lawmakers said.

Oil spill response techniques haven’t been proven to work in Arctic conditions, the multiparty Environmental Audit Committee said today in an e-mailed report. It proposed a halt to drilling until stronger safeguards are in place in an effort to avoid leaks on the scale of BP Plc (BP/)’s Macondo disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. 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.

Arrrr! Shell Tries to Plunder Human Rights

Posted: 09/19/2012 11:50 am

In case you hadn’t heard, today is International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Don’t worry if you’re feeling out of the loop; I didn’t know this day existed until recently. From what I have learned, the day is all in good fun, celebrating pirate culture and Johnny Depp movies, which is why we don’t associate things like slavery and genocide with this kind of lighthearted stuff.  But oil giant Royal Dutch Shell puts a different spin on it. They’re actually talking like a pirate, and to the U.S. Supreme Court no less. 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 Leads LNG Competitors Out to Sea With Biggest Ship: Energy

By Eduard Gismatullin and James Paton on September 19, 2012

For more than a decade, the world’s biggest liquefied natural gas producers led by Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) plotted how to move their $170 billion industry onto barges at sea to tap remote fields. Now they’re finally doing it.

Shell will forge the hull of a floating LNG plant in South Korea by year-end that will be the world’s largest vessel, weighing six times the biggest aircraft carrier, a Nimitz-class warship. Some 5,000 workers will build the factory to produce LNG off Australia’s northwest coast in a $13 billion project that also will shield Shell from escalating costs it would have to pay at the country’s onshore plants. 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 Drawn by Auction for $5 Trillion of Oil

By Peter Millard, Rodrigo Orihuela and Juan Pablo Spinetto on September 19, 2012

Brazil’s first auction of oil licenses since 2008 is expected to lure companies from Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) to startup Niko Resources Ltd. (NKO) as producers seek to tap fields holding a third of the world’s new discoveries.

President Dilma Rousseff this week approved the plan to auction oil exploration areas as soon as May, including deep- water fields where Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR4) made the world’s largest oil finds in more than a decade. Round 11, as the auction is being called, will include 174 blocks on shore and off Brazil’s northeastern coast. 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.

Ukraine to Potentially Triple Shale Output in Decade, Shell Says

By Kateryna Choursina and Daryna Krasnolutska on September 19, 2012

Ukraine could potentially double or even triple natural-gas production in a decade after it starts shale extraction, according to Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (RDSA)

Shell, which won a license in May to start commercial production at the Yuzivska field in eastern Ukraine, has submitted a draft product-sharing agreement to the Ukrainian government, said Graham Tiley, its country chairman.

Europe’s biggest energy producer is waiting for initial test results to assess how fast the deposit can be tapped, Tiley said in an interview last week. 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.

U.S. stands by Shell offshore Alaska plan

Published: Sept. 19, 2012 at 7:59 AM Advertisement

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (UPI) — The U.S. government will work with Royal Dutch Shell as it operates in the remaining drilling season in Alaska’s arctic waters, an official said.

Shell announced this week it was abandoning parts of its drilling program in the Chukchi Sea after a containment dome designed for a potential oil spill in arctic waters was damaged. The company recently scaled back its ambitions in part because of the threat of encroaching sea ice.

U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar applauded Shell for its commitment to what he said were “rigorous safety, environmental protection and emergency response standards” established for work offshore Alaska. 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 spill fears put Shell’s Arctic drilling plans on hold

By Rob Davies

PUBLISHED: 22:30, 17 September 2012 | UPDATED: 22:30, 17 September 2012

A faulty piece of safety kit has forced Shell to postpone its controversial Arctic drilling programme just days before MPs were due to criticise its ability to respond to an oil spill in the region.

Shell said its ‘containment cap’ – a dome-shaped device that would collect oil and funnel it to a nearby ship in the event of a spill – had been damaged and will not be ready this year.

It comes at a bad time for Shell, as MPs prepare to release a report on whether British oil firms would be able to respond to a major spill in the Arctic. The first volume of the report, published on Thursday, is expected to conclude that companies such as Shell and fellow Arctic explorer Cairn Energy are not fully prepared for a disaster. 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.

BP and Shell downgraded by Santander

By John Donovan

19 September 2012

Under the headline “BP and Shell come under pressure” the Financial Times reports today that Santander has downgraded Royal Dutch Shell to “reduce” out of concern about Shell’s costs “as it tried to kick-start earnings growth” and other issues, apparently including the debacle in Alaska.

Extracts from Santander announcement:

While Shell remains resource-rich, it is light significant new projects, value, cash flow or earnings catalysts,” Santander said. “The company has also already peaked in terms of a core strategic goal: delivery of cash growth.” 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 instructed Corrib Gas Project supplier to falsify invoices?

By John Donovan

On 10 September we published an article under the headline “Irish Supplier Accuses Shell of Bribery, Cover-up and Sinister Threats

The supplier in question, OSSL, is located in Bangor-Erris, County Mayo.

Following further information supplied to me earlier today, I sent a self-explanatory email to Julia Busby, a senior Shell lawyer. It is printed below.

Shell is accused of instructing the supplier to falsify the content of 21 invoices relating to the controversial Corrib Gas Project in Ireland.  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.

80 days since five sincere men of principle were jailed by Shell

FROM OUR SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE: ON THIS DAY IN 2005

Irish Times: Shell denies fears over loss of consents

“It is 80 days since five sincere men of principle were jailed by Shell. Talks, not imprisonments, will resolve this impasse that has exposed the unhealthy state of our democracy.”

Posted Sunday 18 Sept 2005

Lorna Siggins, Marine Correspondent

Shell E&P Ireland has denied fears of losing ministerial consents for the 900 million gas project if it lifts the injunction against five Mayo men in prison over opposition to the onshore gas pipeline.

However, the company has issued a plea to the men in prison to “consider their position”, following its first formal offer to them this week of mediation without any preconditions.

The men have agreed to formal mediation, but their solicitor, Padraic Ferry, said yesterday this could only take place if the injunction was lifted, as otherwise the men would be under duress. 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.

Future of Shell Vic refinery in doubt

An executive of Shell has said the future of the oil company’s Geelong refinery is ‘borderline’.

Shell global downstream director Mark Williams said the operation of the refinery at Geelong was ‘questionable’ given the challenges faced.

‘It’s borderline,’ Mr Williams told the Australian Financial Review.

‘It depends a lot on how it performs over the next few years whether or not it will ultimately be a survivor.

‘I think you can see the rest of the industry struggling with the same dynamics.’ 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 says may miss 2012 Majnoon output target

DUBAI, Sept 18 | Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:33pm IST

(Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell’s Majnoon oilfield in Iraq, hampered by pipeline construction delays, may miss a 2012 target of 175,000 barrels per day.

“It would be fair to say the progress has been slower than we originally hoped,” Mark Carne, executive vice president for Middle East and North Africa at Shell Upstream International, said on Tuesday.

“But I am very pleased with how the project is developing.”

Asked if the 2012 target of 175,000 barrels per day could slide into next year, Carne said: “It is certainly plausible”. 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’s safety system problems plague Arctic plans

Published September 18, 2012: Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska –  Safety equipment that Shell Oil volunteered to put into place for drilling off the coast of Alaska is complicating the company’s quest to reach oil-bearing rock during the short open-water drilling season this year.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC announced Monday that a containment dome being tested off the coast of Bellingham, Wash., was damaged Saturday night in its final test. Time needed to repair the damage, on top of delays from ice and waiting for the Alaska Natives’ whaling season to end, figured into a decision to cancel plans to complete exploratory wells this year in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. 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 president optimistic about Arctic offshore drilling despite setback with safety system

By Associated Press, Tuesday, September 18, 2:56 AM

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Shell is limiting Arctic drilling off Alaska to just preparation work this year after suffering several setbacks, but the company says it remains optimistic about the project’s prospects.

Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Shell PLC said earlier Monday that a containment dome required to be in place before drills can enter oil-bearing rock in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas was damaged Saturday during testing off Bellingham, Wash.

Environmental groups quickly blasted the company, saying the latest setback and others are evidence the oil industry cannot safely drill in the Arctic. 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.

Geelong mayor ready to advocate for Shell

  • By Sarah Malik
  • From: AAP
  • September 18, 2012 4:13PM

GEELONG’S mayor is prepared to ask for federal and Victorian government assistance to prop up the local Shell refinery, with an oil company executive saying its future is “borderline”.

Shell says its Geelong refinery is facing challenges, including more competition from new mega-refineries in Asia, after its global downstream director Mark Williams said the operation of the refinery was “questionable” given the challenges.

“It’s borderline,” Mr Williams told the Australian Financial Review. 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 Suffers Alaska Oil Drilling Setback After Dome Damage

By Eduard Gismatullin – Sep 17, 2012 4:55 PM GMT+0100

Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA), Europe’s largest oil company, was forced to scrap plans to drill for oil off Alaska this year after a containment dome designed to cap a spill was damaged.

The need for repairs won’t leave enough time to drill deep enough to find oil this year, The Hague-based Shell said today in a statement. It will instead drill a number of so-called top holes, preparing the way for a renewed exploration campaign next year. Shell had planned to invest $1 billion in exploration off Alaska this year. 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 Delays Arctic Oil Drilling Until 2013

A version of this article appeared in print on September 18, 2012, on page B1 of the New York edition

By Published: September 17, 2012

HOUSTON — With the prospect of rich new oil fields in tantalizing reach, Shell Oil announced on Monday that it was forced to put off completing wells in the Alaskan Arctic for another year after a spill containment dome was damaged during a testing accident.

While the company will perform preliminary work this year on several wells in the region, it will not be able to drill for oil until next summer at the earliest.

The latest setback in Shell’s six-year, $4.5 billion effort to drill off the coast of Alaska heartened environmentalists, who have opposed the drilling program at every turn. 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’s massive investment in China

The country is sitting on huge untapped shale gas reserves, and Shell senses opportunity.

By AlphaVN.com

One of the world’s biggest energy companies, Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A +0.12%) is planning to invest $1 billion per year in China’s massive shale gas reserves. This natural gas, which has long been considered uneconomical to produce, has in the last decade captured investor attention due to a combination of cost effective modern drilling and extraction methods, such as fracking.

Earlier this year, China’s resource ministry revealed that it had discovered 25.1 trillion cubic meters of untapped shale gas reserves, which could fuel the country’s current natural gas needs for 200 years. The U.S. Energy Information Administration has also confirmed that China has at least 50% more shale gas in its reserves than the U.S. does, officially. 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 spells out China growth fears

Mathew Dunckley and Angela MacDonald-Smith

The Chinese economy could be in worse shape than official figures suggest, threatening demand for Australia’s resources at the same time as increasing international competition and rising costs spell trouble for this nation’s fledgling gas boom, says one of Royal Dutch Shell’s top global ­executives.

Shell global downstream director Mark Williams said the energy giant was experiencing the equivalent of recession-level demand for key products such as diesel at the same time as China, one of the single largest markets, was posting official reports of strong growth. 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.

Gazprom invests big in Sakhalin

Published: Sept. 17, 2012 at 8:22 AM

MOSCOW, Sept. 17 (UPI) — Russian energy company Gazprom announced plans to invest more than $14 billion on projects in the Sakhalin region of the Far East.

Gazprom Chief Executive Officer Alexei Miller met with delegates from the region in Moscow to discuss energy projects in the east.

“Miller emphasized that implementation of projects in Eastern Russia was the company’s top priority,” said Gazprom in a statement.

The company said it aims to invest more than $14 billion on a variety of developments in the region, including offshore production and liquefied natural gas. 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.

After Mishaps, Shell Dials Back Arctic Oil-Drilling Plans

Christopher Helman

Christopher Helman, Forbes Staff: 9/17/2012

I’m based in Houston, Texas, energy capital of the world.

For weeks now it’s been unlikely that Shell would have enough time before the sea freeze sets in to drill down to oil-bearing zones in its newly spudded well in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea.

But today Shell made it official, announcing that it would seek only to finish “top hole” work on the Burger A well. It aims only to drill down to 1,400 feet beneath the seafloor, then plug and seal the hole for reentry next year. 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 Malaysia to invest RM50mil on 50 autoserv outlets nationwide

The StarOnline (Malaysia): Shell to invest RM50mil on 50 autoserv outlets nationwide

SHELL Malaysia will be investing RM50mil to set up 50 Shell autoserv outlets nationwide over the next three to four years.

Sam Hanna, general manager of Shell autoserv Malaysia, said that on average, the company would spend about RM1mil on each new outlet including refurbishment, fittings and stocks.

“It is timely for Malaysia to have such one-stop centres for car maintenance services,” he said in an interview with StarBiz in Johor Baru.

He said the company had spent US$1mil to conduct research on the concept of car service centres and found that car owners in this country are ready for such facilities. 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 abandons plans to drill oil deposits in the offshore Arctic in 2012

By Kim Murphy: September 17, 2012

Shell Alaska said Monday it has abandoned its efforts to drill into hydrocarbon deposits in the offshore Arctic after the latest in a series of glitches on the company’s troubled oil containment barge resulted in damage to the high-tech dome designed to contain oil in the event of an underwater spill.

Company officials said they will continue to drill “top holes” off the Alaskan coast through the end of this season’s drilling window, but will not attempt to reach any oil deposits this year—a serious but not fatal setback for the company, which has spent six years attempting to explore its outer continental shelf leases off the coast of Alaska. 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 Abandons Alaska Drilling until Next Year

Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:45am EDT

(Reuters) – Oil major Royal Dutch Shell said it had decided to delay its hunt for oil in Alaska until next year after a piece of equipment used in a test was damaged, highlighting the difficulties of drilling in the icy Arctic sea.

Shell, which has spent about $4.5 billion on its effort to drill Arctic oil, said it will not attempt to drill into any oil or gas-containing rocks this year as a dome which could be used to contain oil in the event of a spill will take time to repair. 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 Alaska Drilling Update 17 Sept 2012

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands, September 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ —

Royal Dutch Shell (“Shell”) (NYSE: RDS.A) (NYSE: RDS.B) is engaged in a multi-year drilling programme to explore for new oil & gas resources in high-potential blocks in offshore Alaska. Important progress has been made with this programme, with two drill ships, more than twenty support vessels, an approved capping stack, and other redundant oil spill response equipment already in position. Shell continues to demonstrate the strength and extent of its Arctic preparations.  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, banks sign N755b local content pact

Monday, 17 September 2012 00:00 From Kelvin. Ebiri,Port-Harcourt

A N755 billion  ($5b)  deal has been signed between Shell Petroleum Development Company, (SPDC)and five banks to ease access to loans for Nigerian contractors.

Shell said the $5 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the banks would further give impetus to the  Nigerian content drive which is aimed at ensuing that indigenous companies play more crucial role in the oil and gas sector.

The Managing Director of SPDC, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, at the signing of the agreement in Port Harcourt at the weekend, said  the scheme was being  funded by First Bank; Citi Bank, Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and  David L Ross Associates. 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 boss defends Alaska project as ice halts drilling

Oil chief dismisses fears of another Gulf spill after huge floe forces drill ship to move

, energy editor

The man at the centre of Shell’s controversial drilling programme in the Arctic has said he is aware of the responsibility on his head but is convinced the Anglo-Dutch oil group is acting in a fully responsible and accountable way.

Speaking after a huge ice floe forced drilling 70 miles off the north-west coast of Alaska to be temporarily halted, Peter Slaiby, vice-president of Shell Alaska, insisted that the company had learned from the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

“We are raising the bar in the way we have been working with local communities,” he said. “We have made 450 different trips to consult and listen to any concerns. We believe the way we are doing this is important – not just for Alaska but for the wider Arctic region.” 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.

Shale-Gas Boom Hits Eastern Europe

By BENOÎT FAUCON

Central and Eastern Europe may be home to the next shale-gas bonanza.

Oil and gas investment is flooding into the region in amounts not seen since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Anglo-Dutch giant Royal Dutch Shell RDSB.LN +0.43% PLC, France’s Total SA TOT +1.53% and ConocoPhillips COP +0.97% of the U.S. have acquired exploration rights in Poland, where current estimated reserves equal 35 to 65 years of the country’s demand for natural gas, according to the Polish Geological Institute. 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.

Ice still delays Shell Arctic offshore drilling

By DAN JOLING: Associated Press

Published: September 14th, 2012 04:57 PM
Last Modified: September 14th, 2012 06:02 PM

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Persistent sea ice will keep a Royal Dutch Shell drill ship off a prospect in the Chukchi Sea until at least Monday, a spokesman for Shell Alaska said Friday.

A mass of ice 30 miles long and 12 miles wide continues to block the resumption of exploratory petroleum drilling 70 miles off the northwest coast of Alaska, Curtis Smith said by email.

Shell’s ship, the Noble Discoverer, began drilling a pilot hole on the sea floor last Sunday. It’s the first drilling work in U.S.-controlled Chukchi waters since 1991. 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.

‘Rossport Five’ supporters call for national rally

FROM OUR SEPT 2005 SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE

Ireland On-Line: ‘Rossport Five’ supporters call for national rally

“Supporters of the so-called Rossport Five, who were jailed 11 weeks ago over their protests against a controversial gas pipeline, are today calling for public support for a national rally demanding their release.”

Thursday 15 Sept 2005

Supporters of the so-called Rossport Five, who were jailed 11 weeks ago over their protests against a controversial gas pipeline, are today calling for public support for a national rally demanding their release.

The Shell to Sea campaign, which opposes the construction of the gas pipeline in Co Mayo by oil giant Shell, is launching the rally outside the company’s offices in Dublin.

The national demonstration and march to Leinster House will take place on October 1, and families and supporters are urging trade unions, community groups and political parties to join the rally. 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.

Ice still delays Shell Arctic offshore drilling

By DAN JOLING: Associated Press: Published: Friday, Sep. 14, 2012 – 5:58 pm

ANCHORAGE, Alaska— A spokesman for Shell Alaska says it will be at least Monday before a company drill ship can return to an offshore petroleum prospect in the Chukchi (chuck-CHEE’) Sea.

Curtis Smith says ice is still prevalent over the Royal Dutch Shell prospect 70 miles off the coast of northwest Alaska.

A Shell drill ship, the Noble Discoverer, on Sunday began preliminary work on an exploratory well.

It was the first drilling work in the Chukchi since 1991 but the work was halted hours after it began. read more

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Sakhalin-Shell JV submits new budget to Russian government

FROM OUR SEPT 2005 SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE

MarketWatch: Sakhalin-Shell JV submits new budget to Russian government

“In July, Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell PLC announced that the Sakhalin joint venture, in which it owns 55%, would see its costs double to $20 billion and would delay the delivery of liquefied gas by half a year.”

Thursday 15 Sept 2005

LONDON (MarketWatch) — A proposed fresh budget for the Sakhalin-Shell joint venture will be submitted to the Russian government later Thursday, a spokesman for the Russian oil and natural gas project said.

In July, Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSB.LN) announced that the Sakhalin joint venture, in which it owns 55%, would see its costs double to $20 billion and would delay the delivery of liquefied gas by half a year.

Shell, along with other shareholders in the venture – Mitsui & Co. (8031.TO) with a 25% stake and Mitsubishi Corp. (8058.TO) with a 20% stake – approved the initial version of the budget in 2003. 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.

Selection of links

LINKS TO ARTICLES THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO OUR VISITORS: SUPPLIED BY A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR

I noticed some debate in your blog about ‘price fixing’, with the Royal Dutch Shell loyalists claiming it was all the fault of ‘big government’. Right. If you believe that then you will believe that pigs can fly. Here are some articles relating to ‘price fixing’ by ‘big oil’.  Price fixing by Big Oil ??? Say it is not so !!! It is all due to Evil Bureaucrats in Big Government meddling in free markets.

Judge approves class action lawsuit against alleged gas cartel in … read more

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BP selling Norway stake to Shell for $240 mln

September 13, 2012|Steve Gelsi

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — BP PLC (US:bp)(UK:bp) said Thursday it agreed to sell for $240 million in cash its 18.4% non-operated interest in the Draugen field in the Norwegian Sea to a unit of Royal Dutch Shell (US:rdsa)(UK:rdsa).

“The agreement is a further example of BP’s active management of its portfolio in the North Sea, focusing on high value assets with long term potential growth,” BP said. BP said it’s in final stages of completing two major projects in Norway, the Skarv field and the re-development of the Valhall field. 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 Gains Boost in Shale Output With Latest Deal

A version of this article appeared September 14, 2012, on page B3 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Shell Gains Boost In Shale Output With Latest Deal.

By ÁNGEL GONZÁLEZ and ALEXIS FLYNN

HOUSTON—Royal Dutch Shell RDSA +2.11% PLC has made its name in the U.S. as a big oil and gas producer in the Gulf of Mexico. But in less than five years, oil from shale could play a role that is almost as important in the Anglo-Dutch energy company’s North American output.

Since the beginning of the past decade, Shell has been acquiring unconventional oil and gas acreage, an effort that it stepped up in 2008 with investments in British Columbia and in 2010 with strategic purchases in south Texas’ Eagle Ford Shale and in the prolific Marcellus Shale in the U.S. Northeast. 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.

Chevron, Shell seek rich returns from U.S. acreage

By Steve Gelsi, MarketWatch:  Sept. 12, 2012, 1:51 p.m. EDT

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron Corp. moved Wednesday to buy acreage in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico in the latest example of major oil companies bulking up their U.S. holdings as a way to increase production at affordable prices.

In separate deals with Chesapeake Energy CHK -0.85% , Chevron CVX +0.35% will add to its 700,000 acres in the region, while Royal Dutch Shell RDS.A -0.03% UK:RDSA -0.45% will mark its first big acquisition in the Permian. See Energy Stocks for more on Chesapeake. 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 communities seek gas flares end by 2006

FROM OUR SEPT 2005 SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE

Daily Independent (Nigeria): Oil communities seek gas flares end by 2006

“One of the oil majors, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), recently shifted its date to end the problematic gas flaring to 2009 ending from the earlier proposed 2008 date.”

Posted Monday 12 Sept 2005

By Akanimo Sampson

Bureau Chief, Port Harcourt

Voices of dissent appear to herald moves by oil multinationals to end gas flaring in the Niger Delta area in three years time, with several of the oil communities preferring a 2006 date.

One of the oil majors, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), recently shifted its date to end the problematic gas flaring to 2009 ending from the earlier proposed 2008 date.

The latest claim by Oilwatch Africa, a network of environmental human rights groups, revealed that most oil communities in the region are pushing for an end to gas flares not later than 2006. 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 ROBBERS AND RASCALS

FROM OUR SEPT 2005 SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE

ROYAL DUTCH SHELL ROBBERS AND RASCALS

“…Shell shareholders have to foot the bill for lawyers fees run up in the course of defending fat cat crooks, such as Sir Phillip Watts, the disgraced former Group Chairman of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. Sir Phillip ended up with a $18 million USD pension pot AND with all his ongoing legal fees being paid by Shell shareholders. This was after he had LIED AND COVERED UP THE TRUTH ABOUT SHELL’S RESERVES, AND IN THE PROCESS, DESTROYED SHELL’S REPUTATION”

By Alfred Donovan: Monday 12 Sept 2005

The press is having a field day in devising colourful headlines about the scandal ridden Royal Dutch Shell Group. An article in “The Sunday Times” yesterday had a story under the headline: “Shell move robs UK investors”. It reported on the horrendous tax implications for UK Royal Dutch shareholders resulting from the recent Royal Dutch/Shell unification and the dubious way in which Shell has dealt with the controversy thus far.

Yesterdays “Independent on Sunday” used the term “Clever Rascals” about Shell in a headline relating to the Sakhalin project in Russia and the potential ramifications in respect of the critically endangered western grey whale. For the record, the Encarta Online Dictionary definition of a “rascal” is: “dishonest person: somebody, especially a man, who is dishonest or otherwise unethical”. 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.

Environmentalist fury over oil spill at Shell pipeline site

FROM OUR SEPT 2004 SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE

The Observer: Environmentalist fury over oil spill at Shell pipeline site

“Shell’s £6 billion Sakhalin oil pipeline has not even been built yet, but it has already caused a damaging oil slick that has enraged environmentalists and could force potential lenders to pull funds.”: “Refusal to support the project would be a severe embarrassment for Shell.”

Nick Mathiason

Sunday September 12, 2004

Shell’s £6 billion Sakhalin oil pipeline has not even been built yet, but it has already caused a damaging oil slick that has enraged environmentalists and could force potential lenders to pull funds.

Pictures taken by the consortium building the pipeline (in which Shell is a majority shareholder) and passed on to The Observer have upset environmentalists, who are furious that it took a response team nine hours to get to the scene. The delay was confirmed by the Sakhalin consortium. 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.

Can Shell survive reserves affair?

FROM OUR SEPT 2004 SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE

PRWeek.com: News Analysis: Can Shell survive reserves affair?

Last week, the FSA imposed the largest fine in its history on Shell for market abuse over the oil reserves scandal. A Shell PR veteran traces the firm’s reputational demise.: “the reputation of Shell has been destroyed by hypocrisy, mendacity and deceit. Whether we will ever be able to be ‘sure of Shell’ again is very doubtful indeed.”

Written by Paddy Briggs

Published on September 03 2004

Posted 12 Sept 04

In 1997, advertising legend Maurice Saatchi was called in by the Royal Dutch/Shell Group to help it improve its image. Saatchi produced a number of adman slogans – but among all the hyperbole he said one very wise thing: ‘No communication can work effectively unless backed by real action.’

The years that followed Saatchi’s brief involvement with Shell were characterised by a plethora of comms initiatives – but also by actions at the top that have mortally wounded its reputation. 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.

‘Clever rascals’: blast for Shell on project near whale grounds

FROM OUR SEPT 2005 SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE

THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: ‘Clever rascals’: blast for Shell on project near whale grounds

“In his resignation letter to the chief executive of Shell, Jeroen van der Veer, Professor Richard Steiner of the University of Alaska marine advisory programme urged other members of the scientific panel to “opt out of this project”, describing Shell as “clever, stubborn rascals”.

Sunday 11 September 2005

By Jonathan Brown in Siberia

The chairman of an eminent scientific panel appointed to oversee Shell’s controversial gas development in the far-eastern Russian island of Sakhalin has resigned, accusing the oil giant of being “clever, stubborn rascals”.

The embattled company will return to court in Sakhalin tomorrow as environmental campaigners mount a last-ditch effort to stop the Anglo-Dutch giant from completing the world’s most expensive oil and gas project. 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.

Ice threat halts Shell’s drilling in Arctic Ocean after one day

By Kim Murphy

Only a day after Shell Alaska began drilling a landmark offshore oil well in the Arctic, the company was forced on Monday to pull off the well in the face of an approaching ice pack.

With the ice floe about 10 miles away, the Noble Discoverer drilling rig was disconnecting from its seafloor anchor Monday afternoon in the Chukchi Sea, about 70 miles from the northwest coast of Alaska.

Company ice trackers had been carefully monitoring ocean ice and, when the wind direction changed and the ice floe began moving closer, they advised that the rig shut down and disconnect from the well, Shell spokeswoman Kelly op de Weegh told the Los Angeles Times. 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.

APNEWSBREAK: Shell halts Chukchi Sea drilling

By Dan Joling on September 10, 2012

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Royal Dutch Shell on Monday was moving its drill ship off a prospect in the Chukchi Sea, a day after drilling began 70 miles off the Alaska coast because sea ice was moving toward the vessel.

Shell Alaska spokesman Curtis Smith tells The Associated Press that drilling was stopped for safety reasons.

“As a precautionary measure and in accordance with our approved Chukchi Sea Ice Management Plan, Shell has made the decision to temporarily move off the Burger-A well to avoid potentially encroaching sea ice,” he said by email. “Once the ice moves on, the Noble Discoverer will re-connect to anchors and continue drilling.” read more

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Gasoline Gains as Flooding Slows Louisiana Refinery Start

By Barbara Powell – Sep 10, 2012 4:34 PM GMT+0100

Gasoline gained after a report that flooding and mechanical issues have slowed the startup of Motiva Enterprises LLC’s Convent, Louisiana, refinery as it tries to return to production after Hurricane Isaac.

Futures rose as Motiva expects to need another week to get the main production units running at the 255,000-barrel-a-day plant, according to two people familiar with operations. Three refineries in the Gulf Coast are starting and six are at reduced rates after the storm, which knocked out 13 percent of the area’s refining capacity when it struck Aug. 29. 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.