By John Donovan
In May 2012 I contacted a senior lawyer at Royal Dutch Shell Plc seeking confirmation that the oil giant had been unable to insure the risks involved in its Arctic drilling plans and for this reason, had self-insured. There was no response. The same month we published an article about Shell’s related plan to use oil spill sniffer dogs. Lets hope they have also been trained to swim.
Shell’s rigs eventually arrived in the Arctic after being beset by construction delays, permit problems and stubborn sea ice.
In July, the Shell drilling ship the Noble Discoverer, ended up ‘grounded’ in Dutch Harbor after the vessel slipped its anchorage and drifted out of control.
Then the company’s first-of-its-kind oil spill containment barge was damaged during certification tests.
Early in November a further problem arose. Helicopters being used by Shell did not have critical de-icing equipment. Apparently no one expected it to be cold.
On 16 November 2012, the Alaska Dispatch reported a fire and explosion aboard the Noble Discoverer which Shell attempted to downplay, describing it as a small “flash fire”.
On 28 December, it was reported that the Kulluk drilling rig was adrift in the Gulf of Alaska facing storm force winds and monster seas. A tugboat had multiple engine failures.
Conditions were reportedly so bad that despite two attempts, the U.S. Coast Guard were unable to evacuate the crew of the Kulluk.
18 employees have now been evacuated.
Shell’s Monty Python Arctic Follies, plagued by misfortune and mismanagement, continues…
Crews tow Shell drill vessel to ride out storm at sea
Rough weather makes assistance difficult for Shell drill rig, tow vessel
Shell Oil drilling vessel is adrift in Gulf of Alaska (News as of 31 December 2012)
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 conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
