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January, 2013:

Shell tries to downplay historic precedent setting verdict

By John Donovan

The Times published an important article by Tim Webb today under the headline: “Shell counts cost of oil damage in Niger Delta.” (Page 39, Thursday 31 Jan 2013). Tim correctly makes the simple, but immensely important point: “IT IS THE FIRST TIME THAT A COURT OUTSIDE NIGERIA HAS ORDERED SHELL TO PAY FOR POLLUTION IN THE DELTA AND THE RULING LEAVES IT VULNERABLE TO MORE CLAIMS.” Shell has predictably tried to downplay this historic, precedent setting verdict. 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: The Slumbering Giant

Thursday, January 31, 2013

By ANDREW PEAPLE

Royal Dutch Shell RDSB.LN -2.88% isn’t an obvious candidate for sympathy. The oil and (increasingly) gas major raked in $26.6 billion last year, with Brent crude-oil prices averaging above $100 per barrel.

Yet Shell’s full-year earnings were 14% down on 2011 and missed consensus forecasts, while its oil output rose by just 1%.

The results capture Shell’s investment proposition perfectly: Its sheer scale and operational expertise mean shareholders can sleep easy, but they’re unlikely to dream big. 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 to Boost Exploration Spending

January 31, 2013

Falling profits at Royal Dutch Shell last year could be explained by volatile oil and gas prices. But Heard on the Street’s Andrew Peaple reckons economies of scale may no longer be working for the oil behemoth.

LONDON—U.K.-listed oil and gas company Royal Dutch Shell RDSB.LN -2.73% PLC Thursday said it would increase capital expenditure this year, despite the uncertain global economic outlook, with the aim of finding and developing more resources and rejoining the ranks of the world’s top oil and gas producers by 2018.

The spending plans came as Shell missed expectations by posting a 13% rise in profit for the fourth quarter, with analysts expressing concern about the amount of money the company spent on exploration. 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 Misses Profit Estimates, Says Investment Costs to Increase

By Brian Swint – Jan 31, 2013 8:04 AM GMT

Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA), Europe’s biggest energy company, said investment will increase after fourth-quarter profit missed analyst estimates on weaker North American fuel prices.

Excluding one-time items and inventory changes, profit was $5.6 billion. That was below the $6.2 billion average estimate of 11 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Net capital spending of about $33 billion this year compares with $30 billion in 2012.

Higher costs of getting oil and gas to production are offsetting gains from rising output and record Brent crude prices. Chief Executive Officer Peter Voser is trying to appease investors by raising the dividend in the first quarter, and he expects to increase output to about 4 million barrels of oil equivalent a day in 2017 from 3.3 million barrels last 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.

Royal Dutch Shell profits hit by oil price volatility

31 January 2013 Last updated at 07:41

Annual profits at Royal Dutch Shell have fallen to $27bn (£17bn), from $28.6bn in 2011.

Profits for the last three months of the year rose to $7.3bn, against $6.5bn, but Shell was hit by generally weaker oil and gas prices during 2012.

Peter Voser, chief executive of Europe’s biggest oil company, said 2012 was a year of “headwinds”.

But he added that Shell was “delivering a strategy that others can’t easily repeat”. 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.

Dutch court says Shell responsible for Nigeria spills

(Reuters) – A Dutch court ruled on Wednesday that Royal Dutch Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary was responsible for a case of oil pollution in the Niger Delta and ordered it to pay damages in a decision that could open the door to further litigation.

 By Ivana Sekularac and Anthony Deutsch THE HAGUE | Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:06am EST

(Reuters) – A Dutch court ruled on Wednesday that Royal Dutch Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary was responsible for a case of oil pollution in the Niger Delta and ordered it to pay damages in a decision that could open the door to further litigation.

The district court in The Hague said Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd. (SPDC), a wholly-owned subsidiary, must compensate one farmer, but dismissed four other claims filed against the Dutch parent company.

Four Nigerians and campaign group Friends of the Earth filed suits in 2008 in The Hague, where Shell has its global headquarters, seeking reparations for lost income from contaminated land and waterways in the Niger Delta region, the heart of the Nigerian oil industry. 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 faces damages over Nigeria oil spill

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Channa Samkalden, a lawyer acting on behalf of the Nigerian farmers, said:  “Overall it’s actually quite a good outcome for us. “At least Shell was held liable for one of the cases. That’s a good start. Also, a very important fact is that the court has said that Shell has a duty to take measures to prevent sabotage, which is of course a principal issue.”

30 Jan 2013

Dutch court upholds just one out of five allegations by Niger Delta farmers against the oil company.

A court in the Netherlands has ruled that Royal Dutch Shell can be held partially responsible for pollution in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region and ordered it to pay damages to one farmer.

The court dismissed on Wednesday four out of five allegations against the oil company. The amount of damages to be paid was to be announced at a later date.

Activists say the case could set a precedent for damage claims related to the foreign activities of multinational companies.

Four Nigerians and interest group Friends of the Earth filed the suit in 2008 in The Hague, where Shell has its joint global headquarters, seeking unspecified reparations for lost income from contaminated land and waterways in the Niger Delta. 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.

Dutch court rejects most of Shell spill case

A Dutch court has ruled that a subsidiary of international oil giant Royal Dutch Shell should be held responsible for pipeline leaks poisoning farmland in Nigeria. It was believed to be the first time a Dutch court has held a multinational’s foreign subsidiary liable for environmental damage and ordered it to pay damages.

A Friends of the Earth banner outside court ahead of the case of Nigerian farmers against Shell, in The Hague, Netherlands.(Photo: Peter Dejong, AP)

January 30, 2013

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A Dutch court has ruled that a subsidiary of international oil giant Royal Dutch Shell should be held responsible for pipeline leaks poisoning farmland in Nigeria.

In its ruling Wednesday, the Hague Civil Court rejected most of a landmark case brought by Nigerian farmers and environmental pressure group Friends of the Earth against Shell, saying the leaking pipelines were was caused by saboteurs, not Shell negligence.

However, in one case the judges ordered a subsidiary, Shell Nigeria, to compensate a farmer for breach of duty of care by making it too easy for saboteurs to open an oil well head that leaked on to his land. 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 Nigeria case: Court acquits firm on most charges

A Dutch court has rejected four out of five allegations against Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell over oil pollution in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region. But it found a subsidiary of the firm, Shell Nigeria, responsible for one case of pollution, ordering it to pay compensation to a Nigerian farmer.

30 January 2013 Last updated at 13:02

A Dutch court has rejected four out of five allegations against Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell over oil pollution in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region.

But it found a subsidiary of the firm, Shell Nigeria, responsible for one case of pollution, ordering it to pay compensation to a Nigerian farmer.

Shell said it was “happy” with the verdict in the landmark case.

The case was brought by four Nigerian farmers and Friends of the Earth, which says it is “flabbergasted”. 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.

How Four Nigerian Villagers Took Shell to Court

Four Nigerian villagers from the Niger River delta have challenged mighty Shell in a Dutch court. They complain that the oil giant has caused environmental devastation and ruined their homes. A verdict in the unprecedented case is expected today.

Battling Big Oil: How Four Nigerian Villagers Took Shell to Court

By Nils Klawitter

Four Nigerian villagers from the Niger River delta have challenged mighty Shell in a Dutch court. They complain that the oil giant has caused environmental devastation and ruined their homes. A verdict in the unprecedented case is expected on Wednesday.

Royal Dutch Shell CEO Peter Voser likes to talk about the good deeds his company performs worldwide. “Sustainable development and social performance is absolutely key in the way we do our business,” says Voser, a Swiss national. The head of Shell feels a duty to pursue such noble objectives as observing human rights and protecting the environment. 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.

Dutch civil court ruling on Shell’s responsibility for cleaning up oil spills in Nigeria

Published January 30, 2013 by Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands –  Dutch judges are ruling in a landmark civil action by Nigerian farmers who want to hold oil giant Shell liable for poisoning their fish ponds and farmlands with leaking pipelines.

The decision being announced Wednesday could set a legal precedent for holding multinationals responsible for their actions overseas.

Lawyers for the four Nigerians from the oil-rich Niger delta argue Shell makes key policy decisions at its Hague headquarters, so the Dutch court has jurisdiction. 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 Shell related article links 29 Jan 2013

Selection of Shell related article links kindly supplied by a regular contributor

Teck and Shell bicker over oil sands projects: National Post-CALGARY — A land dispute with Shell Canada Ltd. is threatening Teck Resources Ltd.’s first standalone oil sands project, adding uncertainty …

President Obama Should Prioritize Protecting the Arctic as Part of …: Huffington Post (blog)-Shell Oil Company’s Arctic drilling program once again came under national scrutiny when its drill rig, the Kulluk, ran aground off of Alaska’s …

HSBC: Oil majors at risk from ‘unburnable’ reserves: Business Green-Oil and gas majors, including, BP, Shell, and Statoil, could face a loss in market value of up to 60 per cent should the international community … 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 verdict will determine whether other firms could be tried for oil spills

…the reality is that despite condemnation by the UN Environment programme in 2011, despite Nigerian government promises, NGO fury and mounting despair in the communities, Shell’s oil spills go on, the gas flaring continues and the people of the delta remain as poor as ever. The verdict is due tomorrow.

People affected in the Niger delta have come to Europe to ask for justice as multinationals dismiss their claims with impunity

There’s not much left of Goi, an Ogoni village on the Niger delta.

When I went there two years ago large parts of it and the surrounding land still hadn’t recovered from a series of spills of Shell oil that had taken place in 2004. Most Goi people had been farmers and fishermen, but they had mostly moved out because the water, the houses, the mud in the creeks all still reeked of crude.

I had met Eric Dooh whose family comes from Goi, and who has spent years fighting Shell for compensation. This week he’s in Amsterdam representing his father and on Wednesday, he and three other farmers from other parts of the polluted Niger delta will hear the verdict of a Dutch court on the case. 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.

Repsol likely to sell LNG assets to Shell: report

By MarketWatch Jan. 28, 2013

The board of Spain’s Repsol SA will analyze and likely approve at its meeting Wednesday the sale of the oil company’s liquefied natural gas assets to Royal Dutch Shell, reports Cinco Dias in its Tuesday Internet edition, citing people close to the operation.

The company was initially looking to raise some 3 billion euros ($4 billion), but the final figure could be much lower, in the ballpark of EUR2 billion, the paper adds, citing the same sources.

Repsol’s LNG assets are located in Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada and Spain. 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, Kinder Morgan to jointly export LNG from the United States

Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:10am EST

(Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) said it will tie up with Kinder Morgan Inc (KMI.N) to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a terminal near Savannah, Georgia.

El Paso Pipeline Partners LP (EPB.N), a Kinder Morgan unit, and Shell will form a limited liability company to develop a natural gas liquefaction plant at Southern LNG Co LLC’s existing terminal.

Recent drilling innovations have unlocked vast shale oil and gas reserves, placing the United States in a position to be a major exporter. A number of companies, including Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N), have lined up to get permission to sell the country’s cheap abundant natural gas overseas, where it can fetch much higher prices. 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.

Simon Henry feared Shell would ‘score an own goal’ on reserves

Simon Henry was at the heart of what was going on, conveying reserves data to the market while dealing with colleagues engaged in the fraud. We have to assume that none of them confided in him and that he was an innocent dupe. He was asking questions about accuracy of the reserves information, but some investors may feel that he should have been rather more inquisitive given the gathering warning signals of which he was acutely aware, that were already reaching the markets. Perhaps he did know, but was in a state of denial about what was going on? That seems to have been the case even after news of the reserves scandal made headlines around the world.

Shell was given advance sight of this article and the opportunity to point out any factual inaccuracy.

By John Donovan

In March 2002, Simon Henry, the current Chief Financial Officer of Royal Dutch Shell Plc was head of Investor Relations for the Royal Dutch Shell Group.

Mr Henry was responsible for gathering reserves data and ensuring the quality/accuracy of the data before it was disclosed to analysts and investors. It turned out that some of the data was not only inaccurate, but also fraudulent. 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.

New article about Shell CFO Simon Henry

Subject to any intervention/response by Shell, a new article about the starring role of Mr Simon Henry in the Shell reserves crisis will be published here at 4pm UK time today.

By John Donovan

Subject to any intervention/response by Shell, a new article about the starring role of Mr Simon Henry in the Shell reserves crisis will be published here at 4pm UK time today.

Mr Michiel Brandjes, Company Secretary of Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Mr Henry (right), both have copies of the draft article.

This was the content of the covering email:

Dear Mr Brandjes

Printed below is a self-explanatory draft article.

Please let me know by 4pm UK time today if Shell wishes to point out any factual inaccuracy or supply comment for unedited publication alongside the article. 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 feels chill of Arctic problems

…the City is concerned about Shell’s prospects in the Arctic after the company’s Kulluk drilling rig ran aground off the coast of Alaska on New Year’s Eve. The grounding was the latest in a series of mishaps in Shell’s quest to extract oil from the polar region, which has cost the company £3.2bn but has yet to result in the discovery of any commercial quantities of oil.

Oil giant’s profit to soar as price rises and China booms

Tom Bawden: Sunday 27 January 2013

Shell will announce a bumper set of 2012 results this week, though the sheen of a profit leap will be removed as it updates the market on its problems in the Arctic.

The FTSE 100 oil giant is set to report on Thursday that net income soared by 42 per cent to $7bn (£4.4bn) last year on the back of increased oil production from Canada’s tar sands and rising output from its liquefied natural gas operations in Qatar.

Shell also benefited from a strong oil price and increased profit margins at its refining business, amid declining competition after refineries, such as Coryton in Essex, closed. China’s buoyant car market will have also fuelled the results. 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.

30 January 2013: Court Verdict Expected on Shell’s Nigerian Oil Pollution

At 10 am on 30 January, the court in The Hague will rule on the case of Milieudefensie and four Nigerian farmers versus Shell. The public sitting in this case took place on 11 October last year. The court case is unique because it is the first time that a Dutch multinational has been brought before the court in its home country for environmental damage caused abroad. The case focuses on just three of the thousands of oil leaks in Nigeria. In the case, Milieudefensie demands that Shell cleans up the oil pollution in the villages, compensates the farmers for the damages suffered and maintains the oil pipelines better in the future.

Interview requests

In connection with the anticipated media interest following the 30 January verdict, we ask that media requests for interviews with one of the spokespeople listed below be made in advance to Milieudefensie’s press office.

Spokespeople

Eric Dooh, one of the Nigerian plaintiffs, is in The Hague and will be available to the media on behalf of the plaintiffs. Geert Ritsema and Evert Hassink, of Milieudefensie’s International team, will be available to the media on behalf of Milieudefensie. Milieudefensie’s lawyer, Channa Samkalden of Böhler Advocaten, will be available for questions on the legal aspects of the case. 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 bets big on Ukrainian shale gas

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 25 (UPI) — Shell Chief Executive Officer Peter Voser said there is significant shale natural gas potential in Ukraine.

Voser told the BBC on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that Shell signed a 50-year production sharing contract to explore shale natural gas reserves in Ukraine.

Ukraine is among the Eastern European countries eyeing potential shale gas reserves along with Poland and Lithuania. Voser said his company expected to make billions of dollars in investments in Ukraine should shale exploration prove fruitful. 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.

Davos activists occupy Shell station to protest Arctic drilling, warn of environmental danger

By Associated Press, Updated: Friday, January 25, 10:23 AM

DAVOS, Switzerland — Activists with a big fake polar bear have occupied a Shell service station in the Swiss resort of Davos to protest Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s oil drilling in the Arctic.

About 25 activists from around Europe chained gas pumps together Friday at the station near where the World Economic Forum was being held and hung a banner on the roof reading “Arctic Oil – Too Risky.”

Greenpeace helped stage the protest, raising concerns about dangers to the environment from Shell’s drilling in Alaska and urging forum organizers to reconsider Shell’s participation. A Shell drill barge ran aground on a remote Alaska island on New Year’s Eve.

Shell officials, among the 2,500 corporate and political leaders in Davos this week, did not immediately respond to phone calls about the protest. 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 accused of unethical conduct against Shell retailers in India

By John Donovan

We have received a copy of an email from an irate Shell retailer in India, Sabir Mohammed, accusing Shell management in India of being cheats and liars. He also makes allegations about corruption. He claims many other Shell retailers in India share his concerns. He sent his email to Royal Dutch Shell Plc Chief Executive Peter Voser and company secretary, Michiel Brandjes. The email and associated correspondence can be viewed here.

Seems Shell may be up to it old tricks again, reminiscent in some regards to dire concerns expressed in the past by Shell retailers in the UK and the USA. Including the alleged failure of Shell senior management to honour pledges to uphold Shell’s statement of general business principles promising honesty, integrity, transparency and respect for people, in all of Shell’s dealings. In our experience, all a complete sham.
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 win Public Eye ‘shame’ award at Davos from online voters

Shell won the public vote by a wide margin among 41,800 online voters, the two groups said, singling out its “highly risky search for fossil fuels in the fragile Arctic”.

MENAFN – AFP – 24/01/2013

(MENAFN – AFP) Campaigners at Davos on Thursday awarded their annual Public Eye shame awards to Goldman Sachs and Shell “for particularly glaring cases of companies’ greed for profit and environmental sins”.

At an “award ceremony” on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Swiss chapter of Greenpeace and the Berne Declaration said Goldman Sachs had won the jury prize, while Shell had been chosen by online voters for the public award. 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 oil spillage in Niger Delta up 70 percent in 2012

Shell Spilled 26,000 Barrels Oil In 2012, Up 70% On Year -SPDC

Published January 24, 2013: Dow Jones Newswires

Shell spilled about 26,000 barrels of oil in the Niger Delta in 2012, up 70% from the previous year, according to data released this month from Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria.

Last year’s 198 spills were due to bunkering or operational incidents, the data showed. Spills and pipeline sabotage can lead to force measures and loading delays.

SPDC has publicly reported oil spills annually since 1995, the company said on its website. 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 Signs Drilling Deal With Shell for Shale Gas

By STANLEY REED: Published: January 24, 2013

LONDON — Royal Dutch Shell, the largest oil company in Europe, has signed a contract to drill for natural gas in Ukraine.

The company’s chief executive, Peter Voser, and the Ukrainian president, Viktor F. Yanukovich, signed a production agreement Thursday for the potentially prolific Yuzivska gas field in the eastern part of the country. The signing took place at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Winning an active Shell drilling program is a potential boon for Ukraine, which is thought to be one of the best bets in Europe for so-called shale gas and tight gas. Such gas, found in porous underground shale rock, is usually withdrawn through the process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The technique is controversial, because of the potential environmental effects, but Ukraine is more politically receptive to it than some other countries. 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.

Cyber attacks on Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com website: perpetrators risk JAIL

Breaking News… Thursday 24 January 2013:

A 22-year-old is jailed for 18 months for carrying out cyber attacks with hacking group Anonymous. Christopher Weatherhead, of Holly Road, Northampton, was convicted last month for taking part in distributed denial of service, or DDoS, attacks on sites including Visa, Mastercard and PayPal.

He was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court along with Ashley Rhodes, 28, who was jailed for seven months after pleading guilty.

The pair were charged with conspiring to impair the operation of computers between August 1, 2010 and January 22, 2011.

Co-defendant Peter Gibson, 24, of Castletown Road, Hartlepool, was deemed to have played a lesser role in the conspiracy, which he also admitted, and given a six-month suspended sentence.

Jake Birchall, 18, from Chester, will be sentenced on February 1. He had also admitted the conspiracy. 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 a pioneer in blacklisting

CURRENT NEWS – BLACKLISTING: As could be expected, Shell was a pioneer in this evil, sinister and totally unethical conduct, detailed in an article we published 2 years ago: “Shell’s North Sea history of safety violations, blackmail and blacklisting.” 

By John Donovan

“At last the scandal of the illegal blacklisting of so-called troublesome workers in the building industry is getting the attention it deserves.”

(extract from Daily Mirror article published 24 Jan 2013)

“There should be a full inquiry into allegations of “shameful and insidious” blacklisting of workers on projects such as Crossrail and the Olympics. Labour’s Michael Meacher said blacklisting was the “worst human rights breach in the UK since the war”. During the Labour-led debate, Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said what had happened was “nothing short than a national scandal” and workers deserved honesty.” 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.

Constant cyber attacks on royaldutchshellplc.com website continue

I want it to be known that all of the nasty activity described in my email to Royal Dutch Shell, including covert attacks, continues to this day, currently on a 24 hour basis. Someone apparently has very deep pockets and is clearly not very fond of us.

By John Donovan

On 11 November 2012, we published an email I had sent to Mr Michiel Brandjes, Company Secretary & General Counsel Corporate of Royal Dutch Shell Plc. Mr Brandjes is our designated contact with Shell. I detailed in the email the various forms of unlawful activity directed at us and our website, including Denial of Service attacks.

I want it to be known that all of the nasty activity described in my email to Royal Dutch Shell, including covert attacks, continues to this day, currently on a 24 hour basis.
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 big investors in a revolutionary mood

Shell News, this day, 9 years ago: Shell investors were still in a state of shock over the dramatic disclosure that Shell had vastly overstated its proven oil and gas reserves. The main villain, the fraudster, Sir Philip Watts, was still Royal Dutch Shell Group Chairman. Lord Oxburgh was still backing him.

Daily Mail: Rebels demand shake-up at Shell

By Brian O’Connor,

23 January 2004

DISSIDENT Shell investors are seeking a shake-up in the complex structure of the board and its committees. One result may be that an outside chairman is appointed when Sir Philip Watts steps down.

This would be a revolution for Shell, but big investors are in a revolutionary mood.

Though most boards now have a full-time chief executive and a part-time chairman, the UK company Shell Transport has traditionally had an executive chairman. So too has its sister company Royal Dutch Petroleum. 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 Corrib Project $2.2 billion overbudget and delayed by 12 years

Shell Ireland has received a fresh cash injection of €125m from its parent to deal with the spiralling costs of the Corrib gas field project. Gas was originally expected to flow from the Mayo field in 2003, resulting in the project likely to be 12 years behind the original schedule, and the outlay on developing the field could be four times the initial estimate of €800m at over €3bn.

Corrib gas firm gets €125m as costs rise

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

By Gordon Deegan

Shell Ireland has received a fresh cash injection of €125m from its parent to deal with the spiralling costs of the Corrib gas field project.

Documents filed with the Companies Registration Office confirm the additional monies as Shell Ireland confirmed yesterday that the current work on the 5km on-shore subterranean gas pipeline will take 15 months to complete.

The Corrib gas partners, Shell, Statoil and Canadian-owned Vermilion are now 10 years behind the initial target to start generating revenues from the field, with Shell expecting gas to finally flow in late 2014-early 2015. 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 Libya Security Breach

There are 47 pages in all, many marked as confidential. The leaked files include a history of Shell’s long involvement with Libya, confidential technical information, confidential strategies and plans, including projections stretching many years ahead.

By John Donovan

We have combined a number of leaked files relating to Shell’s operations in Libya and have published them online.

There are 47 pages in all, many marked as confidential.

The leaked files include a history of Shell’s long involvement with Libya, confidential technical information, confidential strategies and plans, including projections stretching many years ahead.

The information is likely to be of interest to academics and even more so to Shell’s rivals, who may find some of it invaluable.
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.

Motiva Restarts Expansion Segment Of Port Arthur Refinery- Source

Motiva Enterprises LLC has successfully restarted the expansion segment of its Port Arthur, Texas, refinery after months of setbacks and false starts, a person familiar with the refinery’s operations said.: The process of restarting the unit began late last year, but was further delayed by the discovery of new pipe leaks and a small fire.

Published January 22, 2013 by Dow Jones Newswires

Motiva Enterprises LLC has successfully restarted the expansion segment of its Port Arthur, Texas, refinery after months of setbacks and false starts, a person familiar with the refinery’s operations said.

The refinery will run the segment at 200,000 to 225,000 barrels per day for about three to four weeks before ramping up to its full capacity of 325,000 barrels, the person said.

A spokesman for Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (RDSA) said only that the unit is on track to be restarted in early 2013. read more

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Irish Supreme Court rules against Corrib protesters

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

The Supreme Court has today overturned a High Court decision by ruling that opponents of the Corrib gas pipeline are out of time to challenge the validity of the compulsory acquisition orders.

The decision allows planning consent to be granted to Shell to build the pipe.

The legal action began as a counterclaim to a case by Shell against several opponents for obstructing the development.

SOURCE

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Shell Corrib Gas Project mired in corruption allegations

By John Donovan

The graphic message below was apparently sent by email earlier today to Michael Crothers, the Chief Executive of Shell EP Ireland and Royal Dutch Shell CEO Peter Voser.

It was fired off by an irate Irish company OSSL, a supplier of goods and services to the Shell Corrib project in Ireland.

OSSL has previously accused Shell management of instructing them to make corrupt payments/gifts to third parties on behalf of Shell, including Police involved in handling environmental protests against the controversial project. OSSL claim that invoices were falsified on the express instruction of Shell EP Ireland. read more

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Will the shale-oil revolution sink Shell’s Arctic ambitions?

Alex DeMarban | Jan 20, 2013

Perhaps more important than the clamor of environmentalists, the grandstanding of politicians, or the blunders of Royal Dutch Shell‘s own making is how long oil prices will remain high enough to support Arctic exploration in northern Alaska’s Beaufort and Chukchi seas.

Not long, believes one analyst watching the clouds gather over the Lower 48, where a shale-oil boom and new railroad projects are expected to push more oil toward the same West Coast refineries where Alaska crude is processed. read more

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Simon Henry and the reserves time bomb

Were they aware that Simon Henry was a key player, as Head of Global Investor Relations, in dealing with the reserves data and actually had responsibility to ensure the quality/accuracy of the data before it was disclosed to analysts and investors? As we all know, it turned out that some of the data was not only inaccurate, but fraudulent. He had been warned that a Gorgon 600 million BOE reserves booking was an IR time bomb.

Introduction: A draft of the article below was supplied to Shell in advance, namely to Mr Michiel Brandjes, the Company Secretary & General Counsel Corporate of Royal Dutch Shell Plc and the CFO, Mr. Simon Henry. We invited Shell to point out any factual inaccuracy and/or supply comment for unedited publication with the article. No response other than an automated message has been received.

ARTICLE

By John Donovan

On 13 March 2009, the Financial Times published an article about Simon Henry, who was about to become Chief Financial Officer of Royal Dutch Shell Plc. It said that he had survived the reserves misreporting scandal with his reputation intact. I wonder how much investigation of the facts was undertaken before arriving at that conclusion? read more

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Nigeria’s Illegal Oil Refineries

Jan 15, 2013

Reuters photographer Akintunde Akinleye recently gained rare access to an illegal oil refinery near the river Nun in Nigeria’s oil state of Bayelsa. There, he was able to document the secret and dangerous practice of oil bunkering, where locals hack into oil pipelines, steal the crude oil, and refine or sell it abroad. For over 50 years now, crude oil and natural gas have been extracted from the Niger Delta by large corporations, which have had their share of environmental disasters. The ongoing damage from the tapped pipes and these makeshift refineries continue to take a terrible toll on the environment and the local population. read more

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As Shell looks to future, critics point to timing, risks

Shell’s first year of drilling on those leases was nothing short of a PR disaster, with a grounded rig and a drifting drillship highlighting the challenges of searching for crude in the remote and icy waters hundreds of miles north of the Arctic Circle. The high-profile mishaps have prompted a federal investigation of the perils of Arctic drilling and are spurring some in the oil industry to re-evaluate whether the crude on top of the world is worth the logistical challenges, financial costs and environmental risks of getting to it.

Updated 20 January 2013

By JENNIFER A. DLOUHY — Hearst Newspapers

WASHINGTON — When Shell started buying leases to drill in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas in 2005, the company was betting on Americans’ thirst for any oil locked under those Arctic waters, which could replace declining crude production from Alaska’s North Slope and other onshore resources.

Flash forward eight years, and the scenario has changed dramatically.

Now, energy companies are extracting ever more oil from dense rock formations in south Texas, North Dakota and other states, making the need to tap offshore frontiers less urgent. read more

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Kulluk provides lesson in humility, Murphy’s law

Unlike some of Shell’s critics outside, we know the Gulf isn’t the Arctic, the Beaufort isn’t the Bering, Wainwright isn’t Dutch. But geography isn’t the issue here. It’s Shell’s judgment and operations.

Posted: Friday, January 18, 2013 10:47 pm

“If there is to be a path forward with respect to offshore energy development in the Arctic it would be wise not only for Shell but for all oil companies attempting to engage this challenging environment to temper their path with the prudent and more productive human quality of humility.”

— veteran marine pilot Peter Garay, in a May 2010 Anchorage Daily News Compass commentary

There once was an oil company named Humble, but it’s not a quality most of us associate with the industry. High-stakes risk is inherent in oil exploration, so the industry naturally has people willing and able to take chances. read more

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Not So Fast On ‘Drill, baby, Drill’

Now that the operation has been nothing but bad news, the Obama administration must put an end to this terrible idea.

By Jane Zhang ‘15, News Staff Reporter   
Friday, 18 January 2013 00:00

On January 10, the Obama administration reviewed its decision to open up Alaska’s Chukchi and Beaufort Seas to oil exploration following the grounding of Shell’s offshore oil rig the Kulluk. Though none of the Kulluk’s 43,000 gallons of diesel or 2,000 gallons of lube oil and hydraulic fluid was spilled, this accident must act as a wake-up call for President Obama. The administration missed a vital chance to stop offshore drilling when it approved Shell’s 4.5 billion dollar Arctic effort last year. Now that the operation has been nothing but bad news, the Obama administration must put an end to this terrible idea. read more

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Does Obama become a nationalist when it comes to oil disasters?

Today, Shell is the company in the American hot seat, under investigation in the Dec. 31 grounding of a drilling vessel in the Alaskan Arctic, and a former senior BP executive is warning the Anglo-Dutch company of the ethnic calumny that is coming.: Shell should be prepared for him to start calling it ‘Royal Dutch.’

By Steve LeVine — January 15, 2013

During the fallout of BP’s 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, some UK media and company executives suggested that Americans were singling out the firm for its foreign—specifically British—roots. Indeed, fully one-third of Britons in a poll at the time said that Obama, who once referred to the company as “British Petroleum”, had gone “anti-British.” If an American company had the same accident, it would not be so rudely handled, these Britons suggested. read more

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Selection of Shell related article links 19 January 2013

Selection of Shell related article links kindly supplied by a regular contributor

Scope of damage to Shell drill vessel more clear: Alaska Dispatch-The Kulluk, a floating rig that’s been used in Shell’s offshore oil and gas exploration in Alaska’s Arctic, suffered damage “consistent with what is …

The Cordova Times – Opinion: We’ve been warned: Cordova Times-Jan 18, 2013

Algeria’s oil and gas industries pillars of its economy: Irish Times-The huge oil and gas industries are pillars of the Algerian economy. … Statoil, Gazprom and Shell retaining a big presence despite a 1971 … read more

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Shell’s plans in Arctic at risk as Obama advisers call for halt to oil exploration

The entire future of Shell’s drilling plans in the Arctic was put in doubt on Friday after two of Barack Obama’s most trusted advisers called for a permanent halt to oil exploration. In a piece for Bloomberg news, Carol Browner, who was Obama’s climate adviser during his first two years in office, and John Podesta, who headed his 2009 transition team, said they now believed there was no safe way to drill for oil in the Arctic.

After several equipment failures and safety and environmental lapses, Shell’s drilling plans now under review

, US environment correspondent: Friday 18 January 2013 20.02 GMT

The entire future of Shell’s drilling plans in the Arctic was put in doubt on Friday after two of Barack Obama’s most trusted advisers called for a permanent halt to oil exploration.

In a piece for Bloomberg news, Carol Browner, who was Obama’s climate adviser during his first two years in office, and John Podesta, who headed his 2009 transition team, said they now believed there was no safe way to drill for oil in the Arctic.

Their opinions come at a critical time for Shell, which has invested six years and nearly $5bn trying to gain access to the vast undersea reserves of oil and natural gas in the Arctic ocean. read more

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Salvagers Tight-Lipped on Shell Vessel Recovery

By DAN JOLING Associated Press: ANCHORAGE, Alaska January 19, 2013 (AP)

A spokeswoman for the united command overseeing the salvage of Royal Dutch Shell PLC drill barge that ran aground on a remote Alaska island says no new information will be released until a vessel assessment is completed.

Shell’s drill vessel Kulluk (KUL’-uk) ran aground New Year’s Eve. It was pulled off the rocky bottom Jan. 6 and towed to a protected bay within Kodiak Island.

The operation is under the direction of a unified command structure made up of the Shell, the Coast Guard, and state and local authorities. read more

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Shell, Ukraine Sign Shale Gas Production Sharing Act

Jan. 18, 2013, 7:37 a.m. EST

KYIV, Ukraine, January 18, 2013 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — The Donetsk and Kharkiv regional administrations voted in favor of the production sharing agreement with the oil and gas company Royal Dutch Shell. The document features ecology, social and other requirements for the investor and regulates the relationship between the investor and the state. According to the agreement, Shell will hand over 31-60 percent of the extracted gas to the Ukrainian state.

The Shell project at the Ukrainian shale gas field Yuzivske has the potential of evolving into the largest investment in Ukrainian history, reckons the Environment and Natural Resources Minister Oleh Proskuryakov. “Shell’s basic scenario would be investing more than USD 10 billion, optimistic scenario – USD 50 billion,” he said. During the initial phase of the project, investments into the Donetsk and Kharkiv region social infrastructure will amount to USD 140 million. read more

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Short list of praiseworthy senior Royal Dutch Shell executives

Now we have his equally scandal tainted successor, Peter Voser, Chairman of the UBS Audit Committee at the time when UBS was engaged in all kinds of criminal activity.

Posting on Shell Blog by LondonLad on Jan 17th, 2013 at 19:56

In all honesty can the Donovan’s kindly list some of the past and present senior executives of Royal Dutch Shell that they would support for their good work, honesty, ability to abide by country HSE requirements, etc. etc. More and more it seems that if you work for RDS at a (very) senior level they’ll get shafted via real AND tabloid reporting on this website, Greenpeace (dick-heads), and other tree hugging websites. We (the countries around the world) need to advance, risks need to be taken as a result…. read more

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As Shell’s Arctic Drilling Hopes Hit Snags, Its Rivals Watch

HOUSTON — Royal Dutch Shell’s Arctic drilling program is now officially in jeopardy and its prospects will depend on the findings of two continuing federal inquiries. One review is on the grounding of the Kulluk drill ship on New Year’s Eve after it was set adrift for five days in stormy weather, and the other is on the safety management of the entire Shell program.

By and : A version of this article appeared in print on January 18, 2013, on page B1 of the New York edition

HOUSTON — Royal Dutch Shell’s Arctic drilling program is now officially in jeopardy and its prospects will depend on the findings of two continuing federal inquiries. One review is on the grounding of the Kulluk drill ship on New Year’s Eve after it was set adrift for five days in stormy weather, and the other is on the safety management of the entire Shell program.

Rival oil companies, as they form their strategic choices, are keenly watching to see how Shell’s $4.5 billion exploratory operation off the North Slope of Alaska is faring and how the effort is working with wary United States regulators. 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 Shell related article links 17 Jan 2013

Selection of Shell related article links kindly supplied by a regular contributor

As one ship enough to tow Shell oil drilling rig in Gulf of Alaska?: Anchorage Daily News-Jan 14, 2013: Mass was so irritated by Shell’s assertions that he wrote a lengthy post disputing them on his weather blog. “Shell Oil made a misguided and …

Shell Oil Has Cut Corners and Put the Arctic At Risk During a Drilling ...: PolicyMic-Jan 14, 2013: The U.S. is set to become the world’s top oil producer by 2020, and new technologies in offshore oil drilling have been a significant factor in … 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.

Chris Finlayson: One can of worms after another

Despite his scandal-ridden record at Shell, Chris Finlayson was recently appointed as Chief Executive of BG Group plc. We have already published articles relating to his involvement in the Shell reserves fraud and his time as head of Shell in Russia, when he played a starring role in the Sakhalin 2 debacle, which cost Shell untold billions. This article takes us back even further, to his time as a director of Shell’s North Sea operations and his involvement in the notorious “TOUCH FUCK ALL” policy…

CHRIS FINLAYSON’S SCANDAL-RIDDEN TIME AT SHELL: ONE CAN OF WORMS AFTER ANOTHER

By John Donovan

Despite his scandal-ridden record at Shell, Chris Finlayson was recently appointed as Chief Executive of BG Group plc.

We have already published articles relating to his involvement in the Shell reserves fraud and his time as head of Shell in Russia, when he played a starring role in the Sakhalin 2 debacle, which cost Shell untold billions.

This article takes us back even further, to his time as a director of Shell’s North Sea operations and his involvement in the notorious “TOUCH FUCK ALL” policy adopted by Shell Expro, which ruthlessly put production and profits before the safety of employees. 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.

Financial Advice for Oil & Gas Pension Holders


John
 
Found this on the web – have no idea if it is for real, but may be of interest to some of your readers?
 
http://www.aesadviser.com/financial-advice-for-oil-gas-pension-holders/

EXTRACT FROM THE WEBSITE IN QUESTION

“I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I was able to transfer my Shell pension into a self invested scheme, with Shell offering a generous transfer value. Now, I feel like I have the best of both worlds. Am still able to grow my fund and will be able to generate an income at retirement but, will now be able to pass my fund of almost £1million on to my family, not back to 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.