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July, 2013:

Shell names van Beurden as surprise choice for CEO

“It’s initially something of a surprise. The question is, who is this guy,” Royal Bank of Canada analyst Peter Hutton said.

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LONDON | Tue Jul 9, 2013 4:55am EDT

(Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) named head of refining Ben van Beurden to replace chief executive Peter Voser, a surprise appointment to steer Europe’s biggest oil firm through an industry-wide battle to replace reserves and control costs.

Analysts and investors had not considered van Beurden, who has worked for the company for 30 years, as a possible contender to replace Voser next year.

Their early focus was on Finance Director Simon Henry and other divisional heads Marvin Odum, Matthias Bichseland and Andrew Brown. 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 Picks New Chief Executive

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LONDON — Royal Dutch Shell, Europe’s largest oil company, surprised markets on Tuesday by naming Ben van Beurden to succeed Peter Voser as chief executive on Jan. 1.

Mr. van Beurden, a Dutch national who is 55, has headed Shell’s large marketing and refining business since January and has been a key player in its liquefied natural gas business, in which Shell is the world leader among publicly traded oil companies.

He was chosen by Shell’s board over better-known candidates including Andrew Brown, head of exploration and production; Marvin Odum, head of the company’s Americas business; and Simon Henry, the chief financial officer, well-known to investors. 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 still No.1 on Fortune Global 500 List 2013

Screen Shot 2013-07-09 at 15.50.47 Screen Shot 2013-07-09 at 15.51.35 Rank: 1 Previous rank: 1 CEO: Peter R. Voser Employees: 87,000

Last year, Shell held the number one spot on the Fortune Global 500 list and was pushing to drill in the Arctic. This past March, the U.S. government blocked the company from drilling until it can provide a more convincing plan for exploring the region. The company has also paused another risky endeavor — one of its pipelines in Nigeria that caught fire this summer. Shell shut it down and began investigating the cause of the fire in late June.

Shell, however, remains strong. Its earnings for the first quarter of 2013 beat analyst expectations. Despite problems with certain drilling projects, the company continues to rake in money from various assets, one of which is its profitable Pearl gas-to-liquid plant in Qatar. 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.

North Sea leaks ‘reality check’ for British oil industry, says Greenpeace

Britain’s offshore rigs and platforms have leaked oil or other chemicals into the North Sea on 55 occasions over the past month alone, challenging claims by the industry that it has a strong safety and environmental record. Among the fields to have reported pollution discharges is Piper Alpha, the scene of the world’s worst offshore accident in terms of fatalities when it blew up, killing 167 workers, 25 years ago. Facilities operated by Shell, BP and BG were all offenders, according to the latest petroleum operations notices (PON1s) reported to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

Environmentalists say industry’s arctic safety case undermined by figures showing 55 pollution incidents in last month

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Britain’s offshore rigs and platforms have leaked oil or other chemicals into the North Sea on 55 occasions over the past month alone, challenging claims by the industry that it has a strong safety and environmental record.

Among the fields to have reported pollution discharges is Piper Alpha, the scene of the world’s worst offshore accident in terms of fatalities when it blew up, killing 167 workers, 25 years ago.

Facilities operated by Shell, BP and BG were all offenders, according to the latest petroleum operations notices (PON1s) reported to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). 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.

The hunt for WMDs in the oil price process

Screen Shot 2013-07-09 at 12.35.14Monday, July 08, 2013: The EC raid on the offices of BP, Shell and Statoil on May 14th seeking evidence of oil price manipulation has created a level of consternation not seen since the hunt for weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in Iraq. If the WMDs had been there they would probably have been found. The difference with the search for evidence of oil price fixing is that, if it is there, it will be very difficult to recognise. If the evidence does not actually exist, it would be easy to mistake the actions of traders going about their lawful, if complex, business for market abuse. 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.

Nigeria: EU, Italy, Netherlands to Probe Malabu Oil Deal

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The European Union has promised to commence an investigation into the Malabu oil deal scandal. This follows a letter by international extractive industry advocacy groups, Publish What You Pay (PWYP) and Zero Corruption Coalition (ZCC) have written the Italian and the Netherlands governments urging them to urgently institute an investigation into the Malabu oil deal scandal, LEADERSHIP has learnt.

Copies of the letters dated July 5, 2013, and exclusively obtained by LEADERSHIP, were addressed to Italian Prime Minister, Mr Enrico Letta, and copied the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Emma Bonino, Minister of Economy and Finance, Fabrizio Saccomanni, as well as the Minster of Justice, Annamaria Cancellieri, with the caption “Urgent Need for Italian Investigation and Diplomatic Engagement.” 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, Shell stall biofuel plans, cut down $57m investment

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EBR Staff Writer: 08 July 2013

European oil giants BP and Royal Dutch Shell are deferring their investments in bio-fuel projects by holding a consolidated investment of about $57m during the first quarter of 2013.

Industry sources claim that the current quarter witnessed the lowest investment for bio-fuel production since 2006.

FULL ARTICLE

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.

Ben van Beurden is an insider who has made late rise to the top

FINANCIAL TIMES

July 9, 2013 10:16 am

By John Aglionby

After a lifetime of service to Royal Dutch Shell but little known outside the company, Ben van Beurden will become chief executive following a recent rapid, and unconventional, rise up the top rungs of the corporate ladder.

FULL FT ARTICLE

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.

Denial of Service Attack on Royal Dutch Shell Plc .com Website?

It is true that the attacks by an unknown party on our website all too often seem to coincide with an important breaking news story about Shell. It is also true that we have broken important Shell news stories as a result of information received from our insider sources. We know this is a matter of huge concern to Shell that has led the company into mounting covert operations against us and our website involving Shell Global Security and outside intelligence resources. A senior spook at the top of Shell Global Security leaked information to us confirming what Shell had been up to.

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Subject: Attack?

John
 
Might I be right in thinking that your problems over the past few days may be related to today’s announcement of the new CEO?
 
I guess it might have been too much for Shell to swallow if you had succeeded in making the announcement prior to the official release of the news!

REPLY BY JOHN

It is true that the attacks by an unknown party on our website all too often seem to coincide with an important breaking news story about Shell. It is also true that we have broken important Shell news stories as a result of information received from our insider sources. We know this is a matter of huge concern to Shell that has led the company into mounting covert operations against us and our website involving Shell Global Security and outside intelligence resources. A senior spook at the top of Shell Global Security leaked information to us confirming what Shell had been up to. Too early to comment on why our website has been down for over 24 hours at a time so convenient to Shell, until after the unexpected surprising news about the appointment of Ben van Beurden entered the public domain.
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 Names Refining Chief Van Beurden to Succeed CEO Voser

Royal Dutch Shell Plc unexpectedly named refining boss Ben van Beurden to succeed Chief Executive Officer Peter Voser as Europe’s largest oil company looks to manage rising capital spending. When Voser announced his retirement in May, Chief Financial Officer Simon Henry and U.S. head Marvin Odum were seen as front runners for the top job.

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By Brian Swint – Jul 9, 2013 10:17 AM GMT+0100

Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) unexpectedly named refining boss Ben van Beurden to succeed Chief Executive Officer Peter Voser as Europe’s largest oil company looks to manage rising capital spending.

Van Beurden, who will take over in the New Year, has led the company’s downstream unit, which refines crude and sells products to consumers, since January and was previously head of the chemicals business. When Voser announced his retirement in May, Chief Financial Officer Simon Henry and U.S. head Marvin Odum were seen as front runners for the top job. 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 fights to halt ‘bogus’ gulf claims

Screen Shot 2013-07-07 at 16.17.27“Plaintiffs’ lawyers across the gulf region are now openly advertising that the settlement is a way for claimants to collect payouts even if they have no losses at all. If this travesty is allowed to continue, BP will be irreparably harmed, and future defendants will be reluctant to settle because they cannot be confident that settlement agreements will be construed textually and fairly.

SUNDAY 7 JULY 2013

By John Donovan

The Sunday Times has published an article by Danny Fortson today under the headline:

BP fights to halt ‘bogus’ gulf claims

The article says, BP WILL go to court tomorrow to try to overhaul a landmark $7.8bn compensation deal, citing a flood of “absurd and egregiously inflated” payments that threaten to “irreparably harm” the company.

Extracts from court papers filed by BP:

“Plaintiffs’ lawyers across the gulf region are now openly advertising that the settlement is a way for claimants to collect payouts even if they have no losses at all. If this travesty is allowed to continue, BP will be irreparably harmed, and future defendants will be reluctant to settle because they cannot be confident that settlement agreements will be construed textually and fairly. 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.

‘Conned’: a German view of Ireland

In April the American oil giant ExxonMobil began test drillings in the Dunquin Field southwest of Ireland. Off the west coast, Shell is extracting gas from the Corrib field, a source of often violent confrontations with residents for many years.

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Last week, the German newspaper ‘Süddeutsche Zeitung’ published an article about the ‘conning’ of Ireland – over several decades – by its political masters. We talk to the writer, reprint the article and add some footnotes of our ow. Christian Zaschke’s article claimed that Ireland’s political elite had failed its people, not least over oil rights

Original introduction: Chancellor Merkel has “contempt” for Ireland’s bankers. But they are just one part of an elite that exploits the island shamelessly

Anyone who wants to understand why Ireland could be so rich yet will probably remain poor should learn about Ray Burke. In Ireland, Ray Burke is almost as well known as James Joyce, Samuel Beckett or the U2 singer Bono who, in his sunglasses, always looks like a pudgy fly. People in Ireland don’t have positive thoughts about Ray Burke. After all, he sold their future. 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.

Smaller North Sea firms seek UK help to extract $500b oil

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Saturday, July 06, 2013

LONDON Britain must get tough with major oil firms that prevent smaller producers from getting access to platforms and pipelines, or risk leaving as much as $500 billion worth of oil in the ground, North Sea oil companies say.

Output from the North Sea has been in steep decline as mature fields are exhausted and global firms such as BP and Shell focus on more promising projects elsewhere. But there is still oil under the sea bed that a host of smaller operators is keen to extract, and Britain’s cash-strapped government is anxious to maximise tax revenues. 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.

Piper Alpha: Fire In The Night

Screen Shot 2013-07-06 at 13.57.15On the 25th anniversary of one of the world’s worst offshore oil disasters, this documentary chronicles the tragic events that occurred on the Piper Alpha rig on the 6th of July 1988.  It was a cataclysm that killed 167 men and left only 61 survivors, each of whom had to fight for their lives to escape the huge, labyrinthine structure and the flames that were consuming it.

For those that have not seen this documentary, on July 9th at 9pm UK time (2200 NL time) BBC2 is broadcasting this documentary again.
 
Piper Alpha: Fire In The Night 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.

Group Urges Probe Of Ogoni Pipeline Explosion

“We are shocked at the level of this spill, its management, and the arrest of Shell contractors in the immediate aftermath on suspicion of involvement with oil theft. There are so many questions about an incident near one of the most politically and environmentally sensitive areas in the Niger Delta.”

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By: Anayo Onukwugha on July 6, 2013

A group, the National Coalition on Gas Flaring and Oil Spills in the Niger Delta (NACGOND) has called for immediate investigation into the fire on the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), a major facility belonging to the Shell Petroleum Development Company, in Ogoniland, Rivers State.

The body said the probe became necessary to ascertain if the facility which supplies crude from Shell’s facilities in the Eastern Niger Delta to the Bonny Terminal can still operate safely, as a result of the fire. 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 Reopens Nigeria’s Trans Niger Oil Pipeline

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July 5, 2013

Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s (RDSA, RDSB) Nigerian subsidiary said Friday it had reopened a key Nigerian oil pipeline it had shut down last month following an explosion and fire at a point that had been targeted by oil thieves.

Write to Benoit Faucon [email protected]

FULL ARTICLE

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.

Reports of sinkholes on strand above Corrib gas pipe tunnel investigated

The Department of Energy has confirmed that it has been investigating reports of “sinkholes” or “depressions” on a north Mayo tidal estuary where the final section of the Corrib gas pipeline is being laid.

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Lorna Siggins: Sat, Jul 6, 2013

The Department of Energy has confirmed that it has been investigating reports of “sinkholes” or “depressions” on a north Mayo tidal estuary where the final section of the Corrib gas pipeline is being laid.

Shell E&P Ireland says it has informed “relevant authorities” of the occurrences during tunnel boring machine maintenance, which it says pose “no risk to public safety”.

The company says they are “not sinkholes” but are “shallow temporary depressions of approximately one to two feet in depth”. 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 Reports Largest Oil Spill in Nigeria this Year

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Shell Reports Largest Oil Spill in Nigeria this Year

By Sarah Kent and Benoit Faucon: July 5, 2013

Shell had initially said there was “practically” no spill as the oil had burned and said it had nothing more to add when asked again about the spill Wednesday.

FULL ARTICLE

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.

Nigeria Oil Workers Strike Over Working Conditions

Screen Shot 2013-02-15 at 09.15.38Labour unions are angry at the alleged inhumane treatment of colleagues by three oil companies. Oil workers in Nigeria yesterday, July 3, 2013, ended a three-day warning strike over alleged poor working conditions for Nigerian staff in Agip, Chevron and Shell…

By Kimeng Hilton Ndukong, 3 July 2013

Labour unions are angry at the alleged inhumane treatment of colleagues by three oil companies.

Oil workers in Nigeria yesterday, July 3, 2013, ended a three-day warning strike over alleged poor working conditions for Nigerian staff in Agip, Chevron and Shell oil companies and the non-implementation of a collective bargaining agreement with petroleum tanker drivers, Thisday newspaper reported.

An emergency meeting on Monday, July 1, 2013 between the Federal government, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and three oil companies, ended in deadlock. NUPENG had earlier on Monday directed all its members at the depots of the concerned oil companies to stop loading petroleum products for three days to protest their treatment by management. The strike was also called to protest the refusal by the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to implement the signed collective bargaining agreement with petroleum tanker drivers. 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.

An ancient desert, a modern sea, and lots of oil

HOUSTON — A drilling hunch with its roots in the Jurassic period is paying off for Royal Dutch Shell, with a potential 100 million-barrel oil find adding to its bounty in the Gulf of Mexico.

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By Emily Pickrell, Houston Chronicle : July 3, 2013 : Updated: July 3, 2013 7:20pm

HOUSTON — A drilling hunch with its roots in the Jurassic period is paying off for Royal Dutch Shell, with a potential 100 million-barrel oil find adding to its bounty in the Gulf of Mexico.

Shell said Wednesday that its Vicksburg exploratory well encountered an estimated 500 feet of net oil pay. The well is 5 miles from the company’s Appomattox site, where Shell already has found 500 million barrels of potentially recoverable resources.

“This is a Jurassic-age reservoir that is more than 160 million years old that was deposited as desert dunes and now is sitting beneath the floor of the Gulf of Mexico,” said Mark Shuster, executive vice president of Shell Upstream Americas 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.

The 10pc fall in Royal Dutch Shell is unwarranted

Europe’s largest oil major by market value has seen its shares slide by almost 10pc since the start of May, as concerns about global growth mounted.

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Questor share tip: The 10pc fall in Royal Dutch Shell is unwarranted

Royal Dutch Shell falls are overdone. Questor says buy

By 6:00AM BST 04 Jul 2013

Royal Dutch Shell ‘B’
£21.55-28½p
Questor says BUY

A significant oil discovery in the Gulf of Mexico failed to boost shares in Royal Dutch Shell yesterday. Europe’s largest oil major by market value has seen its shares slide by almost 10pc since the start of May, as concerns about global growth mounted. So, now looks like a good time to buy one of the UK’s largest income payers.

Yesterday, Shell said that an exploratory well at Vicksburg in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico revealed potentially recoverable resources of more than 100m barrels of oil equivalent (boe). The find adds to more than 500m boe of potentially recoverable resources that have already been identified at a nearby discovery called Appomattox. 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.

Rupert Murdoch, good guy or villain?

Screen Shot 2013-07-04 at 08.02.00By John Donovan: If you have any doubts whether Rupert Murdoch is a good guy, or a very bad guy, who has encouraged and supports criminal activity, read this article in the FT:

Rupert Murdoch dismisses hacking as ‘next to nothing’

RELATED

Question Rupert Murdoch over secret tape, urges MP: The Guardian

Rupert Murdoch Tape Reveals Angry, Dismissive News Corp Chief (VIDEO)

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.

Save the Arctic from Shell and its Russian friends

Screen Shot 2013-01-11 at 20.09.51Over the past year we’ve seen just how reckless Arctic drilling is. Shell, one of the world’s biggest and most powerful corporations, has been leading the charge but a catalogue of screw-ups forced it to pause its drilling program in Alaska.But Shell hasn’t given up yet – far from it. Instead they’ve signed a deal with Gazprom and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has thrown open the back door and invited Shell to drill in the Russian Arctic instead, where corruption is rife…

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2 July 2013

The Arctic is once again under attack from oil companies.

Over the past year we’ve seen just how reckless Arctic drilling is. Shell, one of the world’s biggest and most powerful corporations, has been leading the charge but a catalogue of screw-ups forced it to pause its drilling program in Alaska.But Shell hasn’t given up yet – far from it. Instead they’ve signed a deal with Gazprom and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has thrown open the back door and invited Shell to drill in the Russian Arctic instead, where corruption is rife and oil companies are largely unregulated. 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, Shell Slammed With More Crude-Oil Price-Fixing Claims

BP, Shell and Statoil have been barraged by suits since acknowledging that they were among the companies hit in a surprise raid launched by the European Commission and the Norwegian Competition Authority in May. This action arises from Defendants’ unlawful combination, agreement, and conspiracy to fix and restrain trade in, and intentional manipulation of, North Sea Brent Crude Oil (“Brent Crude oil”) and the prices of Brent Crude oil futures contracts traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange…

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By Gavin Broady

Law360, New York (July 02, 2013, 7:54 PM ET) — An Illinois private placement fund mounted a putative class action against BP PLC, Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Statoil ASA in New York Monday over the alleged crude oil futures manipulation scheme that put the companies in the crosshairs of a recent European regulatory sting.

White Oaks Fund LP is suing the energy companies over a purported plot to manipulate the price of North Sea Brent crude oil and Brent crude oil futures contracts by providing bogus pricing information to Platts, which publishes benchmark price assessments in the energy sector. 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.

Donal O’ Kelly plays with Shell

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TUESDAY, 02 July 2013

The controversial Shell Corrib gas project takes centre stage when the theatrical force that is Donal O’Kelly returns to the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar with his latest work, Benbo Productions’ surreal and heartfelt ‘Ailliliú Fionnuala’ tomorrow night, Wednesday, July 3.

Written and performed by O’Kelly, directed by Sorcha Fox and designed by Robert Ballagh, ‘Ailliliú Fionnuala’ centres on Ambrose Keogh, who works for Shell. When the tunnel-boring machine he named Fionnuala sinks into the bog in Erris, he is magically confronted by the legendary Fionnuala of the Children of Lir. Fionnuala puts a geas on him – he’s bound to tell the truth about Shell’s operations. During his ordeal, Ambrose meets his school classmate, Malachy Downes, a Shell-to-Sea activist, and echoes from the past resound. 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 finds oil at Gulf of Mexico drill

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LONDON, July 3 | Wed Jul 3, 2013 2:15am EDT

(Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell said it had found oil at its latest deepwater drill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Vicksburg ‘A’ discovery, 120 km offshore, was estimated to hold potentially recoverable resources of more than 100 million barrels of oil equivalent, Shell said on Wednesday.

“The results of the Vicksburg well strengthen our existing deepwater Gulf of Mexico exploration portfolio and should contribute to the nearby Appomattox discovery,” said Mark Shuster, Executive Vice President of Shell Upstream Americas Exploration.

Shell has a 75 percent stake in the discovery, and CNOOC holds the rest. 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 blames well-financed and highly organised criminals for crude oil theft

Screen Shot 2013-07-03 at 00.29.50By John Donovan: According to an article published yesterday, the Managing Director of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu (right) has blamed well-financed and highly organised criminals for crude oil in the Niger Delta. What he does not say is whether the finance and organisation came from Shell, bearing in mind Shell’s track record in colluding with militant leaders. Sunmonu is said to have called for accountability and transparency in the management of oil revenue. This from a company that falsified its claimed oil and gas reserves, engaged in a related cover-up, paid multimillion dollar fines for corruption and planted spies throughout the Nigerian government.  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 Highlights Benefits of Prelude Project to Australia

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by  Cheang Chee Yew: Rigzone Staff: Tuesday, July 02, 2013

The Prelude FLNG project had strong cost fundamentals and would make a significant contribution to the Australian economy, Shell Australia’s General Manager for Production, Michael Schoch said in a media statement released by the AGT’s official public relations agency Avviso PR.

“We estimate that Prelude will bring benefits to Australia of some $41.3 billion (AUD 45 billion) over the life of the project, of which taxes would be around $11 billion (AUD 12 billion). The overwhelming majority of people who work on the FLNG facility will be Australians. By 2015, we expect to double the workforce in Shell Australia’s Perth office from 500 to 1,000 – and many of these new people will be working on Prelude,” he added. 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 plans more FLNG after Prelude

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PERTH, July 2 AAP

Oil and gas major Shell plans to build more floating LNG plants after developing its world first Prelude project off the coast of Western Australia.

But the global leader in floating gas processing would not reveal whether it would develop more than one floating LNG vessel for Woodside’s Browse joint venture project.

“I don’t believe any one of the players has actually mentioned any numbers,” Shell Australia General Manager for Production Michael Schoch told a gas technology conference in Perth. 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 floating LNG

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The West Australian: July 2, 2013

Shell has defended its proposed $12 billion Prelude floating LNG project off the Kimberley coast insisting it would make a significant contribution to the Australian economy.

Premier Colin Barnett has strongly opposed the use of floating LNG technology on offshore WA oil and gas projects, arguing it will cost local jobs, deny benefits to indigenous groups and cost the State royalties.

But Shell Australia’s General Manager for Production, Michael Schoch, will told a conference in Perth today that Prelude would bring benefits to Australia of some $45 billion over the life of the project, $12 billion of which would be paid in taxes. 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.

Massive Oil and Gas Plant Opens in Kazakhstan

Screen Shot 2013-01-24 at 22.09.48The facility, that operates with involvement from Royal Dutch Shell, will process 450,000 barrels of oil and 8.8 cubic meters of gas at full production.

June 1, 2013: ASTANA — British Prime Minister David Cameron unveiled a massive oil and gas processing plant on the shores of the Caspian Sea on Monday during his first visit to ex-Soviet Kazakhstan.

The British leader landed in the oil capital of Atyrau on the Caspian Sea on Sunday where he was met by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Cameron is leading a large business delegation to the resource-rich Central Asian nation and hopes to sign trade deals worth more than £700 million (US$1.06 billion). read more

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Retired Shell Global Chief Petroleum Engineer Iain Percival speaks out

I am reacting to the article on BP’s difficulties in court in the litigious US environment. BP has a case to answer; no-one disputes that. However the feeding frenzy is a disgrace and another demonstration of “one rule in the US and another for the rest of the world.” The sums being talked about as “justified compensation” for the deaths, environmental damage, loss of earnings beggar belief and could eventually destroy the company.

Comment by Retired Shell Global Chief Petroleum Engineer Iain Percival on the Bloomberg/Businessweek article:

How BP Got Screwed on Gulf Oil Spill Claims

1 July 2013

I am reacting to the article on BP’s difficulties in court in the litigious US environment. BP has a case to answer; no-one disputes that. However the feeding frenzy is a disgrace and another demonstration of “one rule in the US and another for the rest of the world.”

In a few days (July 6th) our business will mark the 25th anniversary of the Piper Alpha disaster in the North Sea. It is worth while remembering that the operating deficiencies of Occidental, a US oil company, resulted in the deaths of 167 men. In addition, the survivors have been scarred (physically and mentally) for life and the families have done their collective best to get on with their lives without resorting to armies of lawyers. In contrast, 11 men died in the Deep Water Horizon episode. That is certainly 11 too many but not the same scale of human disaster as was Piper Alpha. The sums being talked about as “justified compensation” for the deaths, environmental damage, loss of earnings beggar belief and could eventually destroy the company. In addition, a number of BP employees could end up with lengthy custodial prison sentences. In contrast the “damage” suffered by Occidental was derisory being £110 million paid to the survivors (considerably less than £1 million per man) and not a single Occidental employee or company official was prosecuted in a court of law. To add insult to injury. Occidental’s lawyers spent considerable time and effort following the payments trying to recover the money from contractors on Piper Alpha, pursuant to indemnity obligations in contracts, which were common in the North Sea at the time of the disaster.
read more

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Shell probe into North Sea oil platform crane damage

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An investigation has been launched after a crane was damaged on a North Sea Shell platform, BBC Scotland has learned.

The Brent Charlie platform crane, and some of its support structures, were damaged on Sunday.

Shell said no-one was injured, and production from the platform had not been affected.

A spokesperson said: “The crane and the surrounding area has been made safe.”

The spokesperson added: “An investigation team has been mobilised.”

SOURCE

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Oil majors eye oil and gas off Arctic Jan Mayen island

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Mon Jul 1, 2013 6:17am EDT

* Shell, Chevron, Total and others buy seismic data for area

* Jan Mayen area may contain 566 mln barrels oil equivalent

(Reuters) – Oil majors including Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron and Total are interested in the potential oil and gas resources off Jan Mayen island in the Arctic, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate said on Monday.

These three companies, as well as London-listed Tullow Oil , Sweden’s Lundin Petroleum, Norway’s Det norske and Japan’s Idemitsu, have bought seismic data the agency has gathered since 2011. read more

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How BP Got Screwed on Gulf Oil Spill Claims

Screen Shot 2013-07-01 at 08.32.57INTRO BY JOHN DONOVAN: THIS BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK ARTICLE PROVIDES A CAUTIONARY TALE OF THE POTENTIAL BANKRUPTING CONSEQUENCES FOR A FOREIGN OWNED OIL COMPANY THAT MESSES UP SPECTACULARLY WHEN DRILLING IN US WATERS. ROYAL DUTCH SHELL SENIOR MANAGEMENT WAS WELL AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL DIRE CONSEQUENCES WHEN IT SENT AN ANTIQUATED ILL-PREPARED DRILLING FLEET INTO ALASKAN/ARCTIC WATERS, CULMINATING IN ANOTHER PR DISASTER, FORTUNATELY WITHOUT ANY FATALITIES. 

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By Paul M. Barrett: June 27, 2013

Until this year, Tampa attorney Kevin McLean specialized in suing nursing homes for neglecting patients. In January he switched the focus of his practice to a fund BP (BP) established to compensate business losses from the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. In its attempt to dilute a legal and public-relations mess of epic proportions, BP began paying claims within weeks of the disaster and has so far spent more than $25 billion for cleanup and compensation. That hasn’t stemmed demands for more. The installation last year of a particularly generous claims administrator prompted scores of additional plaintiffs’ attorneys to swarm onto the scene, signing up a new wave of clients, many located far from the once-sullied shoreline. Just five months after his pivot, McLean’s three-attorney firm has 260 clients with claims ranging from $20,000 to $4 million apiece. “The craziest thing about the settlement,” he wrote in a solicitation letter, “is that you can be compensated for losses that are UNRELATED to the spill. read more

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Oil Benchmarks Go From Trusted to Tainted as EU Missed Warning

The European Union’s top energy official ignored a warning delivered in 2009 about potential manipulation of Platts oil benchmarks “because markets trusted” them. The warning went unheeded until May, when EU antitrust officials raided Platts, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, BP Plc, and Statoil ASA as part of an investigation into the possible rigging of benchmark energy assessments.

Screen Shot 2012-11-19 at 09.32.24 By Gaspard Sebag: June 30, 2013

The European Union’s top energy official ignored a warning delivered in 2009 about potential manipulation of Platts oil benchmarks “because markets trusted” them.

Andris Piebalgs, who was EU energy commissioner from 2004 to 2010, cited the confidence traders had in the pricing system when a lawmaker questioned the reliability of Platts’ prices more than three years ago. The warning went unheeded until May, when EU antitrust officials raided Platts, Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA), BP Plc (BP/), and Statoil ASA (STL) as part of an investigation into the possible rigging of benchmark energy assessments. 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.