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February, 2014:

Shell Kulluk rig enjoying infamy

Extract from an article publish by Petroleum Economist 20 Feb 2014: North America’s Arctic drive idles

Screen Shot 2013-02-24 at 10.21.05A 30-YEAR-OLD veteran of the global drilling industry, the Kulluk rig has probably perforated its last well. It now sits in a Singapore dockyard, enjoying infamy as the vessel that ran aground on Alaska’s Sitkalidak Island at the end of 2012, suffering terminal damage in the process. Patching it up would be too expensive, says Shell, its owner.

SOURCE ARTICLE

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Shell Oil Co. will pay $4 million to settle False Claims Act allegations

Extract from an article published by LAW360.com on 27 Feb 2014 under the headline…

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 16.29.29Law360, New York (February 27, 2014, 4:15 PM ET) — Shell Oil Co. will pay $4 million to settle False Claims Act allegations that it sought payments from a Massachusetts fund for hazardous waste cleanup at its gas stations while it also received reimbursements from its insurers, state authorities said Thursday. Shell and its joint venture, Motiva Enterprises LLC, sought false reimbursements from Massachusetts’ Underground Storage Tank Petroleum Product Cleanup Fund program for more than a hundred gas stations throughout the state, but did not reveal to authorities that it also received payments from insurers, according… read more

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Shell to publish Q1 figures on May 1, when the stock exchange is shut

Extract from article published by DutchNews.nl 27 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 16.29.29Oil giant Shell is publishing its first quarter 2014 figures on May 1, a day when the Amsterdam stock exchange is closed, broadcaster RTLZ says on Thursday. Shell is by far the biggest company listed in Amsterdam but traders will not be able to react to the figures…. The London and Wall Street exchanges are not closed on May 1. ‘Investors must be able to react to the figures,’ one trader told the broadcaster.

FULL ARTICLE

Oil giant Shell is publishing its first quarter 2014 figures on May 1, a day when the Amsterdam stock exchange is closed, broadcaster RTLZ says on Thursday. Shell is by far the biggest company listed in Amsterdam but traders will not be able to react to the figures – See more at: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2014/02/shell_to_publish_q1_figures_on.php#sthash.inM5uSWj.IpFnYKF3.dpuf
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Royal Dutch Shell Shuts Nigeria Nembe Creek Oil Pipeline

Extract from a Wall Street Journal article by Obafemi Oredein published 27 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2013-09-29 at 23.38.41BADAN, Nigeria–Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s (RDSA) Nigerian unit said Thursday that the Nembe Creek Trunk oil pipeline was shut down to stop leakage caused by oil theft. Shell said the pipeline was replaced in December 2010 at a cost of $1.1 billion but has been repeatedly targeted by crude thieves since it was commissioned.

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Report: ‘Perfect storm’ of oil risks in U.S. arctic waters

Extract from UPI article published 27 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2013-01-11 at 20.09.51WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (UPI) — With Shell uncertain about its future in U.S. arctic waters, a consortium of environmental advocacy groups said the region presents a “perfect storm of risks.” Shell Chief Executive Officer Ben van Beurden said in January a series of mishaps in its drilling campaign off the Alaskan coast meant his company lacked a “clear path forward” in the arctic.

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Oil Giants Chevron and Shell Sell Pipelines

Extract from an article by Matthew Monks published by Bloomberg News on 27 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52Chevron Corp. (CVX) and Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) are seizing on a surge in demand for pipelines and storage facilities to raise cash for oil and gas exploration. Shell wants to sell part of its Houston-to-Houma crude oil pipeline and use some of the proceeds to invest in drilling projects, people said last month. If it and Chevron are successful, other large oil companies may also enter the market. read more

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Nigeria: Warning over sale of Shell assets

Extract from article by Samuel Oyadongha published by VANGUARD and circulated online by AllAfrica.com on 26 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52The people of Nembe in Bayelsa East senatorial district, Bayelsa State, have warned prospective investors and buyers of oil wells and facilities owned by Shell Petroleum Development Company to investigate the non-payment of over $1bllion demanded from the company for damages inflicted on their communities by its over 50 years oil exploration activities. The chairman, Nembe Kingdom Oil and Gas Committee, Chief Nengi James, gave the warning in Yenagoa following alleged planned sale of oil fields and other assets owned by Shell in Nembe. read more

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A bunch of nonsense from David Bunch, Chairman of Shell Brands International

Screen Shot 2014-02-27 at 00.47.28The article is about the global VP of Marketing for Shell Retail and chairman of Shell Brands International, David Bunch (right), and his claim that Shell’s key principles are “trust, innovation and quality.” Trust? He must be joking. Shell defrauded its own shareholders in the reserves scandal and more recently issued a profits warning only when pressed into doing so by lawyers. With all due respect to Mr. Bunch, it is actual deeds over the years, not empty words, on which Shell will be judged.

By John Donovan

Houston Business Journal has published an article under the headline: Shell branding chief touts company’s “trust” and social media engagement

The article is about the global VP of Marketing for Shell Retail and chairman of Shell Brands International, David Bunch, and his claim that Shell’s key principles are “trust, innovation and quality.”

Trust? He must be joking. Shell defrauded its own shareholders in the reserves scandal and more recently issued a profits warning only when pressed into doing so by lawyers. Peter Voser knew what was coming and decided to jump ship before he was pushed overboard. Ordinary shareholders were kept in the dark as per normal. From my experience, that is routine practice and I have irrefutable evidence to prove Shell senior management deliberately hides information from its own shareholders. read more

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Selection of recent articles about Royal Dutch Shell Plc

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.

Prepare for a Slimmer Royal Dutch Shell

Extracts from an article by Bob Ciura published by The Motley Fool on 26 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52Shell shears its downstream business: Shell plans $15 billion worth of asset sales by the end of 2015. If it isn’t careful, its massive divestments may endanger future growth. Since the start of 2014, Royal Dutch Shell has announced a series of divestments focused in its downstream business. While Royal Dutch Shell embracing financial discipline is admirable, selling off billions in assets will likely come at a cost to future growth. Last year was an extremely difficult one for the integrated majors, but Shell seems to be the only one panicking. read more

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Shell to drill for oil offshore Namibia

Extract from article by BusinessDay published 26 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 16.29.29Royal Dutch Shell is to drill offshore Namibia, a growing area of interest for oil and gas explorers. Shell has taken over exploration blocks 2913A and 2914B in the Orange Basin from Signet Petroleum, with the Anglo-Dutch group acquiring a 90 percent stake in the two blocks and Namibian national oil company Namcor keeping its 10 percent carried interest.

FULL ARTICLE

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Good News for the Arctic

Extract from article by Ted Danson and Andrew Sharpless published by Huffington Post.com 26 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2013-11-01 at 09.31.18On January 30, Shell’s new CEO, Ben van Beurden, announced that the company will not pursue exploration drilling in the Arctic Ocean in 2014. He also revealed Shell’s poor fourth-quarter earnings, attributable in part to offshore exploration expenditures, like those previously made in the Arctic.  We applaud the court’s ruling and Shell’s newfound, if forced, caution. Alaska has already seen more than its fair share of oil disasters, and drilling in the Arctic will inevitably bring another spill. 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 shelves Hume LNG plan

Extracts from an article published by THE AUSTRALIAN on 26 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52Royal Dutch Shell’s pullback from Australia is set to continue as the oil and gas giant aborts a plan to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply chain for trucks, according to The Australian. “The project has been put on hold by Shell, and the eight LNG refuelling sites that were in the design phase, will not be constructed at this point,” a Shell spokesperson told The Australian. The development comes after Shell sold its downstream assets, including the Geelong refinery and its petrol station network, to oil trader Vitol last week… read more

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Shell investors urged to take action on ‘high-risk’ Arctic drilling

Extract from an article by published February 25th, 2014 by blue&greentomorrow.com

Screen Shot 2013-08-29 at 17.22.26Investors across the UK are being urged to call for oil giant Shell to abandon its plans to drill for fossil fuels in the Arctic Ocean. Campaigners say the project is high-risk with uncertain returns. Responsible investment charity ShareAction said it expects to see thousands of people email their pension funds about the issue. It added that Shell’s largest shareholder, Blackrock, will also be targeted in an effort to shift Shell’s high-risk Arctic strategy. read more

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Kuwait to acquire key retail fuel sector from Shell

Extract from an article published by WorldTribune.com on 24 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52The state-owned Kuwait Petroleum International has reached an agreement to purchase a key division of Royal Dutch Shell. Under the agreement, estimated at 500 million euro, KPI would acquire Italy’s retail fuel sector of Shell, which included at least 830 gasoline stations, far more than Britain and France.

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Shell’s Arctic oil plans face shareholder scrutiny

Extracts from article by Ed King published by RTCC.org (Responding to Climate Change) on 25 February 2014 read more

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Shell chief points out European energy paradox

Extract from an article by published 24 Feb 2014 by PennEnergy

Royal Dutch Shell’s head of gas power development believes Europe is self-sabotaging its own efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by choosing a coal-renewables pathway, at the expense of gas-fired power. “At Shell, we call this the European energy paradox,” he told the conference. “But maybe that’s an understatement. It’s a European energy crisis.”

FULL ARTICLE

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Motiva oil refinery fire doused, no injuries reported

Extract from an article by David J. Mitchell and Ryan Broussard published 24 Feb 2014 by The Advocate

read more

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Can New CEO Change Royal Dutch Shell’s Course?

Extract from article by Stephanie Link published by thestreet.com 24 February 2014

Screen Shot 2014-01-21 at 09.07.53Over the last several years the company has mismanaged its huge shale asset base, has had multiple cost overruns on key projects and continues to run an underperforming refinery business. Last year alone, Royal Dutch Shell’s operational issues in Nigeria, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Alaska, and the U.S. cost its earnings by $5.1 billion. So it’s not surprising that the stock massively underperformed its peers last year, gaining just 3.4% vs. the sector, which rose 14.1%. There is no doubt this company and the management team have a credibility problem. But that is about to change, in my view with a new CEO on board, Ben van Beurden. read more

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Garda Corruption Allegations

Extracts from articles published by The Irish Times 24 February 2014

Claims on Garda corruption first made in 2008

Screen Shot 2013-08-16 at 11.17.48Allegations investigated at the time by GSOC and the Gard. The Irish Times understands that some of the allegations first raised by Sgt McCabe in May 2008 are contained in a dossier compiled by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and presented to the Government in recent weeks. The dossier also contains new cases. read more

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Funding boost for Shell and SSE’s gas carbon capture plan

Extract from article by The Telegraph Energy Editor published on 24 Feb 2014

Plans to capture carbon dioxide emissions from a gas-fired power station in Aberdeenshire and bury them beneath the North Sea have won tens of millions of pounds in government funding. Ed Davey, the energy secretary, on Monday announces the funding for Royal Dutch Shell and SSE’s Peterhead carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, which would be the first commercial-scale gas-fired CCS plant. Shell’s UK chairman Ed Daniels, says that if Peterhead is successful it would “reinforce the UK’s leadership on responding to climate change and could act as a major boost to the CCS industry as a whole”. read more

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Alaska North Slope communities divided as Arctic drilling delayed

Extract from article by Alex DeMarban published by AlaskaDispatch on 23 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2013-01-11 at 20.09.51On one side of the rift are corporate leaders who have dashed off letters to The Arctic Sounder newspaper, bashing environmental groups that were on the winning side of last month’s decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court ruled the Interior Department had not properly considered the risks of offshore drilling before selling leases in the Chukchi Sea in 2008. The decision throws into question whether Royal Dutch Shell, already hobbled by its own mistakes during the 2012 exploration season, will forge ahead with its costly effort to drill off the Arctic coast. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell is top as global dividends breach $1 trillion

Extract from article by Harriet Dennys published by The Telegraph on 24 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 16.29.29UK companies take three places in top ten dividend payers, with Shell in pole position. Energy major Royal Dutch Shell paid the highest returns to shareholders in 2013, in a year when global dividends broke through the $1trn barrier for the first time.

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Intrigue over unexplained sudden exit of Shell legal chief Peter Rees QC

Extract from article published 24 Feb 2014 by Legal Week under the headline: “Former Shell legal chief Peter Rees QC to return to private practice”

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 16.29.29One source close to the matter said: “Only three people at Shell know the reason behind his exit: Peter, Ben and (chief human resources and corporate officer) Hugh Mitchell. read more

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Arctic Oil Still Seen Decades Away as Producers Balk at Costs

Extracts from an article published by Bloomberg News 23 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2013-11-01 at 09.31.18Lundin Petroleum AB (LUPE), the Swedish explorer focused on Norway, said there won’t be any oil production in the ice-filled waters of the Arctic for at least 15 years because of technical and logistical challenges. Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (RDSA), Europe’s biggest oil company, in January again halted drilling plans off Alaska after a court ruled the area had been illegally opened to exploration. That followed a previous postponement after a series of technical mishaps in 2012, including the stranding of a rig. read more

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Gazprom and Shell Sign for Third Train at Sakhalin II

Extract from an article published by The Maritime Executive 23 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 16.29.29Sochi hosted today the signing of a memorandum-roadmap between Alexey Miller, chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Ben van Beurden, CEO of Shell. The document envisages the preparation of FEED documentation for the third LNG production train within the Sakhalin II project.

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Shell hits out at Brussels energy policy

Extract from FT article by Pilita Clark published 23 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 16.29.29Royal Dutch Shell has launched a broadside against what it says is a “European energy crisis” that could drive a raft of new coal power plants across the continent at the expense of cleaner alternatives such as gas.

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Russia’s oil giant Rosneft, Shell to eye joint projects

Extract from an article published on 23 Feb 2014 by THE VOICE OF RUSSIA

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 16.29.29Russian state oil company Rosneft and Royal Dutch Shell will eye joint projects and draw up guidelines for future cooperation, according to Rosneft’s statement issued after a meeting of the companies’ chiefs Igor Sechin and Ben van Beurden on Sunday. The companies ruled out any conflicts of interest with joint projects of Shell and Russia’s gas giant Gazprom.

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Will Israel Become an Oil Giant?

EXTRACTS FROM ARTICLE PUBLISHED 23 July 2013 BY THEWORLDPOST

Dr. Harold Vinegar

Dr. Harold Vinegar

A tectonic shift is taking place in the global energy market: The rise of alternative sources of petroleum known as “unconventionals.” These hydrocarbons are derived from sources that would once have been technologically impossible to reach or exploit in a cost-effective manner. But technology is starting to overcome these difficulties, and it increasingly looks like the future of energy will be unconventional. And Israel may hold the key to one crucial part of it. read more

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Shell Prelude FLNG: loss of containment of hydrocarbons almost inevitable

Screen Shot 2014-02-12 at 13.18.45The revolutionary concept of offshore LNG installations (FLNG) is said to have economic and environmental advantages. A distinct disadvantage however is that the risks to health and safety of persons employed offshore on the LNG FPSO’s, such as Prelude, will be higher, when compared to onshore LNG plants of similar capacity, specifically the potential for loss of life; …loss of containment of hydrocarbons is likely to occur on Prelude during its operational life, either through flaws in the design, human error or failure to inspect and maintain. It’s almost inevitable.  It’s only to be hoped that the consequences of these losses never reach their full potential. 

By Bill Campbell, Retired HSE Group Auditor, Shell International

Prelude FLNG turns conventional wisdom on its head

The revolutionary concept of offshore LNG installations (FLNG) is said to have economic and environmental advantages.  A distinct disadvantage however is that the risks to health and safety of persons employed offshore on the LNG FPSO’s, such as  Prelude, will be higher, when compared to onshore LNG plants of similar capacity, specifically the potential for loss of life. 

This article concentrates on the perfect contradiction that exists between managing risks on an onshore LNG plant when compared with floating LNG. Whereas onshore plants, handling hazardous substances reduce risk by physical separation, such separation, although attempted on Prelude would not be accepted onshore because the separation distances are inadequate.  Prelude will store high quantities of cryogenic hydrocarbon liquids on the installation.  The heat energy of the liquids is enormous.  This contradicts the £6 billion or so expenditure in the North Sea, post Piper Alpha, to do as much as reasonably practicable, to reduce the heat energy available so that escalation of hydrocarbon events are limited such that the Temporary refuge (TR), normally the Living quarters, and including escape routes to the TR and evacuation from it, will not be impaired within one hour to allow safe evacuation of the facility.  The frequency of TR impairment should be demonstrated to be no more than once in 1000 yrs.  It’s a high standard to achieve.  read more

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Irish Police Ombudsman Office Bugged by Irish Police?

By John Donovan

Screen Shot 2014-02-21 at 16.11.57Printed below are extracts from a BBC News article published today about allegations that an unknown party has been bugging the Irish Police Ombudsman offices. One intriguing  suggestion is that it was done by the Irish Police Force. There is also a suggestion of a French connection. Or it could be a Royal Dutch operation, bearing in mind that Shell is intently interested in an on-going investigation by the Ombudsman Commission of allegations Shell has corrupted the Irish Police Force. Shell has a long track record of using corporate espionage to gather intelligence. The Corrib Gas Project is already delayed by several years and is billions over budget. Some “Shell to Sea” activists have demanded that the original deal with Shell, agreed with corrupt Irish politicians, should be renegotiated. So there is a lot at stake.  read more

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Shell in $2.6bn Australia asset sale

Extract from BBC News article published 21 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to sell its Australian downstream business to oil trading firm Vitol for $2.6bn (£1.6bn). The sale includes Shell’s refinery in Geelong, 870 service stations, its bulk fuels and chemicals unit and part of its lubricants business. Recent disinvestments by Shell include the sale of refineries in the UK, Germany, France, Norway and the Czech Republic. The firm has also offloaded its downstream businesses in Egypt, Spain, Greece, Finland and Sweden. read more

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Shell agrees sale of downstream businesses in Australia to Vitol

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52Shell today announced it has reached a binding agreement to sell its Australia downstream businesses (excluding Aviation) to Vitol for a total transaction value of approximately A$2.9 billion (US$2.6 billion). The sale covers Shell’s Geelong Refinery and 870-site retail business – along with its bulk fuels, bitumen, chemicals and part of its lubricants businesses in Australia. It also includes a brand license arrangement and an exclusive distributor arrangement in Australia for Shell Lubricants. Recent downstream divestments by Shell include the sale of refineries in the UK, Germany, France, Norway and the Czech Republic; downstream businesses in Egypt, Spain, Greece, Finland and Sweden, as well as the creation of a downstream joint venture – with Vitol and other partners – across Africa, and the planned sale of some downstream businesses in Italy and Norway.

21 February 2014

Shell today announced it has reached a binding agreement to sell its Australia downstream businesses (excluding Aviation) to Vitol for a total transaction value of approximately A$2.9 billion (US$2.6 billion). The sale covers Shell’s Geelong Refinery and 870-site retail business – along with its bulk fuels, bitumen, chemicals and part of its lubricants businesses in Australia. It also includes a brand license arrangement and an exclusive distributor arrangement in Australia for Shell Lubricants. 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.

Nigerian lawmakers recommend revoking Shell, Eni OPL 245 oil block licence

Extract from an article published by Platts 20 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 16.29.29A global anti-corruption crusader Global Witness in late 2012 said that Shell and Eni may run foul of UK legislation over the acquisition of the oil block, on grounds that the the transaction ran counter to the anti-bribery legislation in the UK as well as the US and Italy, since the payment ended up with a company controlled by Etete, who had been convicted in France for money laundering, Platts previously reported. “Though Shell and Eni paid the Nigerian government, funds were then transferred shortly after to a company controlled by ex-Oil Minister, Dan Etete, who in 2007 was convicted in France of money laundering,” read more

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Shell’s Nigeria & UK sales won’t be ‘big money’, Deutsche Bank says

Article by Jamie Ashcroft published by proactiveinvestors on Feb 20, 2014

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52Deutsche Bank says it makes ‘strategic sense’ for Shell (LON:RDSB) to sell off assets in the UK and Nigeria, though its analysis doesn’t suggest they would be big money deals.

The German bank said, in a note to investors, that the noise around potential divestments is building and it is becoming clearer which assets will go under the hammer.

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Shell sells Italian retail business to Kuwait Petroleum

Reuters article published LONDON Thu Feb 20, 2014 10:47am GMT

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52Feb 20 (Reuters) – Anglo-Dutch oil and gas major Shell said on Thursday it has agreed to sell its Italian retail and aviation business to Kuwait Petroleum International.

“The sale is consistent with Shell’s strategy to concentrate Shell’s downstream footprint on a smaller number of assets…

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Woodside CEO Seeks Shell Exit Decision on $6.6 Billion Stake

Extract from Bloomberg News article by James Paton Feb 20, 2014 5:53 AM GMT

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (WPL), Australia’s second-largest oil and gas producer, pressed Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) to take action on its A$7.3 billion ($6.6 billion) stake in the company, saying investors want “certainty.” 

Shell’s move to accelerate asset sales to free cash for new projects is seen as increasing the likelihood the Anglo-Dutch company will finally divest its remaining stake in Woodside. The company is trying to win investors’ confidence after its fourth-quarter profit fell to the lowest since 2009.  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.

AIMS partners with Shell and INPEX to help protect against oil spills

Extract from article in GAS TODAY published Thu, 20 February 2014

Screen Shot 2014-02-20 at 10.29.31The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Shell Development Australia and INPEX subsidiary INPEX Operations Australia are set to develop comprehensive environmental baselines to monitor the health of waters off North Western Australia.

The partnership also incorporates comprehensive plans for monitoring the marine environment in the unlikely event of loss of containment from either Shell’s Prelude or INPEX’s Ichthys Project wells. read more

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Royal Dutch Shell Plc has sold its downstream Australian assets

Reuters Deals of the day – Mergers and acquisitions: Wed 19 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52Feb 19 (Reuters) – The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1100 GMT on Wednesday: Royal Dutch Shell Plc has sold its downstream Australian assets to Dutch-owned oil trader Vitol SA and the Abu Dhabi Investment Council for about A$2.4 billion ($2.2 billion), The Australian Financial Review reported.

FULL REUTERS REPORT ON M&A

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House Of Reps Cancel $1.1bn Malabu Oil Deal

Daily Times of Nigeria article by Ugochukwu Onyeocha: 19 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2014-02-19 at 13.29.32The Nigerian House of Representatives on Tuesday in Abuja, ordered the immediate cancellation of the fraudulent sale of a lucrative oil bloc OPL 245 to oil firms, Shell and Agip, in a shady deal facilitated with the payment of $1.1 billion (about N165 billion) to a convicted former petroleum minister, Dan Etete.

FULL ARTICLE

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Woodside may ditch Shell stake

Melbourne Herald Sun Article by John Dagge: 19 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2014-02-19 at 13.18.45WOODSIDE Petroleum says it has not consulted major shareholder Shell about its foray into Israel — an international push which analysts say complicates the oil giant’s relations with key Arabic customers. Woodside’s move to take a slice of Israel’s Leviathan field — one of the largest offshore gas finds of the past decade — has raised speculation Shell will look to offload its 23 per cent stake in the company to avoid conflicts with major oil producers. Key oil producers and Shell clients, such as Saudi Arabia, have a trading and investment boycott on Israel. 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.

Major oilsands project put on hold by Shell

JOURNAL of COMMERCE Article by Richard Gilbert: 19 Feb 2014

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 16.29.29Royal Dutch Shell has asked federal regulators to halt the environmental assessment for a proposed mine in northeastern Alberta, as part of a plan to re-evaluate the timing of developments. The proposed PRM project involves the construction of an oilsands surface mine and bitumen extraction facilities, which would be located about 90 km north of Fort McMurray on the west side of the Athabasca River.

FULL ARTICLE

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Shell refinery sale puts 500 jobs at risk in Victoria

THE GUARDIAN: Article by Wed 19 Feb 2014 

Victoria faces another blow to its economy after Royal Dutch Shell reportedly sold Geelong refinery, putting 500 jobs at risk. The oil major sold the asset and its Australian petrol stations to Dutch-owned oil trader Vitol and the Abu Dhabi Investment Council for about $2.4bn, Fairfax Media reports. It is believed that Vitol, the world’s largest oil trader, has earmarked the 60-year-old refinery for closure… read more

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Australia: Shell sells local assets for $2.4bn: report

THE AUSTRALIAN: FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52ROYAL Dutch Shell has sold its downstream assets in Australia, including petrol stations and its Geelong refinery to Vitol for an estimated $2.4 billion, Fairfax Media reports. Last month, Shell sold stakes in a gas project in Western Australia for $1.14 billion as part of the oil company’s drive to improve its return on investment. It is understood Vitol, the world’s largest oil trader, plans to shut down Shell’s Geelong refinery…

FULL ARTICLE

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Campaign to Replace Irish Police Ombudsman

Screen Shot 2014-02-19 at 00.40.57Despite the Corrib Gas dispute being the single largest source of Garda complaints that GSOC have had to deal with, no Garda has ever been held to account for their law-breaking and abuse of powers. In March 2013 the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Margaret Sekaggya, called on the Irish Government to “Investigate all allegation and reports of intimidation, harassment and surveillance in the context of the Corrib Gas dispute in a prompt and impartial manner”. 

Shell to Sea repeats call to dissolve GSOC and to establish a proper oversight body

News release – Issued by Shell to Sea – Tuesday 18th February 2014

Shell to Sea has today repeated calls that it has made previously, that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) be dissolved so that a new functioning Garda oversight body can be established. Shell to Sea believe that it is impossible for GSOC to operate as a functioning Garda oversight body due to the flawed nature of its founding legislation. Former GSOC Commissioner Conor Brady has stated that he too believes the Garda Síochána Act 2005 “was fundamentally flawed”. [1] read more

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Big oil players BP, Shell, Chevron, Exxon & others accused of profiting from polluting

Screen Shot 2014-02-18 at 18.34.00The Legal Examiner: Article by Tom Young: February 18, 2014

In a story first reported by Reuters’ Mica Rosenberg, nearly all of the major oil producing companies have been accused of defrauding numerous states by double-dipping when passing along the costs of replacing dilapidated and leaking fuel storage tanks.

FULL ARTICLE

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DISGRUNTLED SHELL OIL EMPLOYEES

SQUEEZED OFFICE SPACE AT SHELL

Screen Shot 2014-02-20 at 10.44.48POSTING ON SHELL BLOG BY “RAYMOND” ON TUESDAY 18 FEB 2014

Well we moved into the new buildings in Houston. What an utter disappointment. If this is the new face of Shell (small cubes, no privacy and poor working conditions ) then I can see Shell having problems attracting top people. How many top students want to work in a 6×6 cube while the head of HR lives in his glass palace? Nice one Bruce

COMMENT ON SHELL BLOG BY WAYNE ALSO ON 18 FEB 2014

Poor Raymond, we have been sitting in open office for more than two years. A JG B is also sitting next to us. All in the pretext of cost saving!

COMMENT ON SHELL BLOG “FROM AN OLD EP HAND” – POSTED 18 FEB 2014

@Raymond: my commiserations! I escaped the open offices until my retirement. Each time rooms needed to be shared from a certain jobgroup level I made a promotion and had a room to myself. I remember that in 1977 or thereabouts Don Schaefer was the great mover and shaker behind the introduction of open offices. Everyone was against and revolts were imminent, so he lined up a fact finding team of 7 senior people (all jg 1-2 department heads) plus the junior project engineer (jg5) who had to execute the plan, to visit several open offices in Germany. Except for the project engineer they all travelled first class as was the rule on business travel for jg3+. They came back and had to say it was good, provided you built the offices first class. Otherwise it would be a disaster. (They all lied, but arms were twisted…). read more

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Shell, the U.S. not prepared for risks of drilling in Arctic Ocean

Screen Shot 2013-02-27 at 08.56.36

By Dan Ritzman: Special to The Times: Monday, February 17, 2014

Screen Shot 2013-11-01 at 09.31.18Shell announced a plan to return to the Arctic Ocean this summer, only to have its leases invalidated by a federal court because the company vastly underestimated the environmental risks.

The reality is that drilling in the Arctic Ocean comes with a distinctive set of risks to the environment and would-be drillers. History has shown that where there is drilling, there is spilling.

FULL ARTICLE

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Shell’s Asset Purge to Hit UK North Sea

Extract from article by James Burgess of oil price.com: Mon 17 February 2014

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52Royal Dutch Shell has announced plans to sell three oil and gas assets in the North Sea as the supermajor seeks to divest some $15 billion in assets.

In October 2013, Shell announced it would begin selling off significant assets in 2014 and 2015 in order to reduce liabilities and improve cash flow.

FULL ARTICLE

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Royaldutchshellplc.com website under Denial of Service Attack?

By John Donovan

Screen Shot 2012-04-29 at 15.27.12Regular visitors may have noticed that this website was down for almost 24 hours last week. This was because we doubled the power of our server to cope with unexplained surges in traffic, which made access sluggish at times. Today the site is being bombarded with Shell Blog comments, made in multiple languages via multiple isp addresses. It appears to be yet another concerted denial of service attack by an unknown party. Such activity is unlawful. We only publish comments about Shell and related matters in English. We never publish comments containing advertising links. I don’t know what we have done to upset whoever is responsible. The only party that has shown past hostile intent to this website, including shutting it down on one occasion, is Royal Dutch Shell Plc. Shell General Counsel Keith Ruddock, confirmed in writing that Shell was responsible. Shell had secretly contacted our website hosting companies in North America and frightened them into taking action against us. Unfortunately for Shell, I persuaded the hosting companies to reveal the identity of our unseen but unsurprising enemy. I do hope Shell is not up to its skullduggery tactics again. A link has now emerged with the previous Denial of Service attacks stretching back a number of years. The same unknown party is responsible. We notified the UK police previously and will do so again unless the attacks cease immediately.
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.