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Malcolm Brinded

Mark Carne and the Shell Brent Bravo Scandal

By John Donovan

Screen Shot 2013-09-05 at 14.02.45In view of the announcement made today about former Royal Dutch Shell executive Mark Carne (right) being appointed as the next Chief Executive of Network Rail, it would seem at opportune moment to republish our previous articles about him. But first the Reuters article carrying news of his appointment, then our own articles publishing insider information.

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Network Rail says Mark Carne to be its next CEO

(Reuters) – Britain’s Network Rail on Thursday said Mark Carne, a former Royal Dutch Shell executive, would become its next chief executive. read more

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SHAMBLES AT MOTIVA PORT ARTHUR REFINERY

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By John Donovan

Anyone who has read the postings made on this website in recent years by insiders working on the Motiva Refinery expansion project should not be in the least surprised by the series of serious mishaps following the restart, which taken together, can only be described as a complete and utter shambles.

Troubled Motiva refinery, biggest in U.S., faces lengthy 2014 work: sources

MOTIVA PORT ARTHUR REFINERY: ANOTHER SHELL PROJECT HUMILIATION

Motiva Enterprises is jointly owned by Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Saudi Aramco. read more

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Shell in Nigerian arms controversy

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By Rob Davies

PUBLISHED: 22:00, 16 August 2013 | UPDATED: 22:00, 16 August 2013

Shell lobbied the Government to send millions of pounds of weapons to Nigeria that may have fallen into the hands of militants guilty of human rights abuses, a report has warned.

Oil theft in Nigeria cost Shell some £460million in its last set of quarterly results and the Anglo-Dutch firm has sought Government help to deal with the fragile security situation in the West African county.

But sending weapons to Nigerian security forces risks further destabilising a dangerous situation, said campaign group Platform. read more

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BG Group CEO Chris Finlayson, past indiscretions at Shell

In summary, Finlayson (right) sees himself as a victim to the goings-on in 1999, just one of many victims in the then Shell Expro, described in our Audit notes as a hostile environment of extreme denial.  I can concur that Chris was a victim, when for example he made light of the Touch F-All scandal in various press statements of which there is an audio record he did so because his Brent Field Manager Jorn Berget misled him.  He soon realised this but despite many attempts by me and his Internal Audit Manager he would not retract the statement.  In fear, no doubt for his job, his future promotion prospects etc, and led by the ear by his mentor and boss Malcolm Brinded he toed the line. read more

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Secret papers ‘show how Shell targeted Nigeria oil protests’

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Documents seen by The IoS support claims energy giant enlisted help of country’s military government

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By Andy Rowell Sunday 14 June 2009

Serious questions over Shell Oil’s alleged involvement in human rights abuses in Nigeria emerged last night after confidential internal documents and court statements revealed how the energy giant enlisted the help of the country’s brutal former military government to deal with protesters.

The documents, seen by the IoS, support allegations that Shell helped to provide Nigerian police and military with logistical support, and aided security sweeps of the oil-rich Niger Delta. Earlier this month Shell agreed to pay $15.5m (£9.6m) in a “humanitarian settlement” on the eve of a highly embarrassing US lawsuit. 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 buys Brinded’s silence in golden good riddance

Screen Shot 2013-03-17 at 16.08.38In addition to the £2.9m for his Netherlands home, “Brinded, 60 tomorrow, pocketed £2.7 in salary and severance for the four months he worked last year. He also walked away with £9.7m in shares and a £19m pension pot.” So, with wonderful timing, Brinded received a package worth £34.3 million as a spectacular birthday present.

By John Donovan

The Sunday Times published an article today by Danny Fortson on the front page of its business section, under the headline: Shell buys chief’s £2.9m home in golden goodbye

I believe our headline is more accurate.

The sacked “Chief” who is the beneficiary of Shell’s immense generosity with shareholders money is Malcolm Brinded, forever associated with Shell’s notorious “Touch Fuck All” approach to its North Sea Platforms and the safety of its offshore workers. read more

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Royal Dutch Shell chief executive Peter Voser bags £2.8m cash bonus

Voser receives double BP counterpart’s prize after success in north American gas and China expansion

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Royal Dutch Shell chief executive Peter Voser received a €3.3m (£2.8m) cash bonus in 2012, a year in which the Anglo-Dutch oil group reported a fall in profits from $28.6bn to $27bn.

The bonus took his total salary package to €5.1m, down from €5.2m the previous year, although this is still more than double the $2.7m (£1.8m) package given to BP boss Bob Dudley last year. Dudley received no bonus as the company continues to deal with the consequences of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. read more

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Shell Buckets, Superbuckets and Rustbuckets

Screen Shot 2013-01-11 at 20.09.51How come that nobody dared say what everyone in the world saw (thanks to the Donovans) that you simply cannot go to this most sensitive area in the world with a couple of old rustbuckets? The timing of the most recent Shell reorganisation to buckets and superbuckets was very opportune. I wonder if there now exists also a rustbucket? Not many other outfits (apart from the political world) would allow such incompetence without consequence.

From ‘an old EP hand’

Shell has suspended Alaska drilling operations. We knew that project management had gone down the drain over the years (by being over budget by a factor 2-6, delays of many years and under-performance) when political correctness and nice promises became more important than honesty and good delivery. Now it is also clear that technical competence has gone or at least is silenced and stopped from making itself heard.
 
Processes (the love baby of bearded Brinded) replaced skills. Technical know-how which had been carefully built up over many years was removed as less important and ‘the contractor would do it all’. I bet that all the boxes for the various VARs (Value Assurance Reviews) and other process controls were ticked off as necessary. No-one apparently dared mention ‘there is a moose on the table’. How similar to the reserves crisis of 9 years ago.
 
We have seen the disasters of these policies (all carefully hidden behind the correct words spoken by eloquent ‘leaders’, usually of British and American background, yes I am a Dutchman). The last ‘real’ drilling man in charge of Shell worldwide drilling (good old Coen) had his hand on the brake of all 125 rigs and nothing escaped his attention. He had a jobgroup of A. There simply is no way he would have allowed the crap in Alaska we have seen. And yes, we used to have more blow-outs than nowadays and safety standards have gone up as have the costs per foot drilled. But basic mistakes like the Alaska stuff would not have happened. This was the era where one could speak out as a professional and not be afraid to be fired.
 
I have lost count but in order to attract the right bullshitters in drilling, substantial promotions were handed out and now there are presumably at least 5-6 guys at the level of jg-B. About time to put a head honcho to manage this little group at an even more elevated position? It reeks of jobs for the boys. How come that nobody dared say what everyone in the world saw (thanks to the Donovans) that you simply cannot go to this most sensitive area in the world with a couple of old rustbuckets? The timing of the most recent Shell reorganisation to buckets and superbuckets was very opportune. I wonder if there now exists also a rustbucket?
 
Not many other outfits (apart from the political world) would allow such incompetence without consequence. It looks as if Shell has turned into a political party. The problem is that they operate in a highly technological world that politicians do not understand. 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

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SHELL ARCTIC MELTDOWN: What a f****** mess Shell have got themselves into…

SHELL ARCTIC MELTDOWN: What a f****** mess Shell have got themselves into…

COMMENT RECEIVED FROM A SHELL SENIOR MANAGEMENT RETIREE

Just read that Shell broke some air quality rules from the EPA. There must be a whole team coordinating all the replies to the press and authorities and making sure they all say the same thing. I can only say: what a f****** mess they have got themselves in. The mess there in Alaska is worse than one can imagine and in my view a direct result of incompetence and penny pinching.

Experts claiming reputational damage many times greater than other damage…

This is what happens if you remove skills and replace those with processes and boxes that must get ticked off. Brinded was a great believer in process, he thought that the rest were too stupid to think for themselves.

Related article by Loren Steffy published Jan 11 by The Houston Chronicle

Shell had a lot riding on Arctic’s rigs snapped tow lines

For years, Shell Oil Co. claimed that a byzantine regulatory process was impeding its progress in the Arctic. Now, if it gets frozen out of the region, it has no one to blame but itself.

The company had a lot riding on the tow ropes pulling its conical drilling rig across the stormy seas near the Alaskan coast on New Year’s Eve. Shell itself had seven years and almost $5 billion invested in the project, and as the first company allowed to drill in Arctic waters, it carried the burden of not botching the effort for other companies also awaiting permits. read more

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Tom Botts

Botts was in charge of Southern as GasDirector UEG with his buddy Finlayson as Oil Director UED. It’s interesting the connection with Wood Group as one of the guys killed by the combined neglect of Birnie, Bayliss, Berget, Finlayson, Botts, Hill and their mentor TFA Brinded was a Wood Group employee, who of course was blamed for contributing to his own demise…

John,

Thought you may like this press release in todays Scotsman and also Aberdeen Press and Journal.

Botts was in Aberdeen following Finlayson so he continued the TFA policy during his tenure. Shortly after his departure the Brent B fatalities took place sliding the blame on his successor!  

Botts implemented Brindeds ruthless staff reductions and dilution of retained skill levels resulting in todays Management profiles of the inability to do anything.

Botts finished up in Houston overseeing the Motiva refinery expansion resulting in a massive cock up on start up costing many millions and months of delayed start up read more

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BG Group corporate incubator for Shell strays?

“Nowhere in the flattering and in my judgement misleading CV for Finlayson is there any mention of the words safety, health or environment. It eulogises Finlayson for his optimising of production and operating performance, well that is what TFA was all about.”: “Anyway for fair reason or foul, Finlayson arrives, Carne leaves, Finlayson reaches the Board, Berget maybe gets his marching orders. Maybe all pals together they were keeping BG seats warm for the next Shell bum or maybe there was more to it as suggested, anyway it shows BG Advance as an entity acting as a corporate incubator for Shell strays?”

By Bill Campbell, retired HSE Group Auditor, Shell International

Post Piper Alpha it was readily apparent to Lord Cullen that the legislation pertaining to offshore oil and gas extraction was weak with regards to pinning down responsibility and accountability. At that time the statutory instrument SI 1019 made the Offshore Installation Manager (OIM) specifically responsible for what happened offshore re health and safety.

SI 1019 essentially made the OIM Captain of the ship and Occidental Directors appeared on paper at least to be twice removed from how these issues were handled offshore on their installations. read more

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BG Group CEO Chris Finlayson and the Shell ‘Touch Fuck All’ Scandal

“Hyman et al should be reminded that Shell pled guilty on behalf of its Directors to all charges placed before them. So whatever gloss you paint over the turd, Finlayson and Brinded failed as Directors in their principal duty to comply with the Law so that risks to those persons exposed to these risks offshore were minimised, as was their legal responsibility.”

STATEMENT ISSUED ON 19 DECEMBER 2012 BY MR BILL CAMPBELL, RETIRED HSE GROUP AUDITOR, SHELL INTERNATIONAL: APPOINTMENT OF CHRIS FINLAYSON AS CEO OF BG GROUP

It appears that not just individuals but organisations have selective memory.  LK Hyman, BG Group, and others should bear in mind the facts that criminal neglect of maintenance over a prolonged period 1999 to 2003 caused the deaths of two men in Sept 2003 after the release of over 6000 m3 of gas into an enclosed space – that is what the Inquiry found and he needs to be reminded that Chris Finlayson and Malcolm Brinded were responsible in Law for the well being of 1000’s of employees over that prolonged period. As stated in writing by the then Lord Advocate in a parliamentary reply the haphazard management of safety over a prolonged period contributed directly to the deaths and the Director of these offshore activities during this period was Finlayson. He had been forewarned in 1999 that a serious accident event was inevitable if actions were not taken and he failed, failed totally, to heed these warnings. We got lucky in a sense that the gas did not ignite which as a consequence could have led to a Piper or Deepwater type of catastrophe.  Hyman et al should be reminded that Shell pled guilty on behalf of its Directors to all charges placed before them. So whatever gloss you paint over the turd, Finlayson and Brinded failed as Directors in their principal duty to comply with the Law so that risks to those persons exposed to these risks offshore were minimised, as was their legal responsibility. 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.

All the worst Shell traits – secrecy, haughtiness, inertia

 From our Shell News Archive Sunday 31 October, 2004

The fallout from the Shell reserves fraud continues…

The Independent On Sunday (UK): Business View: Shell’s real location problem is finding more black stuff: “The misreporting of reserves scandal showed all the worst Shell traits – secrecy, haughtiness, inertia.”: “So what’s the hurry? Was it because Shell had to admit that it had uncovered another 900 million barrels of doubtful crude in its reserves and was likely to uncover 600 million more?”

Sunday Express (UK): Shell boardroom changes backfire on reserves news: “ONE OF the world’s most influential financial firms has given the thumbs down to an announcement from Shell it is to end its 97-year-old dual board structure.”: “…financial ratings agency Standard & Poor’s said it had adjusted Shell’s investment rating downwards to “creditwatch negative”, a status which implies there may be more bad news to come from the company.”

Mail on Sunday (UK):  Shell bosses in a charm offensive: “The Board, headed by Jeroen van der Veer, will see thousands of staff to explain the proposed changes and shore up the mood of the employees damaged by scandals over Shell’s inflated oil reserves.”: “Last week, Shell was forced to downgrade its estimates of proven oil reserves for the fifth time this year. Reserves are now a third lower than originally thought” read more

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Ousted dictators

From our October 2005 Shell News Archive

The Seoul Times: NOC of Libya, Shell Agree on Major Gas Deal

“Shell’s Executive Director for Exploration and Production, Mr Malcolm Brinded, said: We are delighted to be back in Libya and honoured to work together with NOC…”: “I am excited about concluding this major agreement.”

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

By Jamal Al Majaida
Middle East & Africa

The National Oil Corporation of the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (NOC) and Shell Exploration and Production Libya GmbH have reached a long-term agreement for a major gas exploration and development deal.

The agreement covers the rejuvenation and upgrade of the existing LNG Plant at Marsa Al-Brega on the Libyan coast, together with exploration and development of five areas located in the heart of Libya’s major oil and gas producing Sirte Basin. read more

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Taped telephone call confirms Shell Brent Bravo explosion cover-up

Bill Campbell believes that the innocent victims of Shell senior managements willingness to put production, profits, personal greed and ambition before the safety of Shell offshore employees, are being blamed for their own tragic avoidable deaths. Journalists who feel duped by information given to them by Shell, including by its then CEO Jeroen van der Veer, may wish to ask Bill Campbell for a transcript of his taped telephone conversation with Royal Dutch Shell Chief Internal Auditor Jakob Stausholm. It blows the lid off the Brent Bravo Scandal and the related cover-up.

By John Donovan

Brinded didn’t jump, he was pushed

Printed below is an email sent to Grampian Police on 10 Sept 2012 by Bill Campbell, the retired HSE Group Auditor of Shell International. The email was copied to Jorma Ollila, Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Keith Ruddock, General Counsel Shell EP and Geoffrey Podger, Chief Executive of the UK Health & Safety Executive.

The email relates to the Shell Brent Bravo Scandal. In 2005, Shell was fined a record £900,000 at Stonehaven Sheriff Court, for a series of safety failings on the Brent Bravo platform, which led to a gas leak inside the giant platform’s utility leg and the tragic avoidable deaths of two workers, Keith Moncrieff and Sean McCue. read more

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Vince Cable Described As ‘Minister For Shell’ In Letter From Oil Giant

Vince Cable Described As ‘Minister For Shell’ In Letter From Oil Giant

A letter describing Vince Cable as the “contact minister for Shell” has raised fresh questions about the business secretary’s relationship with the oil giant. In the letter to Cable dated 19 March 2012, Malcolm Brinded, the then chief executive of Shell Upstream International, sets out how the company would like the coalition to harden its line against the European Fuel Quality Directive, a policy initiative aimed at reducing emissions from transport fuels. …

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk read more

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ROYAL DUTCH SHELL ROBBERS AND RASCALS

FROM OUR SEPT 2005 SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE

ROYAL DUTCH SHELL ROBBERS AND RASCALS

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

By Alfred Donovan: Monday 12 Sept 2005

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

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

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How Shell pleased Qaddafi

It seems Shell violated its own principles in Libya…

SUMMARY OF AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN THE DUTCH MAGAZINE VRIJ NEDERLAND ON 1st AUGUST 2012 (TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH)

Shell consolidated its interests in Libya by appeasing Qaddafi’s confidants with jobs for their children.

Ahmed Sawani was in 2006 a freshman in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Tripoli. In despite of the fact he just started studying, he got a job at Shell Libya. According to a comment in a leaked Shell document, Ahmad’s father was director of the Qaddafi Foundation, an acquaintance of the country chairman of Shell Libya, Mark Hope. Just like the Sawanis many other Very Important Persons are mentioned in the VIP document. The opposite also happened when a minister, Tahar Jehaimi, was relieved from his post and nothing was heard from him for a long time. It was mentioned as a reason for closing the file of his child. read more

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FINAL SHELL TRANSPORT AGM started and ended to refrain of Bing Crosby crooning: You can be sure of Shell

ARTICLE FROM OUR 2005 SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE

(MICHAEL HOLLIDAY VERSION OF THE SHELL SONG)

ShellNews.net: The Shell Transport FINAL AGM resulting from the reserves scandal, started and ended to the refrain of Bing Crosby crooning: “You can be sure of Shell”:

Wednesday 29 June 2005

By John Donovan

Editor, ShellNews.net

Shell’s marathon AGM was held yesterday in sweltering conditions in what seemed like a large aircraft hanger (the ExCel Centre) adjoining the City of London Airport. It concluded after what seemed an eternity – over three hours of hot air. read more

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Shell repeats commitment to end Nigeria gas flaring by 2008

FROM OUR 2004 SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE: PROOF OF A BROKEN PROMISE. GAS FLARING BY SHELL STILL TAKES PLACE IN NIGERIA DESPITE THE PLEDGE QUOTED IN THIS ASSOCIATED PRESS ARTICLE TO END FLARING BY 2008

MLive.com: Shell repeats commitment to end Nigeria gas flaring by 2008

The Associated Press

28/06/04

LONDON (Dow Jones/AP) — Royal Dutch/Shell Group Monday reiterated a commitment to end the process of flaring off natural gas from oil projects in Nigeria by 2008.

The company said it has spent about $2 billion to date on infrastructure to collect and ship the gas which would otherwise be burned off into the atmosphere.

Shell has been under pressure from environmentalists and local residents to end gas flaring in Nigeria. Some say the process contributes to global warming. read more

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Shell’s undignified exit from Libya

By John Donovan

We have already published an article containing a leaked email purportedly sent on 14 June 2012 by disgruntled Shell Exploration & Production Libya staff to senior Shell managers. Shell claims that it is withdrawing from Libya because of a deteriorating security situation. It self-evidently prefers to do business with dictators (a policy stretching back to Hitler).

The disgruntled employees – 17 in total, are all members of Shell’s security staff in Libya.

We now have a Statement of Complaint signed by all 17, detailing serious allegations against Salah Alshaafi, the chief of the Shell Security team. read more

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Shell seeks to draw a line after fourth cut in reserves

FROM OUR ARCHIVES…

Shell seeks to draw a line after fourth cut in reserves

By Michael Harrison, Business Editor

25 May 2004

Royal Dutch-Shell, the crisis-torn oil giant, yesterday cut its proven reserves for the fourth time this year but then sought to reassure the City that it had drawn a line at last under the fiasco.

The latest downgrade means that Shell has now removed 4.5 billion barrels of oil from the proven category, equivalent to just under a quarter of its total reserves.

Malcolm Brinded, the head of exploration and production for Shell, said he was as sure as he could be that this would be the last revision to reserves estimates. “We are not planning to make further changes but you can never say never,” he added.
read more

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Shareholders shake Shell with pay vote

23 May 2012

Shell became the latest company to receive a bloody nose yesterday, as more than a tenth of the oil giant’s investors failed to approve the pay awards of its top-level executives.

Despite Shell reporting a 54 per cent jump in profits last year, just over 9 per cent of investors voted against the pay award for chief executive Peter Voser, which more than doubled over the period. Including abstentions, 11 per cent of shareholders failed to back Shell’s remuneration report, which also included a €2.52m (£2m) severance payment for Malcolm Brinded, who stepped down as head of exploration and production in April. read more

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Shell shareholders latest to warn on executive pay

May 22, 2012

By Alexis Flynn

(Updates with details, context, background throughout.)

LONDON (MarketWatch) — Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA, RDSB.LN) shareholders showed their ire over high executive pay with 9% of investors rejecting the company’s remuneration report at Shell’s annual general meeting Tuesday.

While the overwhelming majority of Shell shareholders backed paying Chief Executive Peter Voser EUR11.7 million and former exploration director Malcolm Brinded EUR11.4 million for their 2011 performance, the number opposed rose substantially from last year, when only 2% of investors voted against the remuneration report. read more

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Canada candidate for top Shell job

Financial Times: Canada candidate for top Shell job

By Carola Hoyos in London

Published: May 19 2004 5:00 | Last Updated: May 19 2004 5:00

Royal Dutch/Shell yesterday announced the first promotion to its committee of managing directors since the scandal over its oil and gas reserves cut its members from six to three.

The appointment of Linda Cook, president and chief executive of Shell Canada, requires approval by shareholders at next month’s annual meeting. If it is passed, she will take up her post in August.

She is to run the group’s natural gas and power operations – a position she held before her move to Canada in 2003.
read more

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Cash flows and oil spills for Shell’s directors

The CEO of the Royal Dutch Shell oil company Peter Voser earned more than $16.3 million last year amid surging oil prices, though the company was responsible for more than 200 spills last year.

16 March 2012

The CEO of the Royal Dutch Shell oil company Peter Voser earned more than $16.3 million last year amid surging oil prices, though the company was responsible for more than 200 spills last year.

­His remuneration includes $7.11 million salary, bonus as well as a balance from the long-terms incentive scheme. The company revealed Voser’s pay in its annual report saying, though the payment has doubled compared to 2010. It was justified by Shell’s strong operating results and share-price performance in 2011. read more

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Shell bosses cash in with shares plan sharing £54.5m between 19 senior staff

By Rob Davies

PUBLISHED: 22:18, 15 March 2012 | UPDATED: 22:18, 15 March 2012

Shell’s top brass doubled their money in 2011 as the firm’s performance triggered generous share awards under an incentive scheme that has since been scrapped.

Nineteen senior staff shared £54.5m compared to £26.9m last year, while they also picked up pension benefits worth a further £5.9m.

Chief executive Peter Voser pocketed a pay, bonus and shares package worth £10.12m, while director Malcolm Brinded earned £9.88m and finance director Simon Henry had to make do with £3.25m. read more

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Shell’s Labor Costs Rose In 2011 Despite Fewer Workers

Published March 15, 2012: Dow Jones Newswires

LONDON –  The cost of Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s global work force rose 2.8% last year, even though the Anglo-Dutch company reduced its overall number of employees by some 7.2% as the company continues to roll out a long-term plan to shrink headcount.

In recent years, Shell has sought to reshape its portfolio, selling off assets in less-profitable areas like refining and marketing. Chief Executive Peter Voser had made reducing the firm’s overall cost base, including labor, part of his strategic mandate when he assumed his position in 2009. read more

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Pay of Shell chief more than doubles

FINANCIAL TIMES

By Sylvia Pfeifer March 15, 2012 6:00 pm

Peter Voser, chief executive of Royal Dutch Shell, Europe’s largest oil and gas company by market capitalisation, took home €11.7m last year, more than double his pay in the previous 12 months…

Shell also disclosed that Malcolm Brinded, who will step down as head of exploration and production in April, will receive a severance payment of €2.52m.

FULL FT ARTICLE

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2012.

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PIGS AT THE TROUGH: PETER, MALCOLM AND SIMON

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Shell admits 207 oil spills in 2011

Anglo-Dutch group is still investigating a further four spills in Nigeria that it admits may raise the 2011 total

Shell has revealed that its global oil spill record got worse over the last year with 207 sizeable incidents in 2011.

The revelations in the company’s annual report — which shows chief executive Peter Voser earned £4.5m last year — come less than 24 hours after directors were criticised by British MPs for alleged complacency over safety plans for future drilling in the Arctic.

Shell said in its annual report that the number of “operational spills over 100 kilograms” increased to 207 during 2011, from 195 in 2010 but it admitted the figure for last year could grow. read more

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Shell CEO Voser’s Compensation More Than Doubles on Awards

By Fred Pals on March 15, 2012

Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) Chief Executive Officer Peter Voser’s compensation more than doubled to 11.7 million euros ($15.3 million) in 2011 from the previous year after long-term incentive bonuses and awards were vested.

Voser’s total compensation included 6.5 million euros in awards that form part of Shell’s long-term incentive awards and deferred bonus plan, it said in an annual report today. Voser, who got 5.5 million euros in total compensation in 2010, had a base salary of 1.55 million euros and a bonus of 3.5 million euros in 2011. The base salary will increase by 3.2 percent to 1.6 million euros this year, the report said. read more

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Shell management see pay double to $86m

Directors and senior management at Anglo/Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell saw their total pay ore than double in 2011 to $85.7m (£54.7m).

By , Assistant City Editor: 11:44AM GMT 15 Mar 2012

The company put the jump down to the “high performance gearing” in its remuneration package. Total pay jumped from $42.3m to $85.7m. On top of this senior management and directors saw their combined pension pots swell by $9.2m. According to the annual report the cash was shared between 19 individuals.

The company’s three top directors, chief executive Peter Voser, executive director Malcolm Brinded and finance director Simon Henry took home a combined $9.5m, slightly less than the previous year. read more

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Shell chief’s pay soars to £10m ($15.6 million)

Russell Lynch

15 March 2012

Royal Dutch Shell chief executive Peter Voser saw his total pay packet more than double in 2011, a year when shareholders in the oil super-major had to make do with flat dividend payouts.

The blue-chip’s annual report showed Voser’s total compensation last year hit €11.6 million (£10.1 million), boosted by payouts on a host of the company’s long-term share plans, in contrast with a far smaller €4.7 million in 2010. The payout comes after a year in which the Anglo-Dutch giant boosted profits 54% to $28.6 billion (£18.1 billion) as oil prices averaged $111 a barrel. But the company’s dividend remained flat at $1.68 over the year. read more

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Royal Dutch Shell CIO Alan Matula criticized by insiders

With Brinded now gone, might CIO Alan Matula now come under scrutiny? The parallels are there: years of over-promise/under-delivery, aggressive suppression of bad news, and the intimidation of critics through behaviour bordering on the psychopathic.

Posting on Shell Blog by it4us 2012/03/05 at 8:37 am

With Brinded now gone, might CIO Alan Matula now come under scrutiny ? The parallels are there: years of over-promise/under-delivery, aggressive suppression of bad news, and the intimidation of critics through behaviour bordering on the psychopathic. There’s little doubt that the cost of Matula’s vanity projects is playing a significant role on the demise of Downstream, where businesses like Retail make margin on cans of Coke. It’s sad to see DS businesses being divested, but at least one can share their sense of relief as they leave Shell and start divesting themselves of all this junk. read more

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The reality is Shell can’t build a refinery anywhere

The article re Brinded and Nigeria on “why Shell can’t build a refinery in Nigeria” is comical… the reality is Shell can’t build a refinery anywhere…


Posting on our Shell Blog by a Shell/Motiva insider “Golden Triangle Watchman” on Mar 3rd, 2012 at 2:14 pm

The article re Brinded and Nigeria on “why Shell can’t build a refinery in Nigeria” is comical. Though the justification is correct, the reality is Shell can’t build a refinery anywhere. Just look at our own Port Arthur project. Under Tom Purves’s leadership, this ill fated concept got hatched. Everyone was happy in the early days, taking Port Arthur back to the glory days. Alas, the cit leaders didn’t plan on Tom and the project team bringing global help in here via Bechtel to do the work and therefore not impact the locals nearly as much as what had been advertised. Now, some 2 years late on the commitment for start-up and a price tag that will ultimately grow to $14B, Shell might just as well say ” Forget Nigeria…we can’t build a refinery anywhere. ” Tom’s legacy goes down the toilet with this project. He would do well to retire and at least give our team half a chance to run it well. read more

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Brinded’s farewell tour

1 March 2012

Mr Malcolm Brinded, the outgoing Executive Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), says the company cannot build a refinery in Nigeria because there are surplus refineries across the world.

Brinded, who is in-charge of the Upstream International unit of the company, made the statement in an interview with the State House correspondents, after a farewell visit to President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House.

The out-going Shell chief in Nigeria, who led a delegation to the State House, Abuja, said rather than build new refineries, the company was divesting from those it had interest in around the world. read more

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A brush with Brinded

“I confirm that in my experience Shell UK operates oppressively against small business people.  Its staff has acted unscrupulously and possibly illegally. The tactics of Shell UK management is completely opposite to the honesty and integrity promised by Shell in its code of ethics.”

By John Donovan

At the 1999 Shell AGM in London, Malcolm Brinded (above) rather surprisingly walked over and introduced himself to me. We had corresponded, but never met. At the time he had just taken over as Country Chairman of Shell UK.

I managed to corner him into setting up an informal meeting at the AGM between Shell executives, including Brinded and Group Chairman Mark Moody-Stuart, with a group of thoroughly disgruntled Shell UK service station retailers, to whom I had supplied shareholder passes to gain entry. read more

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Our conclusion, Shell EP boss Malcolm Brinded was sacked

We must not feel too sorry for Malcolm. He has millions accumulated in his pension pot from FAT CAT bonuses etc to fall back on and has probably negotiated a great severance package to buy his silence.

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Sadistic Sacking of Shell Exploration & Production Boss

We can now read in a court deposition given under oath, the dramatic and emotional account by van de Vijver himself of how he was brutally pressurised into resigning by his colleagues, including Jeroen van der Veer. A masterclass in backstabbing.

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Was Brinded pushed?

The Financial Times has described the unexpected exit of Malcolm Brinded from Royal Dutch Shell, as a surprise. Probably an even a bigger surprise to Brinded bearing in mind that at 58, he is still a few years from retirement. It seems to have been a case of premature ejection.

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Shell promotes Qatar chief to head upstream unit

Royal Dutch Shell promoted the head of its business in Qatar to director of international exploration and production, replacing a veteran who lost the race to the top job at Europe’s largest oil company.

Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:04pm GMT

* Brown to become director, upstream international

* Malcolm Brinded to leave Shell by end of April

By Alex Lawler

LONDON, Feb 22 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell promoted the head of its business in Qatar to director of international exploration and production, replacing a veteran who lost the race to the top job at Europe’s largest oil company.

Andrew Brown, 50, is to become director, upstream international, on April 1. Shell also said on Wednesday Malcolm Brinded, who has worked for the company since 1974, would step down as executive director, upstream international on that date. read more

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Shell’s E&P Director Brinded Steps Down to Be Replaced by Brown

By Eduard Gismatullin – Feb 22, 2012 9:31 AM GMT

Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) said Malcolm Brinded, a 37-year veteran at the company, will step down as exploration and production director and be replaced by Andrew Brown, currently Shell’s Qatar chairman.

Brinded, who worked as an executive director for almost 10 years, will leave the company after April, said Jon French, a London-based spokesman. Brown has been promoted to join the executive board as a director after overseeing at least $21 billion of Shell’s investment in Qatar. read more

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Scandal tainted Executive Director Malcolm Brinded ejected from Shell?

By John Donovan: Wednesday 22 February 2012

Seems we should change the poster to “NOT WANTED”

Royal Dutch Shell has today announced the surprise departure of Executive Director Malcolm Brinded.

The announcement does not say that he has retired from the company, but instead that he has “agreed to step down.” In other words, he was asked to leave.

Mr Brinded has attracted negative publicity for his association with past scandals, including the oil reserves fraud.

His role in the Brent Bravo “avoidable accident” resulted in the deaths of Shell employees, a record breaking fine being imposed on Shell, a police investigation and a long campaign for offshore worker safety by retired Shell International HSE Group Auditor, Bill Campbell. read more

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Malcolm Brinded departure from Royal Dutch Shell

22/02/2012: Shell announces today that Malcolm Brinded has agreed to step down as an Executive Director of the Company with effect from 1 April 2012. Mr Brinded has agreed to remain at Shell until 30 April 2012 in order to assist with the transition of his responsibilities.

Mr Brinded is currently Executive Director Upstream International. He first joined Shell in October 1974 and has served the company in Brunei, the Netherlands, Oman and the United Kingdom. In 1998 he became Managing Director of Shell UK Exploration and Production and from 1999 until 2002 he was Shell Country Chairman in the UK. He has been a member of the Royal Dutch Shell plc Board (and its predecessors) since 2002. Prior to his current role, he was Executive Director in charge of Exploration & Production. read more

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Whistleblower accuses Shell Executive Director, Malcolm Brinded

“Van de Veer was in a tricky situation. The Shell reputation was already in the gutter after the reserves debacle and Brinded was the white knight in shining armour who was to help in the recovery process.”

Introduction by John Donovan

Former Shell International HSE Group Auditor, Bill Campbell (above right), provides more information about the background to his career with Shell and why he blew the whistle on the Brent Bravo scandal.

By Bill Campbell

I left Shell in 2002 for health reasons and was granted VS on grounds of partial incapacity. During my 24 years with Shell I was promoted regularly and held senior positions. During that career I was never subject to any disciplinary action for wrongdoing or poor performance. read more

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Shell Gannet Alpha platform in trouble again

By John Donovan

It seems that Shell’s Gannet Alpha platform has had another close call.

On Monday workers were evacuated and production shut down after natural gas began seeping out from under the platform.

All of the ingredients for a disastrous explosion, of the kind that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, which almost brought about the demise of BP and the explosion on Shell Brent Bravo, resulting from Shell management (Malcolm Brinded) failing to take adequate action after a safety audit exposed a “Touch F*** All” safety culture and falsification of safety records.
read more

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Mystery of how Shell escaped Brent Bravo criminal prosecution

The Sunday Times article may go some way to illuminating the mystery of how Shell miraculously escaped criminal prosecution.

By John Donovan

An article published in Scotland by The Sunday Times may help to explain why the health and safety division of the Crown office and Procurator Fiscal Service decided not to prosecute Royal Dutch Shell for alleged criminal offences arising from an explosion on the Brent Bravo platform.

In 2005, Shell was fined a record £900,000 at Stonehaven Sheriff Court, for a series of safety failings on the platform which led to a gas leak inside the giant platform’s utility leg and the tragic deaths of two workers, Keith Moncrieff and Sean McCue. read more

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Is Shell CEO Voser jinxed by the famous Brinded spell?

POSTING ON SHELL BLOG 2 FEBRUARY 2012 BY ” AN OBSERVER OF SHELL”

Is Voser now also being jinxed by the famous Brinded spell?

This decent and down to earth Swiss financeman is trying to tell the world that Shell will increase production from North Sea fields by extending the life of these fields (Sky Sunrise interview).

I am taking bets with some friends this will not happen. All observable actions by Shell is that they are retrenching from the North Sea. Voser emphasised that there will be a lot of job creation in the UK….. Now, where have we heard this before????

And he says (Bloomberg story):
‘Shell will increase production to about 4 million barrels of oil equivalent a day in 2017-2018. Last March, it said daily output would rise to 3.5 million barrels this year and 3.7 million barrels by 2014?.
read more

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