The Wall Street Journal: FTC Opens Probe Of Shell Oil Co Refinery
“William Kovacic, the FTC’s general counsel, said subpoenas already have been served”
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
July 7, 2004 12:35 p.m.
Posted 8 July 04
WASHINGTON (AP)–The Federal Trade Commission has begun a formal investigation of the proposed shutdown of a Shell Oil Co. (RD) refinery in California to determine possible antitrust violations, a senior FTC official said Wednesday.
The refinery near Bakersfield, Calf., has been the subject of intense controversy as Shell (SC) officials plan to close the facility in November. The oil company said the refinery was being shut down because of a decline in oil production in the region.
But critics maintain the shutdown is part of a strategy to continue tight oil markets and increase gasoline prices, which already are the highest in the country in California.
William Kovacic, the FTC’s general counsel, said subpoenas already have been served as part of the investigation and that the probe is being viewed as a top priority of the regulatory agency.
“We regard this as a matter of particular urgency and importance,” he said.
Kovacic disclosed the investigation at a hearing into high gasoline prices before a House Government Reform subcommittee, where lawmakers questioned why the FTC wasn’t taking a more aggressive role in examining the Bakersfield refinery issue.
Rep. John Tierney, D-Mass., noted that Shell obtained the California refinery when the FTC required as part of a merger that ChevronTexaco Corp. (CVX) divest some of its facilities.
Kovacic said the formal investigation is aimed at “examining possible antitrust implications” of the Shell refinery shutdown on California’s gasoline market.
After the hearing, Kovacic said the investigation would be conducted expeditiously in light of Shell ‘s target date of closing the refinery by this fall.
He said that, depending on what is found, the full commission could have a broad range of actions it might take including challenging the shutdown or imposing various restrictions.
The Bakersfield refinery produces 75,000 barrels a day of gasoline.
Consumer groups have questioned the proposed shutdown.
A recent report released by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., questioned Shell’s claims of declining oil availability. He said that ChevronTexaco, in fact, has plans to expand drilling in the Bakersfield area, a region that is the center of California’s oil production.
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
