Royal Dutch Shell Group .com Rotating Header Image

January 6th, 2006:

The Scotsman: Shell Rotterdam refinery forced to scale back output

The Scotsman: Shell Rotterdam refinery forced to scale back output: Posted Friday 6 January 2006
By Melissa Akin and Niklas Mika
LONDON/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Europe's largest refinery, Shell's 418,000 barrels per day Pernis plant in Rotterdam, was forced to scale back operations on Thursday and the company said a utility failure was the cause.
The refinery lost production of steam, which is crucial as a source of power for refinery operations and in high pressure, high temperature processes used to produce gasoline and diesel.
A reduction in supply from Europe's biggest refinery could drive oil prices higher as markets zero in on potentially short supplies of gasoline and other oil products in the United States in 2006. Crude prices were near a three month high on Thursday.
The refinery is a key supplier to both export and European markets.
European traders said the refinery had stopped loading gasoline and had withdrawn barge offers, while excess supplies from Shell's German refineries may be redirected from European markets into Shell's own system.
Traders said it was unlikely that key gasoline and diesel units were running after the loss of steam.
A Shell spokeswoman in London said the refinery was working to return to normal operations. The refinery's chemical plants were shut down, she said, but declined to give further details of the problem at the Rotterdam refinery.
Oil traders said the problem may have originated in a boiler or furnace. The extent of the disruption remained unclear but traders said crude distillation had stopped.
“We can confirm that we currently have a utility failure at our Pernis refinery and have a lack of steam,” the Shell spokeswoman said.
A worker in the refinery's crude distillation units told Reuters by telephone: “There is a big problem here.”
Rotterdam police said there was no fire, dismissing traders' reports of an electrical blaze at the refinery.
It was the second time in six months that the refinery, in which Norwegian oil company Statoil has a small equity stake, has had to cut production after utility problems.
Pernis lost external power supplies in July, forcing the entire refinery to shut down. The restart took several weeks.
European gasoline prices held on to the day's gains, resisting downward pressure from U.S. futures markets after the U.S. Department of Energy's information service issued a weekly stock report showing rising fuel supplies.
With U.S. light crude down 52 cents at $62.90 and London Brent crude futures down 18 cents at 61.50, U.S. gasoline futures were down 0.75 cents at $1.7770 per gallon.
Benchmark European gasoline barges, however, were trading $7-$9 higher on the day at $575 per tonne.
Shell's Dutch chemicals arm, Shell Nederland Chemie, had been shut as a precautionary measure, the spokeswoman said. It manufactures lower olefins, solvents and gasoline blending component methyl tertiary butyl ether at its Pernis complex.
Shell also runs a massive 900,000-tonnes-per-year naphtha cracker in Moerdijk, also in the Netherlands, which makes key petrochemicals like ethylene and propylene that are converted into a wide range of plastics. read more

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

Financial Times: BP in talks with Libya over gas deal

Financial Times: BP in talks with Libya over gas deal: “The BP talks follow a similar deal struck with Libya by Royal Dutch Shell, the Anglo-Dutch group, in May. Shell is exploring for gas in the Sirte Basin…”: Friday 6 January 2006
By Roula Khalaf and Thomas Catan
Published: January 6 2006
BP has entered into negotiations with Libya over a multi-billion dollar natural gas exploration and development agreement as the former pariah state opens up more aggressively to international oil investment.
Industry insiders say the discussions are at an early stage and involve a liquefied natural gas project that could supply the North American or European markets. BP confirmed it was in talks with Libya but declined to discuss details. “We are continuing to look for opportunities in Libya and when we have a substantive agreement we hope to be able to announce it,” the company said.
Libya's oil and gas sector was opened up for wider foreign investment after the crisis caused by the 1988 Lockerbie bombing was resolved and United Nations sanctions were lifted. US businesses were allowed to return in 2004 after Libya agreed to dismantle its nuclear weapons programme.
The BP talks follow a similar deal struck with Libya by Royal Dutch Shell, the Anglo-Dutch group, in May. Shell is exploring for gas in the Sirte Basin, where BP held assets before they were nationalised in the 1970s. Under its agreement, Shell will also revamp a liquefaction plant in Libya and sell the LNG in the US and Europe. US companies have been returning to the Libyan market where they held oil production concessions that had to be surrendered to Libya in 1986 after a US bombing campaign. Last month ConocoPhillips, Marathon Oil and Amerada Hess agreed to pay Libya $1.8bn (£1bn) to reclaim assets in Oasis Group.
Last month, ExxonMobil signed an agreement with Libya to begin exploring offshore for oil and gas and will soon begin to gather seismic data in the Cyrenaica Basin.
Analysts said any agreement with Libya would be positive for BP, which is looking to further expand its LNG business. However, any agreement could take months to come to fruition and the Libyans are understood to be driving a hard bargain.
Frank Harris, LNG analyst at Wood Mackenzie, said: “From a BP perspective, Libya would provide additional supply to their portfolio and could go into some combination of the US, UK, Spain and possibly Italy.”
BP proposes to build two terminals to receive LNG in the US and already has capacity at a terminal at Cove Point, Maryland.
However, Mr Harris said BP and others exploring in Libya would have to find enough deposits to keep an LNG plant busy.
Because of the sanctions, Libya remains relatively unexplored, by international standards. Companies are pinning their hopes on significant gas finds at a time when they have few substantial prospects around the world. European countries also hope to diversify gas suppliers after Russia's dispute with Ukraine this week interrupted gas supplies. 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.

Ireland On-Line: ISME calls for resolution of Corrib gas dispute:

Ireland On-Line: ISME calls for resolution of Corrib gas dispute: “…he hopes international affairs will have focused the mind of the Minister and Shell Ireland to get the problems surrounding the Corrib gas project resolved once and for all.”: Friday 6 January 2006
ISME has warned the Irish economy could be at risk from over-dependence on imported gas.
A spokesperson for the business organisation said the recent stand-off between Russia and Ukraine shows how a country can be at the mercy of outside influences.
Ireland imports between 80% and 85% of its gas supply.
ISME chief executive Mark Fielding has called on both sides in the Corrib gas field dispute to reach agreement soon to protect our domestic supply.
He said if for whatever reason the “taps are turned off”, it would have severe consequences for Ireland.
Mr Fielding said he hopes international affairs will have focused the mind of the Minister and Shell Ireland to get the problems surrounding the Corrib gas project resolved once and for all. 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.

Hindu Business Line (India): India has refining capacity of additional 30 mt: Shell Global

Posted Friday 6 January 2006
Richa Mishra
New Delhi , Jan. 5
SHELL Global, which was commissioned to do a detailed feasibility study on making India an investment destination for refiners, in particular export-oriented units, has suggested that India has the refining capacity of 30 million tonnes over and above the existing and planned projects.
Shell Global has also proposed that any scope of refinery should be linked to petrochemical production facility, which could be sold in India. Further, the refinery and petrochemical projects would require tax and fiscal concessions, sources said. Asked, since these would be export-oriented units, what kind of concessions they would be looking for, the sources said that though they would be EOUs, since they would be catering to the domestic market, they would require to be examined in this context.
Noting that India has already established itself as a net exporter of petroleum products with export earnings of over Rs 28,000 crore in 2004-05, Indian Oil Corporation was asked by the Petroleum Ministry to prepare a detailed feasibility study aimed at promoting India as the refining hub of South Asia and South-East Asia. IOC had roped in Shell Global to undertake the study.
Investment plans: The Petroleum Ministry proposed to work out an action plan for the investment purposes based on the feasibility study. It is likely to prepare a Cabinet note proposing the investment plans. The estimated export of petroleum products during 2005-06 is 13.305 million tonnes worth Rs 20,374 crore. Export earnings during the first quarter of 2005-06 amounted to Rs 8,962 crore.
The refining capacity as of April 2005 was 127.37 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). There were plans to enhance this capacity to 141.70 mtpa by the end of the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2006-07). The total capacity addition or expansion plans of about 14.33 mt will be by the oil companies such as Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd, IOC, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd put together.
Apart from this, public sector oil companies have also proposed to set up four new refineries, completion of which is likely to spill over beyond the Tenth Plan. The new refineries are one each of IOC and HPCL and two of BPCL. 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.

PRESS RELEASE FROM SHELL MALAYSIA: Shell Malaysia Names Saw New Chairman Mar 1

“Shell Malaysia announced today that Datuk Jon Chadwick, Chairman of Shell Malaysia, will be moving into another senior Shell position within Asia, with effect from 1st March 2006.”: Friday 6 January 2006
Friday January 6, 2006, 6:52 pm
PRESS RELEASE: Shell Malaysia Names Saw New Chairman Mar 1
Following is a press release from Shell Malaysia:
Shell Malaysia announced today that Datuk Jon Chadwick, Chairman of Shell Malaysia, will be moving into another senior Shell position within Asia, with effect from 1st March 2006. Datuk Chadwick will retain some key roles in Malaysia in a personal capacity until end May 2006.
Mr. Saw Choo Boon, currently Vice President, Shell Global Marine, will be appointed Chairman of Shell Malaysia with effect from 1st March 2006.
As Chairman, Mr. Saw will lead Shell Malaysia's Business Council in shaping the Company for further growth in Malaysia and in maintaining and strengthening Shell's relationships with various stakeholders.
Mr Saw will retain his current Downstream responsibilities as well as serve as Chairman on several boards of companies in which Shell holds an interest.
Mr Saw is a graduate of the University of Malaya and joined Shell in 1970 as a Refinery Technologist in Shell Refining Company (FOM) Berhad.
He then served in various capacities in Manufacturing, Supply, Trading and Planning in Malaysia, Singapore and Netherlands.
In 1996, Mr Saw was appointed Managing Director of Shell MDS (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and in 1998 assumed the position of Managing Director for Oil Products (Downstream) Shell Malaysia.
In 1999, with the globalization of the Shell Oil Products business, he was appointed the Vice-President of the Commercial business in the Asia-Pacific region.
In 2004 he became the President of Shell Oil Products East. Since last year Mr Saw has managed Shell's Global Marine business.
Mr Saw will be the third Malaysian to be Chairman of Shell Malaysia. He is married with two daughters. 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.

DOW JONES NEWS: Shell Malaysia Names Saw New Chairman Mar 1

DOW JONES NEWS: Shell Malaysia Names Saw New Chairman Mar 1: “Shell Malaysia announced today that Datuk Jon Chadwick, Chairman of Shell Malaysia, will be moving into another senior Shell position within Asia, with effect from 1st March 2006.”: Friday 6 January 2006
Friday January 6, 2006, 6:52 pm
PRESS RELEASE: Shell Malaysia Names Saw New Chairman Mar 1
Following is a press release from Shell Malaysia:
Shell Malaysia announced today that Datuk Jon Chadwick, Chairman of Shell Malaysia, will be moving into another senior Shell position within Asia, with effect from 1st March 2006. Datuk Chadwick will retain some key roles in Malaysia in a personal capacity until end May 2006.
Mr. Saw Choo Boon, currently Vice President, Shell Global Marine, will be appointed Chairman of Shell Malaysia with effect from 1st March 2006.
As Chairman, Mr. Saw will lead Shell Malaysia's Business Council in shaping the Company for further growth in Malaysia and in maintaining and strengthening Shell's relationships with various stakeholders.
Mr Saw will retain his current Downstream responsibilities as well as serve as Chairman on several boards of companies in which Shell holds an interest.
Mr Saw is a graduate of the University of Malaya and joined Shell in 1970 as a Refinery Technologist in Shell Refining Company (FOM) Berhad.
He then served in various capacities in Manufacturing, Supply, Trading and Planning in Malaysia, Singapore and Netherlands.
In 1996, Mr Saw was appointed Managing Director of Shell MDS (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and in 1998 assumed the position of Managing Director for Oil Products (Downstream) Shell Malaysia.
In 1999, with the globalization of the Shell Oil Products business, he was appointed the Vice-President of the Commercial business in the Asia-Pacific region.
In 2004 he became the President of Shell Oil Products East. Since last year Mr Saw has managed Shell's Global Marine business.
Mr Saw will be the third Malaysian to be Chairman of Shell Malaysia. He is married with two daughters. 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.

BERNAMA: Shell Appoints Saw Choo Boon As New Chairman

BERNAMA: Shell Appoints Saw Choo Boon As New Chairman: 6 January 2006
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 (Bernama) — Shell Malaysia appointed Saw Choo Boon, who is currently the vice president of Shell Global Marine, as the new chairman of Shell Malaysia, with effect from March 1. In a statement here Friday, Shell Malaysia said its chairman Datuk Jon Chadwick would be moving into another senior Shell position within Asia, effective from March 1. It said that Chadwick would retain some key roles in Malaysia in a personal capacity until end of May this year.
As chairman, Saw would lead Shell Malaysia's business council in shaping the company for further growth in the country and in maintaining as well as strengthening Shell's relationships with various stakeholders.
Saw, who is a graduate from University of Malaya, would retain his current downstream responsibilities and serve as chairman on several boards of companies in which Shell holds an interest.
He had served in various capabilities in manufacturing, supply, trading and planning in Malaysia, Singapore and the Netherlands.
— BERNAMA 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.

TheEdgeDaily: Shell Malaysia picks Malaysian as new chairman

6 January 2006
Shell Malaysia’s vice president of Shell Global Marine, Saw Choo Boon will be appointed as chairman with effect from March 1, 2006.
He takes over from Datuk Jon Chadwick will be moving onto another senior Shell position within Asia. Chadwick will retain some key roles in Malaysia in a personal capacity until end May 2006.
As Shell Malaysia chairman, Saw will lead its business council in shaping the company for further growth in Malaysia and in maintaining and strengthening Shell's relationships with various stakeholders.
Saw will retain his current downstream responsibilities as well as serve as chairman on several boards of companies in which Shell holds an interest.
Saw is a graduate of University of Malaya and joined Shell in 1970 as a refinery technologist in Shell Refining Company (FOM) Bhd.
He then served in various capacities in manufacturing, supply, trading and planning in Malaysia, Singapore and the Netherlands.
In 1996, Saw was appointed managing director of Shell MDS (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and in 1998 assumed the position of managing director for oil products (downstream) Shell Malaysia.
In 1999, with the globalisation of the Shell Oil Products business, he was appointed vice-president of commercial business in the Asia-Pacific region.
In 2004 he became the president of Shell Oil Products East. Since last year he has managed Shell's Global Marine business. 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.

Asia Pulse: SHELL SAYS IT IS NOT SHUTTING DOWN HAZIRA, DENIES SELL-OFF:

FRIDAY Jan 06, 2006
NEW DELHI, Jan 6 Asia Pulse – Royal Dutch/Shell, the world's third largest oil and gas firm, on Thursday said its US$600-million Hazira liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in India's Gujarat was fully operational and the company had no plans to sell it off.
“Hazira is not shutting down. It is operational… the plant is up and running,” the company's India director for gas and power Marc den Hartog said here.
He said the 2.5 million tonnes Hazira LNG import and regasification terminal and port were fully operational. “The LNG terminal is and remains a viable investment for Shell and while we are open to welcoming equity participation based on value addition, we are not interested in a sell out.”
“Shell is a long term investor… we are here to stay. We are not selling-off Hazira,” he said, adding the company was open to taking more equity partners but Hazira would remain Shell-owned and operated project.
'Total' of France last year picked 26 per cent stake in Hazira terminal. The rest is with Shell Hazira Gas Pvt Ltd.
Shell, which began operating India's second LNG terminal in April 2005, has till now imported only three cargoes of LNG as it was unable to find customers willing to pay market price of US$8-9 per million British thermal unit (mBtu). The market price was roughly double the cost at which Petronet LNG Ltd, India's largest LNG importer, was selling regasified LNG from its Dahej terminal in Gujarat.
“Finding customers at market price is a problem even though some industries in the North are paying US$13-14 per mBtu for naphtha,” Hartog said.
(PTI) 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.

AFX Europe (Focus): Australia's Coles Myer purchases Shell Autoserv business:

Friday Jan 06, 2006
SYDNEY (AFX) – Coles Myer Ltd, Australia's largest retailer, said its Kmart Tyre and Auto Service subsidiary has acquired 90 Shell Autoserv and Auto Care automobile servicing branches from Shell Australia Ltd for an undisclosed amount.
The retailer said the agreement is effective Feb 20 and will see the Shell Autoserv and Auto Care sites re-branded to Kmart Tyre and Auto Service progressively.
The acquisition will make Kmart Tyre the largest automobile servicing business in Australia with over 280 stores, many located next to Coles Express service stations.
Kmart Tyre and Auto Service currently provides automobile servicing at over 195 branches across Australia.
[email protected]
blh/dk
null 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.