Last Update: 9:30 PM ET Aug 22, 2006
By Maya Jackson Randall and Ian Talley
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Shell Oil Co. (RDSB) President John Hofmeister told reporters Tuesday the company is in talks with the U.S. Department of Interior to address concerns that some Gulf of Mexico drilling leases don’t require oil companies to pay royalties to the federal government.
Hofmeister said he’s interested in resolving the dispute and optimistic about being able to reach an agreement that could satisfy all parties, leaving open the possibility that the company would rework the flawed 1999 and 1998 leases to address U.S. lawmakers’ concerns.
“We want to work a way forward to help all concerned,” he said. “We understand that people make human mistakes … we’d like the opportunity to help correct those mistakes.”
News earlier this year that contracts entered into with the DOI by large oil companies in the late 1990s did not include price triggers drew criticism on Capitol Hill.
Without the price thresholds, oil companies enjoying record profits are allowed to forgo paying drilling fees to the government – even when oil prices are high.
With lawmakers under pressure to address high gasoline prices, news that Big Oil wasn’t paying royalties stirred up debate and prompted several congressional hearings.
Meanwhile, government officials say a clerical error led to the missing price thresholds. Still no companies have publicly agreed to rework the flawed lease agreements.
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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.
