Oliver Morgan, industrial editor
Sunday February 4, 2007
Oil giant BP is expected this week to come within a whisker of its highest ever annual profit.
However, while arch rival Shell posted its biggest total to date – $25bn (£13bn) – last week, disappointing production levels and slimmer refining and marketing margins are likely to hit BP’s figures.
Analysts expect fourth-quarter earnings of around $3.8bn, giving year-end figures of some $21.3bn.
As for other companies, the results could be a highwater mark for BP as oil prices are expected to come down in 2007 and 2008.
BP has been hit by a raft of bad news in the past two years. Most recently, it was the subject of a highly critical report into the explosion at a US refinery in Texas City which killed 15 people. It has also suffered production disruption in Alaska after pipelines were shut down.
Production in the fourth quarter is expected to have fallen back, thanks to further disruption in Alaska and disposal of some operations in Russia. Refining margins slumped by as much as 25 per cent and US gas prices were weak.
Analysts will ask for more details on the hand-over from the old guard at BP. With Lord Browne, current chief executive and architect of its rapid growth in the late Nineties, to be replaced by Tony Hayward, formerly head of exploration and production, attention is likely to fall on chairman Peter Sutherland.
Sutherland recently said he wanted to stay on well beyond Browne’s departure to ensure stability during the hand-over.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/oil/story/0,,2005280,00.html
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.
