April 18th, 2007:

4/18/2007
By Steven Macleod

MONTREAL, Que. — Shell recently launched an instant oil analysis program through its ROTELLA Express network in an effort to help drivers prolong the life of their trucks.

Shell made the announcement during Expocam in Montreal on April 12; and 18 sites across Canada are prepared to offer drivers on-site oil analysis, including the addition of a new site in Quebec.

A ROTELLA Express technician will sample a few drops of oil and in about 10 minutes will provide the driver with a printed analysis of the truck’s engine, transmission and power steering systems. read more

By Yereth Rosen

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) – Shell Oil (RDSa.L: Quote) spent about $39 million for rights to explore for oil in relatively distant waters of the Beaufort Sea off northern Alaska, dominating a federal oil and gas lease sale that brought in more than $42.1 million in high bids Wednesday, according to preliminary results.

“The lease sale was more lucrative than anticipated,” said John Goll, Alaska regional director for the U.S. Minerals Management Service. “It exceeded my own personal expectations.” read more

Thursday, April 19, 2007. Issue 3640. Page 1.
By Miriam Elder
Staff Writer

Gazprom and Shell late Wednesday signed a protocol on the state-run gas giant’s entry into Sakhalin-2, closing the final chapter on months of uncertainty surrounding the world’s largest integrated oil and gas project.

“The path to today’s milestone was not easy,” Gazprom deputy CEO Alexander Medvedev said at a news conference at Shell’s Moscow offices.

Medvedev was flanked by the country managers of Sakhalin-2 shareholders Shell, Mitsui and Mitsubishi, as well as Ian Craig, head of project operator Sakhalin Energy. read more

By ANDREW LANGLEY
April 19, 2007

MOSCOW — Russian gas monopoly OAO Gazprom yesterday formally took control of the huge Sakhalin-2 oil and gas development, as a $19.4 billion budget for the second stage of the project was approved.

As part of an agreement hammered out in December, Gazprom and Royal Dutch Shell PLC signed a deal that gives the Russian company a 50%-plus-one-share stake in the project’s operator Sakhalin Energy in exchange for $7.45 billion in cash. As a result, Shell’s stake is halved — to 27.5% — as are the holdings of Japanese companies Mitsui & Co. and Mitsubishi Corp., which now own 12.5% and 10%, respectively. read more

19:52 | 18/ 04/ 2007 

MOSCOW, April 18 (RIA Novosti) – The Industry and Energy Ministry and participants in the Sakhalin II project have coordinated all documents to implement the project with a Russian investor and approved the costs of its second stage at $19.4 billion until 2014, the ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

“The observer council has approved the changes in estimated cost account for the second stage of the Sakhalin II project, and set capital expenditures at $19.4 billion until 2014,” the ministry said. read more

18/04/2007
 
The shareholders of Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. (Sakhalin Energy), operator of the Sakhalin II project, today signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with OAO Gazprom (Gazprom) to trigger the transfer of shares in Sakhalin Energy. 
 
This transaction implements a protocol signed on December 21, 2006 in Moscow. Under its terms Gazprom acquires a 50% plus one share stake in Sakhalin Energy for $7.45 billion in cash.  The other three shareholders, Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell), Mitsui & Co. Ltd (Mitsui) and Mitsubishi Corporation (Mitsubishi), each dilute their stakes by 50%, to receive a proportionate share of the purchase price. read more

LONDON (Thomson Financial) – Imperial Energy Corp PLC shares plummeted after the Russian environmental watchdog, Rosprirodnadzor, accused the oil group of inflating its reserves estimates and threatened to cancel its licenses.

Oleg Mitvol, the deputy head of Rosprirodnadzor, made the accusations, which were vehemently denied by Imperial.

Imperial’s shares sank by nearly 30 pct to 1,039 pence following Mitvol’s comment, carried by Russian news agency interfax.

They have recovered slightly, though are still off by a hefty 12 pct at 1,270 pence at 3.45 pm, after Imperial insisted its reserves report is accurate and was prepared in accordance with internationally accepted standards by independent consultant DeGolyer and MacNaughton (D&M). read more

Dutch brewers including Heineken and Grolsch have been fined a total of 273.7m euros (£185m) by European regulators for price fixing.

The European Commission has penalised Heineken, Grolsch and Bavaria for stifling competition by sharing pricing policy and levels.

The move follows a lengthy inquiry by Brussels into sales of beer to Dutch bars and restaurants in the late 1990s.

Heineken is to appeal against its 219m euros fine, calling it “excessive”.

The fine is the seventh-largest competition penalty ever handed out by the EU and its scale reflects the fact that Heineken accounts for more than half of beer sales in the country. read more

By Alex Last
Niger Delta  

In a poor village of sandy streets in southern Nigeria, Nedan Abanwika stands in front of his house looking at the oil installation just yards away.

“Look at this – this flow station is on my land, by my door. Yet look at me, look at me, look at my compound and family. We have not fed, we are not even half fed.”

He hopes elections will make things better: “If democracy is given a place to prevail, if Nigeria wants to make changes, if our leaders allow the prevalence of democracy – if that is on board then things will change.” read more

Wed Apr 18, 2007 5:12 PM BST
By Tanya Mosolova

MOSCOW, April 18 (Reuters) – Russian gas monopoly Gazprom (GAZP.MM: Quote, Profile , Research) has completed a deal to take 50 percent plus one share in the Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project formerly led by Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L: Quote, Profile , Research), the firms said on Wednesday.

Gazprom agreed last December to buy control in the project for $7.45 billion, seen by analysts as a knock-down price, and the firms said they hoped to complete the details in the first quarter of this year. read more

Wednesday, 18 April 2007 17:34

The High Court has allowed Shell E&P Ireland to end its long running legal action against four people opposed to the Corrib gas pipeline.

But the company now faces a legal bill of more than €1m after the court ruled that it must pay most of the legal costs of the defendants.

Counterclaims by some local residents against the company and the State are to continue.

The High Court will also consider whether the residents are entitled to seek damages over what they allege was an improperly obtained April 2005 injunction stopping interference with the pipeline route. read more

Policy change allows sale of ‘adult sophisticates’ by retailers

Posted: April 18, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Bob Unruh
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com 

Shell Oil Co. has determined “Playboy” and “Penthouse” no longer are pornography, but instead are “adult sophisticates,” according to a company statement.

The issue arose when the Florida Family Association contacted Shell about the sale of such explicit magazines at convenience stores owned by Circle K in southeastern parts of the United States. read more

Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:31 PM BST

MOSCOW, April 18 (Reuters) – Russian gas monopoly Gazprom and Royal Dutch Shell called a news conference on Wednesday at the end of a third day of talks to close their $7.45 billion Sakhalin-2 deal.

Industry sources had said only procedural steps remained before the deal could be completed and there would be no material changes to the agreement reached in December.

Officials at both firms said they would call a news conference once it was finally sealed.

The two firms and Shell’s two Japanese partners struck a preliminary deal in December for Gazprom to take a 50 percent stake in the huge energy project and hoped to complete the details in the first quarter of this year. read more

By Mike Martinez , STAFF WRITER
Article Last Updated: 04/18/2007 02:53:39 AM PDT

TRACY — A ruptured oil pipeline leaked hundreds of gallons of oil onto the westbound lanes of Interstate 580 late Tuesday afternoon, forcing the highway’s closure and backing up traffic for miles.

An oil slick oozed down an embankment, across both westbound lanes and about 150 feet along the highway at the Bird Road overcrossing.

Another significant amount reached a field on the opposite side of the roadway through a gully under the freeway. read more

Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:27 AM BST

AMSTERDAM, April 18 (Reuters) – The Netherlands’ first offshore wind farm, built by Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell and Dutch power utility Nuon, opened officially on Wednesday.

The companies invested over 200 million euros ($270 million) in the 108 megawatt wind park on the North Sea, which also serves as a demonstration project to gain technical knowledge and monitor the affects on marine life, they said.

“I am convinced that without the further deployment of offshore wind energy, it will be impossible to meet the present government’s ambitious goals for sustainable energy,” Economy Minister Maria van der Hoeven said in the statement. read more

By RUSSELL GOLD
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The doubling of oil prices over the past few years has produced enormous windfalls for oil companies. But those record profits are likely to recede in the years ahead – even if oil prices don’t – as oil-producing nations increasingly demand a bigger share of the wealth.

Last year, the five largest U.S. and Western European oil companies had a combined profit of $120 billion, roughly double what they earned in 2003, and they are likely to be rolling in cash for some time to come. read more

The date for the Shell AGM has been recently announced. It is the 15th of May. As with last year the AGM will be held in the Hague with a video link up in London. The link up in London will be at the Novotel London West Hotel and Conference Centre, 1 Shortlands, Hammersmith, at 10 am UK time.

Shell to Sea is calling for Solidarity protests at the AGM. On the ground in Erris resistance continues to Shell’s proposed refinery. Peat removal began at the start of April and since then there have been five group trespasses onto the site shutting down work temporarily. We are currently in the midst of the EPA oral hearing for the IPPC (integreated pollution prevention and control) license which is to grant Shell a license to pollute. Numbers of Gardai in the area remain high. read more

Published: Wednesday, 18 April, 2007, 08:32 AM Doha Time
 
NEW YORK: Oil fell yesterday, extending Monday’s losses as a major Nigerian oil field was expected to restart soon after being closed for more than a year.

But losses were limited by expectations that US government data today would to show a tenth straight weekly fall in gasoline stocks ahead of the summer.

US crude oil futures settled down 51¢ at $63.10 per barrel. Brent crude futures in London, which are more closely tied to oil flows from West Africa, were off $1.32 at $65.93. read more

‘THE TABLE STAKES’ Energy companies pay premiums of 20% to lure staff
BY DEREK SANKEY

18 April 2007

Calgary and Edmonton have attracted widespread attention for the rapid growth of their economies and populations, but farther north in Fort McMurray, the growth has happened so fast it makes that of larger urban centres seem modest by comparison.

Professionals, from accountants to lawyers to engineers, are so desperately needed in booming Fort McMurray that energy companies are paying large premiums to attract white-collar workers to this remote region. read more

From page K1
 [email protected]
The sector is about to see a massive new wave of fly-in, fly-out employees arrive.

Suncor is in talks about access to the airstrip with other players, including Synenco Energy Inc., which also hopes to import construction workers and later operations personnel aboard jets to its Northern Lights project.

Northern Lights and Kearl Lake are among the farthest developments yet from Fort McMurray and the fly-in, flyout strategy will be key to attracting workers, said Todd Newton, Synenco’s president and chief operating officer. read more

Ben Sharples, AAP News – Australasia
Published: Apr 18, 2007

PERTH, April 18 AAP – Woodside Petroleum Ltd has reported a dip in production during the first quarter of 2007 after four cyclones battered its West Australian operations this year.

Woodside, Australia’s biggest independent oil and gas producer, delivered an output of 18 million barrels of oil equivalent (Mmboe) in the three months to March 31. The result was 4.9 per cent lower than the 19 Mmboe produced in the fourth quarter, but was 25.9 per cent higher than the 14.3 Mmboe produced in the corresponding quarter of 2006. Woodside, which is looking to produce between 72 Mmboe and 78 Mmboe in calendar 2007, said the drop in production was primarily the result of interruptions caused by tropical cyclones. read more

By Stephen Voss

April 17 (Bloomberg) — Royal Dutch Shell Plc hasn’t bought back any of its stock for more than two months, after its finance chief said he doesn’t believe in buybacks, and the oil company’s shares are losing ground to its rival BP Plc.

Shell stock has dropped 0.1 percent since Feb. 1, the last day on which it made repurchases. BP, which buys its own shares every day, has risen 7.3 percent over the same period.

Shell, based in The Hague, is Europe’s largest oil company measured by its market capitalization of 113 billion pounds ($226 billion). The difference in value between Shell and London-based BP has now narrowed to about 1.5 billion pounds from a peak of about 7.7 billion pounds at the start of February. read more

By Angela Macdonald-Smith

April 18 (Bloomberg) — Woodside Petroleum Ltd.’s emerging plan to build a plant on Scott Reef off northwestern Australia as part of its Browse liquefied natural gas project is being opposed by an environmental group.

Scott Reef, located about 400 kilometers (249 miles) off the coast of the industrially undeveloped Kimberley region, must be “off limits” for LNG plants, Greg Bourne, chief executive officer of the Australian branch of WWF, said today at a conference in Adelaide, South Australia. read more

EXTRACT: Atlantic has hired international consultant Shell Global Solutions to come up with a list of operating parameters for which the company must aim, encompassing such activities as gas conversion, turbine performance, cooling rate, employee performance, safety and so on. ‘It is a very complex and comprehensive piece of work that Shell will be doing,’ the chief executive says.

THE ARTICLE

Islands likely to retain their position as biggest supplier to energy-hungry US market, writes David Renwick, Lloyds List: Published: Apr 18, 2007 read more

EXTRACT: Shell admits that “no one can make an accurate prediction of when and where new deposits will be found, or how much exists” but it does not expect major shortages for 20-30 years. The reality, though, is that the oil majors are spending nearly $100bn a year on exploration, and are not renewing their reserves, while growing demand from China, India and surging economies is pushing us to the edge of production.

THE ARTICLE

Society: Building the future: Innovations: The new power generation: The government has pronounced on it and the construction industry has acknowledged it, but will technology advance in time to create a sustainable energy infrastructure? read more

Published: Apr 18, 2007

Published: Apr 18, 2007

One of the world’s largest producers, LNG Malaysia, saw a drop in production in 2006 and is looking to increase output by international companies, writes Marcus Hand.

Petronas, Malaysia’s state oil and gas company, and its subsidiary MISC are among the largest players in the global LNG market. MISC long has been, and is set to remain, at least for the coming two to three years, the largest owner and operator of LNG carriers.

In November MISC named one of its LNG carriers in Malaysia for the first time, the 145,000 cu m Seri Anggun , built at Samsung Heavy Industries. read more

Shell becomes ninth company to sign up for Maasvlakte import and regasification project, writes Helen Hill in Amsterdam, Lloyds List: Published: Apr 18, 2007

GATE terminal and Port of Rotterdam Authority have agreed a long-term lease of 50 years for a 23 ha site on the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam to develop an LNG import and regasification facility.

Gate terminal is a joint venture between the Dutch gas firm Nederlandse Gasunie and tank terminal operator Royal Vopak.

The project also took a further step when Shell Energy Europe and Gate terminal signed a heads of agreement contract for capacity rights for a maximum of 4bn cu m of annual throughput. read more

Published: Apr 18, 2007

SYDNEY (XFN-ASIA) – Woodside Petroleum Ltd said production over the three months to March rose 25.9 pct year-on-year to 18.0 mln barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe).

The company, 34 pct-owned by the Royal Dutch Shell Group, said the production outcome was primarily the result of improved North West Shelf Venture (NWSV) production and the contribution from the Enfield oil field which started production in July 2006.

Production slipped 4.9 pct compared to the December quarter due to tropical cyclone activity. read more

Majors to work together with the aim of improving utilisation of their gas fleets, writes Tony Gray, Lloyds List: Published: Apr 18, 2007

A pact between Tokyo Gas and Shell has been agreed in a quest to maximise efficiencies in their liquefied natural gas shipping operations.

The two parties have signed a so-called ‘master time charterparty’ with the aim of improving utilisation of their LNG carrier fleets.

It is the fourth such agreement signed by Tokyo Gas, Japan’s largest gas utility, in the past year. read more

Lorna Siggins, Marine Correspondent, Irish Times
Published: Apr 18, 2007

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it has contacted the Garda over complaints about its presence at the Corrib gas oral hearing in north Mayo.

EPA senior inspector Frank Clinton has been in touch with the Garda, following concerns raised at the opening session of the oral hearing, an EPA spokeswoman said yesterday.

The EPA did not request a Garda presence at the public hearing, she said. However, Chief Supt Tony McNamara, head of the Mayo Garda division, said last night that he had received no complaints in relation to the level of Garda security at the hearing and he understood the EPA “was quite satisfied with the current level”. read more

Aine Ryan, Irish Times
Published: Apr 18, 2007

Shell E&P Ireland has been asked to provide detailed documentation of a consultation process the company claims it carried out with Mayo County Council and the community living near the proposed Bellanaboy refinery, regarding its decision to cold-vent gas rather than flare it.

On the second day of the Environmental Protection Agency’s oral hearing into the issuing of an integrated pollution prevention licence, the chairman, Frank Clinton, observed to Shell representatives that “there isn’t much in the way of supporting fact around this consulting process”. read more

EXTRACT: ICE June Brent fell 47 cents to $67.78 a barrel after reports on Monday that Royal Dutch Shell would resume production by the end of the month at its 380,000b/d Forcados oilfield in Nigeria, which has been closed since February 2006. Militants in the Niger Delta have disrupted oil production in Nigeria, the world’s eighth largest exporter. Violence erupted again at the weekend during state elections in the run-up to the presidential vote on April 21 amid allegations of voting rigging. read more

By REUTERS
Published: April 17, 2007
Filed at 9:21 p.m. ET

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) – Five environmental groups and an Alaska native organization said on Tuesday they were challenging the U.S. government’s decision to allow Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) to explore for oil off the northern coast of Alaska this summer.

The groups asked the federal Interior Department to reverse the Minerals Management Service’s (MMS) February approval of Shell’s plans to drill up to four exploration wells in the Beaufort Sea this summer. read more

• Royal Dutch Shell has not made stock repurchases for two and a half months after its finance chief said he did not believe in buybacks and the oil company is losing ground to rival BP.

• Venture Production, an oil and gas company, said full-year profit almost tripled as high oil prices and a 50pc jump in production increased sales.

By Liza Mohd

Bandar Seri Begawan – For every bag of rubbish collected along Panaga beach in Seria and its surrounding areas. $10 was paid by Shell Deepwater Borneo in an effort to raise tunas for the Sun Seri Begawan Hospital.

The environmental and charity event it: conjunction with World Earth Day took place yesterday from 7am onwards. The event was launched by Shell Deepwater Borneo Managing Director Mr Kenneth Robertson.

The event included a beach cleaning campaign and a mass planting of ‘Penaga Laut’ trees at the Panaga School club and golf course area. read more

18/04/2007  
  
(MENAFN – Times of Oman) MUSCAT — The Shell Representative Office Oman has launched the Intilaaqah Enterprise Fund.

The fund is to support and encourage the growth of small and medium businesses within Oman. Juma bin Ali bin Juma, minister of manpower, was the guest of honour at a signing ceremony that took place during the Smart Manufacturing Conference organised by the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on April 15.

The agreement was signed by Dr Andrew Wood, Shell country chairman for Oman, and Jurie Willemse, the founder and CEO of GroFin. read more

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SPOKANE, Wash. — Avista Corp. will sell its energy trading subsidiary in a deal that could be worth some $200 million, the utility said Tuesday.

Avista Energy, which employs about 50 people, will be sold to Coral Energy Holding, L.P., a subsidiary of Shell, in a deal expected to close by the end of the second quarter or early third quarter, Avista said.

“We will be out of the general, unregulated energy marketing business,” said Jessie Wuerst, a spokeswoman for Avista, which is based in Spokane. read more

SHELL Ireland has been asked for detailed proof that it consulted with Mayo County Council and local people about the decision not to burn built-up excess gases from its proposed gas pipeline.

The request was made by the chairman of the Environmental Protection Agency’s hearing into the issuing of the pollution-prevention licence to the company for its proposed refinery at Bellanaboy, Co Mayo yesterday.

On its second day, EPA hearing chairman Frank Clinton said there “isn’t much in the way of supporting fact around this consultation process”. read more