06.20.07, 2:45 PM ET
LONDON – Royal Dutch Shell has had a rough time abroad over the past six months, from losing the controlling stake in a $20 billion Russian gas project to cutting $100 million in Nigerian investments.
But Australia could be a hot spot for the London-based energy company, as market watchers wondered Wednesday whether Woodside Petroleum would once again attract a bid down under.
The Australian government tried to snuff out Shell (nyse: RDSA – news – people )’s flame for Melbourne-based Woodside Petroleum back in 2001, when Treasurer Peter Costello blocked the Anglo-Dutch group’s $10 billion bid on grounds that it went against national interest. Although Shell owns 34% of Woodside, political forces have so far obstructed it from getting a controlling stake.
But the winds could change: last week, Santos, another Australian oil and gas producer, urged South Australia’s state government to lift a 15% shareholding cap imposed in 1979. Along with the general election expected later this year, this could be a political twist in Shell’s favor.
Investors sent Woodside’s share price soaring to a one-year high on Tuesday after analyst comments boosted talk of a bid, and on Wednesday it climbed even higher. Shares closed up 35 Australian cents (30 cents), or 0.8%, to 47.20 Australian dollars ($39.92). Royal Dutch Shell A shares closed down 7 pence (14 cents), or 0.35%, to £19.86 ($39.60); B shares closed up 17 pence (34 cents), or 0.8%, to £20.36 ($40.59).
So what makes Woodside such a burning issue for Shell? Although the Australian company has made much of its offshore crude oil operations, spending $100 million off the coast of Kenya since last year, so far the wells have not yielded a drop. It is the natural gas front, however, that could be more promising.
“Woodside has a number of attractive gas assets at play,” said Steven Knell. “They would be a source of revenue streams in the future.” These include a North-West Shelf project expected to yield 16.3 million tons of natural gas. But capital costs are mounting, up $175 million in 10 months to $2.6 billion, and such hurdles could invite offers.
“Woodside is facing some considerable burdens, financially,” said Knell. “And that fact may well lead to perhaps a greater sensitivity to any takeover bids that may be forthcoming.”
http://www.forbes.com/markets/2007/06/20/shell-woodside-gas-markets-equity-cx_ll_0620markets24.html
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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.
