PUNCH (Nigeria)
By Clara Nwachukwu
Published: Monday, 13 Oct 2008
EXTERNAL factors have reportedly pushed Shell Petroleum Development Companys budget for 2008 oil and gas operations in Nigeria to $8.25bn, more than 100 per cent above 2007s $4.04bn.
The factors include difficulties in the operating environment, occasioned by the insecurity in the oil-rich Niger Delta, where its operations and assets are based.
SPDC is reputed as the largest private sector oil and gas company in Nigeria, and is in Joint Venture (30 per cent) with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (55 per cent); Total (10 per cent), and Agip (five per cent).
However, a copy of the SPDC Budget 2007-2008, obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, showed that while the budget doubled, oil production under the current fiscal year reduced to almost half of the 2007 levels.
Industry sources estimate that SPDC will only be able to produce an average of 412,000 barrels per day in 2008.
Combined with production from Bonga offshore field, operated by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, with installed capacity of 225,000 bpd, total oil production from the Shell Companies in Nigeria falls far short of the over one million bpd achieved in 2005.
The combined average capacity from the Shell group is estimated at 637,000 bpd.
Militant attacks have drastically affected the groups production and made it lose its position as the biggest producer to Americas ExxonMobil Corporation in Nigeria.
According to industry sources, In 2007, the production of crude lost or deferred amounted to an average of 614,000bpd. In 2006, the volume deferred as a result of third parties and operations was 528,000 bpd.
Notwithstanding that approximately 200,000bpd from the western operations had been brought back to production, the security conditions in the Niger Delta remain challenging.
For 2008, the total JV budget proposal was put at $5.3bn, but was reduced by the National Petroleum Investment Management Services, the NNPC arm in charge of oil and gas investments, to $2.94bn, in view of the security situation, which has continued to obstruct developments.
However, total JV base proposed in the SPDC budget was put at $2.25bn, lower than the 2007 estimates of $2.68bn.
The rise in budget has raised some eyebrows, especially in view of the production cuts and restructuring, which had resulted in the loss of jobs by over 2, 500 staff.
Although Shell has not been specific on the actual number of job losses, preferring to say, We are matching our people (staff) with available assets.
Further breakdown of the budget showed votes for salaries rising to $422.17m against $416.32m in 2007, which was expected to have reduced in view of the lay offs.
http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2008101312182967
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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.
