MANILA, Nov 13 (Reuters) – BHP Billiton (BHP.AX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) (BLT.L: Quote, Profile, Research,Stock Buzz) and the Philippine unit of Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L: Quote, Profile,Research, Stock Buzz) both want to bid for a 20 percent stake the government is selling in an oil and gas exploration project, a senior state official said on Thursday.
State-owned Philippine National Oil Co-Exploration Corp (PNOC-EC) (PEC.PS:Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is selling part of its 50 percent interest in a project looking for oil and gas in the southwestern Palawan province.
But PNOC-EC’s joint venture partner, Australia-based Nido Petroleum (NDO.AX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), was also looking to sell part of its 50 percent stake in the exploration project and could unload up to 35 percent, PNOC-EC President Rafael del Pilar said.
“The new partner, if it wins both stakes, will have a controlling stake of 55 percent,” del Pilar told Reuters.
He said both Shell Philippines Exploration and BHP, the world’s biggest mining group, were also interested in Nido’s stake.
The project site is near the Camago-Malampaya gas field off the coast of Palawan, the Southeast Asian nation’s biggest hydrocarbon discovery supplying nearly all of its natural gas.
The Malampaya gas field is run by a consortium headed by a unit of Royal Dutch Shell.
Del Pilar said the company expects to hold the bidding later this month and award the contract in December or early January, adding that he is hopeful the project will be viable given its proximity to the Malampaya field.
“We expect the winning bidder to fund the drilling of two wells in exchange for the 20 percent (government) interest,” he said, adding that drilling one well normally costs between $25 million and $30 million.
Nido is part of the consortium behind the Galoc oilfield, the Philippines’ first major oilfield since the 1990s, which began producing crude oil in October.
Manila is pursuing oil exploration projects as it seeks to cut its dependence on costly imported fuel. It imports nearly all of its crude oil needs.
The government also said it has awarded a contract to PNOC-EC and a company controlled by San Miguel Corp (SMC.PS: Quote, Profile,Research, Stock Buzz) President Ramon Ang to jointly explore for coal in the southern Zamboanga province.
The two companies will initially invest a combined 150 million pesos ($3 million) to explore the area, which the government estimates contains 45 million tonnes of coal. ($1 = 49.495 pesos) (Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr.; Editing by Michael Urquhart)
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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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