Fri Feb 27, 2009 4:27am IST
(In U.S. dollars unless noted.)
CALGARY, Alberta, Feb 26 (Reuters) – The costs of a 100,000 barrel per day expansion of Royal Dutch Shell Plc’s (RDSa.L: Quote, Profile,Research) Athabasca Oil Sands Project have climbed to $13.7 billion, partner Chevron Corp (CVX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said in a filing, well ahead of earlier estimates.
Chevron, which holds a 20 percent stake in the project, said the expansion will boost output at the oil sands mine and upgrading project to 255,000 barrels per day when the project is completed late next year.
In 2006, Shell estimated the expansion project would cost between C$10 billion and C$12.8 billion ($8 billion to $10.2 billion).
Janet Annesley, a spokeswoman for Shell’s Canadian oil sands unit, declined to confirm Chevron’s estimate.
“We have not provided a cost update for the expansion,” she said.
The expansion project is one of only a few in the Canadian oil sands that has not been affected by the financial crisis. Most new projects in the oil-rich region, where reserves are second only to Saudi Arabia, were re-jigged, delayed or canceled after oil prices plunged last year.
However in October, Shell said it would delay an decision on whether to go ahead with a second, 100,000 bpd, expansion of the project, because of low prices and high material and construction costs for oil sands projects.
Shell owns 60 percent of AOSP, with Chevron and Marathon Oil Corp (MRO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) each holding 20 percent. The project includes an oil sands mine near Fort McMurray, Alberta, and an upgrading refinery near Edmonton. ($1=$1.25 Canadian) (Reporting by Scott Haggett; Editing by Peter Galloway)
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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.
