WASHINGTON, Oct 8 (Reuters) – The chief executive of energy company Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) said he is pleased with the progress of negotiations with Iraq on developing natural gas currently flared at the southern oil hub of Basra.
Last month Iraq’s Deputy Oil Minister Ahmed al-Shamma, stressing he spoke for himself rather than the Iraqi Oil Ministry, said he expected the project would not be signed until after the Jan. 16 elections in which the OPEC nation will select a new parliament.
“We are currently negotiating a final agreement for gas in South Iraq,” Peter Voser, the CEO of Shell, told a meeting at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars on Thursday
“We are pleased with the progress so far and we hope to finalize that in due course.”
The Iraqi government has been working to finalize the joint venture between its South Gas Company and Shell and Mitsubishi (8058.T). The deal would capture huge amounts of gas for domestic use or export, which is currently wasted by being flared at the oil fields.
The venture, once in place, would be at the forefront of Iraq’s plans to modernize its energy facilities and boost oil exports that hover around levels they were before the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
Still, the plan faces opposition from lawmakers who criticize its terms and say it would be unconstitutional unless it was sent to them for approval.
On oil deals, Voser said Shell is in “constant contact and discussions with the Iraqi government” on the second round of bidding for contracts to develop Iraq’s vast oil fields. Shell has not yet bid on the second round.
Shell and more than 40 other of the world’s major energy companies have qualified for the second round, which is expected to culminate in December.
The company withdrew from the first round because it did not like the conditions offered by the Iraqi government. “We do hope the second round will be more successful for both sides, the Iraqi government and people, and international oil companies,” Voser said.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
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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.
