Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. remains interested in bidding for other oil and gas prospects even as it pulled out of one of its work sites, the Energy department yesterday claimed.
The government said the withdrawal of Shell from service contract 54B is to allow the firm to look at more sites in the country.
“Shell has expressed to the Energy department its continued interest in exploration opportunities in the Philippines and will bid for new areas,” said Energy Undersecretary Jose M. Layug in a text message.
He added “Shell is consolidating its exploration plans and pooling financial and technical resources for development of oil and gas in the Philippines.”
This, as Australian firm Nido Petroleum Ltd. announced on Tuesday that Shell Philippines Exploration withdrew from the consortium drilling in an area covered by service contract 54B.
Shell Philippines Exploration had a 45% interest in the area while Nido Petroleum had a 33% stake.
Yilgarn Petroleum Philippines Pty. Ltd. rounded out the consortium with a 22% interest.
Nido Petroleum now has a 60% stake and Yilgarn controls 40%.
Mr. Layug said there are no indications yet from Nido Petroleum if it will “farm-out” interest in the area to another firm.
Service contract 54B is near the non-commercial Gindara-1 well, which Nido Petroleum abandoned in June last year due to reportedly low quantities of oil.
The site had been estimated to hold two billion barrels of oil.
Just recently, the consortium finished undersea surveys of the area with the intention of seeking potential areas to drill.
Mr. Layug said Shell Philippines Exploration’s withdrawal was to minimize its liability.
“We understand that Shell Philippines Exploration’s withdrawal from service contract 54 is part of its risk management strategy given Shell’s current portfolio of acreages under service contracts and its proactive search and participation in the 4th Philippine Energy Contracting Round (PECR) for petroleum,” said Mr. Layug.
Shell Philippines Exploration could not be immediately reached for comment.
The new contracting round, launched in June last year, is hoped to bring in $7.5 billion in investments to the country.
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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.
