- By Sarah Malik
- From: AAP
- September 18, 2012 4:13PM
GEELONG’S mayor is prepared to ask for federal and Victorian government assistance to prop up the local Shell refinery, with an oil company executive saying its future is “borderline”.
Shell says its Geelong refinery is facing challenges, including more competition from new mega-refineries in Asia, after its global downstream director Mark Williams said the operation of the refinery was “questionable” given the challenges.
“It’s borderline,” Mr Williams told the Australian Financial Review.
“It depends a lot on how it performs over the next few years whether or not it will ultimately be a survivor.”
Geelong mayor John Mitchell said he would seek talks with the company and advocate on behalf of Shell for federal and state government assistance if necessary.
“We’ve done that in the past with other industries and we’ve been very successful,” Mr Mitchell told AAP on Tuesday.
Shell, which is closing its Clyde refinery in Sydney at the end of this month, said Australian refining was part of a highly competitive global market.
“Geelong Refinery faces challenges, including increased competition from new mega-refineries in Asia,” company spokesman Paul Zennaro said in a statement.
“Shell employees are working to make the refinery more competitive with a continued focus on safety, while enhancing profitable niche products including Avgas, bitumen and solvents.”
Mr Mitchell said Shell had not asked for help and he trusted the company would overcome its problems.
“It didn’t say it was closing down,” he said.
“They’re working towards maintaining their viability.”
A Victorian government spokeswoman said the Australian refining sector, like others, was facing major challenges.
“That’s why we have been calling on the Gillard government to address issues that impact Australia’s competitiveness,” she added, pointing to rising energy prices and the carbon tax.
She said the state government committed $4 million to a Geelong-focused assistance fund in June.
Shell said it recently invested $47.5 million in a new water processing plant and $20 million in new bitumen facilities at the Geelong facility.
The plant, one of the largest hydrocarbon refineries in Australia, employs more than 400 people on site.
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.
