ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Royal Dutch Shell PLC has concluded drilling for the season in the Arctic Ocean off Alaska’s northwest and north coast.

Shell Alaska spokesman Curtis Smith says the company completed one top hole in both the Chukchi (chuck-CHEE’) and Beaufort (BO-fort) seas.

Top holes are the foundation of an exploratory well. They consist of 20-foot in diameter mud-line cellar dug 40 feet into the sea floor to provide protection from ice for a blowout preventer, plus a hole drilled to about 1,500 feet. read more

 From our Shell News Archive Sunday 31 October, 2004

The fallout from the Shell reserves fraud continues…

The Independent On Sunday (UK): Business View: Shell’s real location problem is finding more black stuff: “The misreporting of reserves scandal showed all the worst Shell traits – secrecy, haughtiness, inertia.”: “So what’s the hurry? Was it because Shell had to admit that it had uncovered another 900 million barrels of doubtful crude in its reserves and was likely to uncover 600 million more?”

Sunday Express (UK): Shell boardroom changes backfire on reserves news: “ONE OF the world’s most influential financial firms has given the thumbs down to an announcement from Shell it is to end its 97-year-old dual board structure.”: “…financial ratings agency Standard & Poor’s said it had adjusted Shell’s investment rating downwards to “creditwatch negative”, a status which implies there may be more bad news to come from the company.”

Mail on Sunday (UK):  Shell bosses in a charm offensive: “The Board, headed by Jeroen van der Veer, will see thousands of staff to explain the proposed changes and shore up the mood of the employees damaged by scandals over Shell’s inflated oil reserves.”: “Last week, Shell was forced to downgrade its estimates of proven oil reserves for the fifth time this year. Reserves are now a third lower than originally thought” read more

• October 30, 2012
• By: Anne Seccombe

Dole is the target of a campaign by grassroots activist organisation Sum Of Us, to pressure the company to withdraw its support from the amicus brief it filed on Shell’s behalf in the case of Shell vs. Kiobel, currently before the United States Supreme Court. Sumofus.org sent out an email campaign on Oct. 29 encouraging the public to visit Dole’s Facebook page and leave a message on the issue. As of 3 o’clock this morning, Dole’s Facebook page has been inundated with hundreds of messages encouraging the company to act responsibly in this matter and withdraw their support of Shell such as: read more

Cronyism is partiality to long-standing friends, especially by appointing them to positions of authority, regardless of their qualifications.

Posting on our Shell Blog by a regular contributor: Golden Triangle Watchman”

Re the Motiva article, so true…..How prophetic that the picture of Voser and the senior execs are sitting there opening a valve at the ceremony…. and ultimately, a valve just like it allowed caustic to get into the unit. This project was terrible from the start…bad idea started by Tom Purves….. Bad project team, led by Tom’s buddy Forrest Lauher, who had no idea how to run a project of this size, bad leadership throughout the project….. Tom decides to come save the project when in fact he has never worked on a major project and has no skills to actually deliver what he promised…. his cronies were dropped onto the project in various jobs…..Hartsock, Funkhouser, all with promises of making a difference…. meanwhile no one would speak up for fear of losing their job. The project finally falls on its face, only after Tom gets shipped out to Siberia. Everyone thought he would get paid a nice severance and retire but after this embarrassment, the senior Shell execs couldn’t pay Tom a nice payday. Tom then had to move on to Canada where he is now head of mining….. laughable. And his buddy Funkhouser is working on the next mega project…laughable…. he will somehow work his way up to Canada to be with his daddy Tom…. I’m sure he will wait until it warms up…. and old Forrest is now off in El Paso working for a small refinery company after being run off from Shell….. This is Shell’s finest. Tom, you are a joke. I hope you enjoy your stroll to the bank. Everyone else will when you leave. read more

30 October 2012

The case of Shell Petroleum Development Company in Ogoniland, Nigeria had been the most appalling experience and the most notable case of a company exploiting, billions of dollars in natural resources from a people and denying responsibility for turning the area into a waste land. Shell Petroleum started oil drilling in Ogoni in 1958.

By 1990, the company has generated over 30 Billion U.S Dollars in revenue from the area. Its operations covered at least 6 major oilfields including the K-Dere(Bomu) Oil field, Bodo-West, Korokoro, Yorla, Ebubu and Afam(Lekuma) oilfields. read more

October 30, 2012

Oil giant Shell was fined $80,000 on Monday for lapses in workplace safety that led to a 32-hour fire at the company’s Pulau Bukom oil refinery in September last year.

Court papers stated that while draining a pipeline, its contractors had used a method that allowed flammable gases to accumulate in the air.

The pipeline was connected to a tank of naphtha, a volatile liquid, and passed through a pump house where petroleum products were mixed. The contractors had used metal trays to collect the naphtha flowing out of the tank. read more

29 October 2012

Leaks in oil pipes in Nigeria were allowed to flow for 10 weeks before Shell came to the site to stop them. © Amnesty International

Audrey Gaughran, Director of Amnesty International’s Africa Programme

For decades the oil industry in Nigeria’s Niger Delta has caused widespread pollution of land and water, damaging people’s ability to fish and farm, and putting their health at risk.

I have worked on Amnesty International’s campaign to urge Shell and the government of Nigeria to address the human rights impact of oil pollution in the Niger Delta for several years.

Earlier this month I had the chance to debate with Shell on the issue. read more

The company had earlier pleaded guilty to failing to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure workers’ safety…

AsiaOne: Monday, Oct 29, 2012

SINGAPORE – Shell was fined $80,000 for its role in a fire that broke out at its Pulau Bukom Refinery on Sep 28, 2011.

The company had earlier pleaded guilty to failing to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure workers’ safety on Oct 9, 2012.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said the fire was the largest refinery fire since 1988.

MOM’s investigations showed that the fire started in the course of the open de-oiling of naphtha – a highly flammable petroleum product – from a pipeline that ran through a pump house at the refinery. read more

Lorne Stockman

While Chevron’s Richmond refinery has been making the news lately with a very visible incident, our attention has been drawn to less noticed recent events in America’s biggest refining center on the Gulf Coast, where what was to become the country’s largest refinery also ran into a spot of trouble.

You’d think that if you had spent 5 years and over $10 billion building a new refinery you might get to run it a few months before you had to shut it down for repairs. Not so the Motiva Port Arthur refinery expansion, which is essentially a new refinery bolted onto an old one. read more

FROM OUR OCTOBER 2004 SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE

Friday 29 October, 2004 – A DREADFUL DAY FOR SHAREHOLDERS IN SHELL TRANSPORT AND TRADING COMPANY PLC

The Times (UK): The Hague for head office: “ALTHOUGH it maintains otherwise, Shell is effectively going Dutch…”: “From May, the big decisions will be taken by a new board in The Hague, which has seven Dutch members and only four Britons.”: “…from 2006 it will hold AGMs only in The Hague.”

The Times (UK): Fear of new Shell reserves downgrade: “ROYAL Dutch/Shell yesterday raised fears that it may have to write down its reserves by more than 1.5 billion barrels…”: “With less than 60 per cent of its reservoir audit completed, Shell was unable yesterday to put a ceiling on the potential downgrade of its reserves…”

Daily Telegraph (UK): Dutch chiefs take helm of merged Shell: “The radical move, which needs to be approved by shareholders, is likely to be seen as a Dutch takeover of the energy giant…”: “The news was overshadowed by yet more revelations about the company’s “proven” reserves…” read more

Dow Jones Newswires: Published October 28, 2012

Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA) is struggling to settle the over $1 billion it owes Iran for oil purchases after options such as financing a gas pipeline or paying for food shipments were rejected, people familiar with the matter said over the weekend.

“There have been several options examined. None has been successful,” one person said.

Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell’s $1 billion plus debt to Iran is due to a European Union embargo that started July 1, which prevents the transfer of payments to the Islamic Republic. read more

Royal Dutch Shell has attacked the “ridiculous” impact of European energy policy, warning that governments are erasing the environmental benefits from expensive renewables by allowing coal use to increase.

Europe is burning more coal, while demand for gas – which emits much less CO2 than coal – is declining Photo: GETTY IMAGES

By Emily Gosden: 6:03PM GMT 28 Oct 2012

Andrew Brown, one of Shell’s most senior executives, also warned that shale gas would not have the same impact in the UK as it has in the US, where is has been heralded as a new era of cheap energy.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Mr Brown, Shell’s upstream international director, said the UK and Europe were “missing a trick” in their policies.

“There are a lot of subsidies going towards renewables. Gas and coal are having to compete to be taken into power generation,” he said. read more

By Geoff Ho: Sunday October 28,2012

OIL giant BP is expected to return to profit this week when it reports its third-quarter results thanks to the rising oil price, while arch-rival Royal Dutch Shell is also set to announce improved profits.

BP is expected to make a net profit of $4 billion (£2.5 billion) for the three months to September 30, which would return it to profitability after registering a $1.3 billion loss in the preceding quarter. The oil giant will unveil its third-quarter results on Tuesday.

City analysts expect Royal Dutch Shell to report a net profit of $7.3bn, an increase of 79.7 per cent on the second quarter, when it announces its third-quarter results on Thursday. read more

From our October 2004 Shell News Archive

London Evening Standard: Shell stuns City with revamp

“The troubled group wants to draw a line under its devastating oil and gas reserves crisis earlier this year by creating a new £100bn holding company, Royal Dutch Shell Plc.”: “Buried deep in the results statement, Shell said it was considering yet another downgrade after a review of 8bn barrels of reserves for the year to December.”

Steve Hawkes,

28 October 2004

ANGLO-DUTCH giant Shell stunned the City today by unveiling plans to scrap its century old corporate structure and create ‘one company, one board and one chief executive.

The troubled group wants to draw a line under its devastating oil and gas reserves crisis earlier this year by creating a new £100bn holding company, Royal Dutch Shell Plc.

It will effectively take over the British and Dutch arms, which came together in a joint venture in 1907 with Royal Dutch owning 60%. The new group will be based in the Netherlands but listed in London. read more

From our October 2004 Shell News Archive

Royal Dutch/Shell to merge

Netherlands HQ ‘not a victory for the Dutch’: “Yet Shell’s governance scheme wasn’t without a few surprises, chiefly that the headquarters will be based in The Hague, Netherlands along with two of the group’s three main businesses.”

By Emily Church,

Oct. 28, 2004

LONDON (CBS.MW) — Oil major Royal Dutch Shell on Wednesday said it plans to merge its Dutch and U.K. companies, breaking close to a hundred year tradition as a dual Anglo-Dutch group.

The move was expected and follows shareholder outrage after a shock downgrade of proven oil reserves in January. Yet Shell’s governance scheme wasn’t without a few surprises, chiefly that the headquarters will be based in The Hague, Netherlands along with two of the group’s three main businesses. read more

From our October 2004 Shell News Archive

London Evening Standard: Market Report: SPEAKING OUT

“All of us are deeply ashamed about what happened about the reserves, but we are determined to regain our position. — Shell chairman Jeroen van der Veer on the oil giant’s attempts to put its misdemeanours behind it”

Market Report

By Mickey Clark

27 Oct 2004

“I’m convinced we have a lot of strengths. All of us are deeply ashamed about what happened about the reserves, but we are determined to regain our position.”

— Shell chairman Jeroen van der Veer on the oil giant’s attempts to put its misdemeanours behind it.

RELATED ARTICLE

Financial Times: Not clammed shut

“Jeroen van der Veer remains refreshingly candid even after all Royal Dutch/Shell has been through this year.”: “We are like the schoolboy standing in the corridor outside the classroom.

By Clay Harris

Published: October 27 2004

Jeroen van der Veer remains refreshingly candid even after all Royal Dutch/Shell has been through this year.

Asked at a conference about the International Energy Agency’s call for governments, regulators and corporations to unify energy reserves accounting, he said: “We are like the schoolboy standing in the corridor outside the classroom. I don’t think it is for us to lead the charge of new rules on reserve accounting, we shall leave that to others. But whatever the rules are, we will comply with them.” read more

Constitutional challenge to Shell oilsands development raised by First Nation, Metis groups

By Marty Klinkenberg, Edmonton Journal October 26, 2012

The Joint Review Panel reviewing Shell’s proposed Jackpine Mine expansion project north of Fort McMurray on Friday ruled that it does not have jurisdiction to consider a constitutional challenge raised by the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and a regional band of the Métis Nation of Alberta.

Photograph by: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg , Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg read more

UANI Calls on U.S., EU to Reject Royal Dutch Shell Scheme to Repatriate Iranian Oil Money Through Grain Deal

Published: October 26, 2012 

NEW YORK — United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, issued the following statement Friday in response to reports that Royal Dutch Shell is seeking to circumvent international sanctions and repay its $1.4 billion oil debt to Iran by having the U.S. agribusiness conglomerate Cargill ship Iran the equivalent amount of grain:

The U.S. and EU must not approve Royal Dutch Shell’s scheme to repay its oil debt to Iran by way of a grain shipment from Cargill. Although we support humanitarian shipments to Iran, Shell is simply trying to repatriate oil wealth to the regime and circumvent sanctions. Such a transaction is not humanitarian, and is incompatible with the current international sanctions against Iran. read more

The proposed offset agreement creates a tricky dilemma for Britain and the United States, two of the six countries that are in negotiations with Iran to persuade it to step back from a nuclear programme they suspect is developing atomic weapons.

(Reuters) – Oil major Royal Dutch/Shell is seeking to work around international sanctions by repaying a $1.4 billion oil debt to Iran with a grain barter deal via U.S. agribusiness giant Cargill, industry sources said.

Shell wants to repay a debt that is growing larger because of unpaid interest, having failed to settle its accounts with the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) ahead of a European Union embargo on oil imports that started on July 1.

It is hoping to get clearance from U.S., UK and Dutch authorities – who will be under pressure to agree on humanitarian grounds – for an “offset agreement” that would permit it to fund Cargill to deliver enough grain to Tehran to clear the debt. read more

By Juliet Alohan, 26 October 2012

In a bid to help alleviate the plight of flood victims, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has donated $1 million towards relief efforts in support of flood displaced persons in 24 states across the country.

The cash donation, according to a statement yesterday by the company’s spokesperson, Tony Okonedo, is part of Shell’s support programme to the international federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, in conjunction with the Nigerian Red Cross Society, towards effective post flood disaster relief operations in Nigeria. read more

Hi John,

I saw that you posted up the “Mayo Today” article entitled “Corrib safety clock hits three million hours mark”.

In the article Shell claim:

“The record was reached on October 4 and the workscope covered included all onshore pipeline and terminal activities, plus all offshore work managed out of Erris. This represented an incredible 833 days without a safety incident leading to a staff member or contractor having to take time off work due to injury – stretching back to June 24, 2010.” read more

Nigeria is losing $1 billion a month to oil theft while fraudulent natural gas deals with international companies cost the country $29 billion over the past decade.

Published: Oct. 25, 2012 at 12:19 PM

LAGOS, Nigeria, Oct. 25 (UPI) — Nigeria is losing an estimated $1 billion a month to oil theft while fraudulent natural gas deals with international oil companies have cost the West African country $29 billion over the past decade, official reports say.

“The world is in the midst of a sustained oil boom. Yet Africa’s leading producer is hemorrhaging the proceeds,” the Financial Times observed Monday.

“The Nigerian treasury, which should be raking in record revenues, has been squeezed at both ends of the oil trade — upstream, by one of the biggest frauds in Nigerian history related to a fuel subsidy bill worth upward of $16 billion in 2011, and downstream, by the theft of oil of an industrial scale at source.” read more

October 24, 2012

Motiva to pay fine in refinery settlement

Motiva Enterprises LLC will pay a $500,000 fine to settle environmental violations at the company’s Norco and Convent refineries, according to a preliminary agreement with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

The settlement includes a 45-day comment period, according to a DEQ letter to Motiva dated Oct. 3.

Motiva has until Nov. 2 to send the payment to DEQ.

The settlement stems from hundreds of violations from 2003 to 2010, according to DEQ.

Motiva admitted no wrongdoing. read more

By Alex Ward Published 25 October 2012

The South African Competition Commission has called for six oil companies – Shell, BP, America’s Chevron, France’s Total and domestic producers Sasol and Engen – to stand before the South African Competition Tribunal for collusion. 

An investigation that begun in 2009 revealed that the six companies to have kept diesel prices artificially high, using the South African Department of Energy’s maximum price guideline as their benchmark.

The Commission accused the firms of “extensive exchanges of commercially sensitive information”, such as monthly fuel sales, to enable them to “track each other’s sales and to align their strategies in the market”. read more

John,

THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE Spies and Co.

As an ‘interested observer’ I would make this comment about Shell’s business operations and their unethical business practices. The US Federal government operates under the Federal Acquisition Regulation’s for the purposes of purchasing goods and services. As it happens to be, the US government requires that its providers of goods and services follow ethical business practices.

If it becomes apparent that any company/corporation/individual is not following Federal good business practices as outlined by its ethic guidelines a complaint may be filed against that company. In most instances that complaint will trigger action to bar the offending entity/corporation from doing business with the US government. read more

A version of this op-ed appeared in print on October 25, 2012, on page A31 of the New York edition with the headline: Spies and Co..

EXTRACT

Spying for profit continued in more recent times. In the late 1990s, the candy companies Nestlé and Mars engaged in an epic corporate war that included a confidential source nicknamed “Deep Chocolate.” Former government agents, working through a subcontractor for Nestlé, snatched garbage bags from the Mars headquarters, replacing them with dummy trash bags so the custodial staff wouldn’t catch on. Picking through coffee grounds and stale food, they found shredded documents that they were able to painstakingly reconstruct into readable corporate records. read more

Published October 25, 2012

THE HAGUE, the Netherlands, October 25, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ —

Shell announced today the signing of an agreement with Hess Corporation to acquire its interests in the Beryl area fields and the Scottish Area Gas Evacuation System (“SAGE”), for US$ 525 million.

he Beryl Area includes 12 fields located on the UK Continental Shelf. The fields are operated by Apache and with the acquisition Shell’s interest in the different fields will increase by a range of between 9-65% depending on the field. read more

Thu Oct 25, 2012 2:16am EDT

Oct 25 (Reuters) – Hess Corp said it has agreed to sell its interest in the Beryl area fields in the North Sea and the Scottish Area Gas Evacuation System to Royal Dutch Shell for $525 million.

The Beryl fields, located northeast of Aberdeen and operated by Apache Corp, produced about 14,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day net to Hess through the first nine months of 2012, the company said.

“This sale is part of our strategic portfolio reshaping,” said Greg Hill, Hess Corp’s president, worldwide exploration & production. read more

South Africa’s Competition Commission has recommended the maximum penalty in a price-fixing case spanning decades that involves six companies including Chevron Corp. (CVX), Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) and Total SA. (FP)

The regulator, which has referred the matter to the Competition Tribunal for adjudication, wants the companies to be fined 10 percent of their revenues in the preceding financial year, it said in a statement today.

The investigation “revealed collusive conduct through extensive exchanges of commercially sensitive information by the respondent oil companies,” which also include Engen (ENGN) Ltd., Sasol Ltd. (SOL), BP SA and the South African Petroleum Industry Association, or Sapia, the Pretoria-based commission said. read more

Wed Oct 24, 2012 6:58am EDT

* Flooding cuts Nigeria production by 500,000 bpd

* Shell declared force majeure on Bonny, Forcados

* NNPC says oil output around 2.1-2.2 mln bpd

By Joe Brock

ABUJA, Oct 24 (Reuters) – Nigeria has lost at least a fifth of its oil output in recent weeks due to severe flooding and oil theft, government oil officials said on Wednesday, in comments that helped push oil prices higher.

Nigeria’s oil is exported to the United States, Asia and Europe and the current disruptions estimated at 500,000 barrels per day could amount to as much as 0.5 percent of global supply.

Nigeria lost around 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil production due to severe flooding in recent weeks, an industry regulator told Reuters. read more

Selection of article links supplied by a regular contributor

Study for Shell’s Jackpine Oil Sands Mine Predicts ‘Unprecedented …

Inside Climate News-Oct 22, 2012
Study for Shell’s Jackpine Oil Sands Mine Predicts ‘Unprecedented’ Losses in Animal Habitat (Edmonton Journal) · Methane Found in Drinking …

Shell’s Tar Sands Expansion Could Be Illegal

SustainableBusiness.com-Oct 22, 2012
Shell’s Tar Sands Expansion Could Be Illegal … emits triple the carbon emissions of conventional oil, while decimating its Boreal Forest. read more

THIS DEVELOPMENT HAS NOT BEEN ANNOUNCED PUBLICLY BY SHELL

“There must have been a power-struggle of epic dimensions for him to leave Shell the second time. I am not aware of similar career moves in the past and certainly not at his level!! Sweeping the stairs from top to bottom?”

FROM A SHELL SOURCE

John

See “restricted” internal communication today from Andy Brown concerning the pending departure of a competitor for the top job which Andy Brown now has.

You reported on your website some time ago some details about Mark Carne (photo above right):

Warning about Mark Carne of Royal Dutch Shell Plc

There must have been a power-struggle of epic dimensions for him to leave Shell the second time. I am not aware of similar career moves in the past and certainly not at his level!! Sweeping the stairs from top to bottom? read more

“More drivel on focus, leadership, business and all politically correct words.”

FROM A SHELL SOURCE, A LEAKED SHELL INTERNAL MESSAGE SENT MINUTES AGO BY “ANDY” BROWN, UPSTREAM INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR. FOLLOWS UP ON A LEAKED MOTIVATIONAL MESSAGE FROM PETER SUPERBUCKET VOSER

John

More drivel on focus, leadership, business and all politically correct words. Even 2 females in the 7 jobs mentioned! Soothing words that for most people there will be little change. He forgot to mention Health and Environment.

He is still called Andy, I wonder when he will transform to Andrew and then Sir Andrew….
 
And there is talk about reinforcing the partnership with P&T. Presumably the technical people will be asked a bit upfront their opinion? I always thought that the oil and gas business was a highly technical business. I appear to be wrong. It is about focus, leadership and relation management. The hard and mundane work will be done by the contractor as Herkstroter already foresaw in 1994. A man with vision!
 
In the next few weeks I fear the staff will see a lot of this: read more

By Juliet Alohan With Agency Report, 24 October 2012

A total of 517,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day has been halted following the force majeure declared by oil giants Total and Shell.

Total has declared force majeure on gas supplies to Nigeria LNG’s liquefication plant, the company said yesterday.

The company said it had stopped oil and gas production from its onshore Oil Mining Lease (OML) 58 block, losing the equivalent of 90,000 barrels per day of oil equivalent.

The oil and gas major said it declared the force majeure 10 days ago at its OML 58 natural gas field in Nigeria due to flooding, which forced the company to halt its natural gas production there, and that it had stopped oil and gas production from its onshore OML 58 block. read more

From our October 2004 Shell News Archive

The Independent On Sunday (UK): Tarnished Shell seeks to be born again

Tim Webb on the oil giant’s attempts to put scandal behind it and give itself a facelift: “Shell directors have spent the last year reading the newspapers about how bad they are,” he says. “The last thing they want to read is that they have failed again.”

24 October 2004

Shell is expected to outdo its rival, BP, when it announces higher third- quarter earnings this week. In fact, it has already earned more than BP this year, which isn’t bad for such a “troubled” company.

It underlines the fact that the Anglo-Dutch company has continued to perform financially despite spending most of the year mired in controversy. This is the same Shell which in the past six months has seen its chairman, exploration chief and finance director leave after a fifth of its proven oil and gas reserves were found to be wrongly booked. And it is the same company whose new chairman, Jeroen van der Veer, vowed last month at its annual strategy meeting: “Much more needs to be done. We are driving Shell to be a different company.” read more

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Before the
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Release No. 63243 / November 4, 2010

ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING ENFORCEMENT Release No. 3204 / November 4, 2010

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING File No. 3-14107

In the Matter of
ROYAL DUTCH SHELL plc,

and

SHELL INTERNATIONAL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION INC.,

Respondents.

ORDER INSTITUTING CEASE- AND-DESIST PROCEEDINGS PURSUANT TO SECTION 21C OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, MAKING FINDINGS, AND IMPOSING SANCTIONS AND A CEASE-AND- DESIST ORDER

A. SUMMARY

This matter concerns violations of the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) by Respondent SIEP and the record keeping and internal controls provisions of the FCPA by Respondent Shell. From September 2002 through November 2005, SIEP, on behalf of Shell, authorized the reimbursement or continued use of services provided by a company acting as a customs broker that involved suspicious payments of approximately $3.5 million to officials of the Nigerian Customs Service in order to obtain preferential treatment during the customs process for the purpose of assisting Shell in obtaining or retaining business in Nigeria on Shell’s Bonga Project. As a result of these payments, Shell profited in the amount of approximately $14 million. None of the improper payments was accurately reflected in Shell’s books and records, nor was Shell’s system of internal accounting controls adequate at the time to detect and prevent these suspicious payments. read more

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Royal Dutch Shell PLC warned Tuesday that it won’t be able to make its estimated production for two types of oil pumped from Nigeria, largely blaming attacks on its pipelines by thieves wanting to steal crude.

Shell said in a statement it had declared a “force majeure” warning Friday for shipments of its Bonny and Forcados crude oil — meaning it is impossible for the company to cover the promised supply from the field. Those two types of crude represent a major chunk of the oil produced in Nigeria by Shell, long the dominant foreign oil company in the West African nation. read more

EDMONTON – Backed by human rights organizations and conservation groups, the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation will argue in Fort McMurray on Tuesday that it should be allowed to issue a legal challenge against Shell Canada’s proposed expansion of its Jackpine mine in northeastern Alberta.

In an appearance before the Energy Resources Conservation Board and Joint Environmental Review Panel, the First Nation will argue that the government has failed to meaningfully address the impact the development could have on the band’s traditional territory and is therefore in violation of its treaty rights. read more

By Joe Carroll and Edward Klump on October 22, 2012

Now that BP Plc (BP/) has partnered with Russia’s Vladimir Putin to oversee the world’s second-biggest oil industry, other international energy companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) are facing dwindling access to one of the last untapped troves of crude.

BP’s agreement yesterday to sell its half of Moscow-based TNK-BP to Russia’s state-run oil company, OAO Rosneft (ROSN), for $12.3 billion in cash and almost one-fifth of Rosneft’s shares vaulted the U.K. energy producer to preeminence among foreign drillers in the Russian oil patch, said Pavel Molchanov, an analyst at Raymond James & Associates Inc. in Houston. read more

22 October 2012 Last updated at 17:37

All 19 people on board a helicopter which ditched in the North Sea are reported to be safe.

The incident happened in an area 32 miles south of Shetland, off Fair Isle. The alarm was raised at about 15:30.

CHC Helicopter confirmed one of its aircraft was involved, but the exact details were not yet known.

It is understood the Super Puma EC 225 had been heading to the West Phoenix drilling rig.

The 19 people were being taken to Kirkwall on Orkney.

A CHC spokesperson said: “The appropriate authorities have been informed and the company’s incident management team has been mobilised.” read more

From our October 2005 Shell News Archive

Times Online: Capital expenditure will be a key number in Shell’s results. Citigroup expects capex to rise by $5 billion to $20 billion a year because of cost over-runs at facilities in Russia, Nigeria, Qatar, Canada and Kazakhstan. Such spending will not help earnings.”

Posted Saturday October 22, 2005

EXTRACT FROM BUSINESS WEEK ARTICLE

Times Online’s guide to the week’s business stories. By Bryce Elder

Shell seems as good a place to start as any. Third-quarter earnings growth at Europe’s second-largest oil company is expected to show the effects of hurricane-hit lower production.

Net income for the quarter is expected at between $4.37 billion and $5.92 billion, up 18 per cent at the median compared with $4.38 billion previously. That would be the slowest growth since the second half of 2004, when quarterly earnings surged by as much as 200 per cent as oil prices rocketed. Like BP two days earlier, Shell’s annual production target of between 3.5 million and 3.8 million barrels of oil equivalent per day may be at risk due to stoppages. read more

From Our October 2004 Shell News Archive

Financial Times: Shell apologises for bitumen meetings in Brussels probe

Royal Dutch/Shell said it regretted attending meetings with roadbuilders and bitumen suppliers. The apology came as it responded to charges from the European Commission of possible price-fixing in the Dutch bitumen market.”: Rein Willems, chairman of Shell in the Netherlands, said: “We are concerned about this matter. We should not have been in these meetings and we regret our involvement in this case.”

By James Boxell

Published: October 22 2004

Royal Dutch/Shell said it regretted attending meetings with roadbuilders and bitumen suppliers. The apology came as it responded to charges from the European Commission of possible price-fixing in the Dutch bitumen market.

Rein Willems, chairman of Shell in the Netherlands, said: “We are concerned about this matter. We should not have been in these meetings and we regret our involvement in this case.”

The Anglo-Dutch energy group, which is seeking to restore its reputation after overbooking 23 per cent of its oil reserves, said it had received a “statement of objections” from the Commission, along with 13 other bitumen market participants. read more

October 22, 2012 by Nicholas Bishop

After more than 50 years of oil production the proverbial genie may finally be out of the bottle and warranted compensation looming for the thousands, if not millions of people affected by oil pollution.

In a potentially precedent setting court case, four Nigerian farmers and Friends of the Earth Netherlands [Milieudefensie], an NGO, are suing Royal Dutch Shell, one of the largest multinationals in the world for environmental damage caused by oil spills. Shell, Nigeria’s largest producer of oil has dismissed the claims stating that domestic terrorism in the Niger delta is responsible for more than 75% of all oil spills and made repairing pipelines nearly impossible due to rampant insecurity. A ruling is expected in the case on January 30, 2013. read more

Nigeria: We Need Support From Government to Fight Oil Theft – Attah

By Anayo Onukwugha, 22 October 2012

interview

The Vice President, Health, Safety and Communication, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Tony Attah, in this interview with ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, speaks on the rising wave of oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

What is your take on the rising cases of oil theft in the Niger Delta region?

This menace is one that has been around for a very long time and, working with you, we have shown you a few things in the past. Imo River over-fly is in terrible situation. Also, around the Bodo-Bomu axis, we have a very similar situation going on. There you have lots of illegal refining activities, which are damaging the environment. This particular one is worthy of mention because of the scale. read more

by  Jon Mainwaring: Rigzone Staff: Monday, October 22, 2012

The UK government announced Monday it has given consent to Royal Dutch Shell for it to develop the Fram oil and gas field, offshore UK.

The Fram field, located 135 miles east of Aberdeen in around 330 feet of water, is expected to produce an average of 35,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

In a statement, UK Energy Minister John Hayes commented:

“The durability of oil production in the North Sea constantly confounds expectation. It is a tribute to the high-tech advances and expertise of British industry, which has constantly pushed the boundaries of what can be produced. read more

A black-throated green warbler bathes at the bird sanctuary at High Island in Texas, May 8, 2006.

Photograph by: NATALIE CAUDILL , MCT

EDMONTON – Shell Canada outlines a substantial loss of habitat for birds, woodland caribou, bison and other animals in an environmental assessment of the proposed expansion of its Jackpine oilsands mine in northeastern Alberta.

The document prepared by the company for an upcoming public hearing predicts that the impact of all development projects in the region, including but not restricted to the proposed Jackpine mine, would result in the loss of 40 to 60 per cent of the habitat for birds, 47 per cent of habitat critical to woodland caribou, 39 per cent of the habitat used by wood bison and significant swaths of forest important to fisher, lynx, wolverine, moose, beaver and black bear. read more

By Vincent McDermott: Sunday, October 21, 2012 6:03:59 MDT PM

The expanded portion of the MacDonald Island Park project now has a name.

During Saturday’s State of the Island gala, Shell Albian Sands announced it was entering a $2.5 million partnership with the facility, renaming the expansion as Shell Place.

The facility, already the largest recreational centre in Canada, will include an outdoor performance stadium, a conference centre and several other features.

“Our commitment to the community is very strong and we think this is the way to show it,” said Tom Purves, vice-president of Shell Albian Sands. “A lot of people who work here are trying to make Fort McMurray a very great place to live, an even better place to live and this expansion will be a very big part of that.” read more

By ANDREW E. KRAMER and STANLEY REED

MOSCOW — BP’s board has approved an offer from the Russian state oil company, Rosneft, to buy most of BP’s business in Russia for cash and shares in Rosneft, further consolidating Russia’s control of its oil industry, an executive with knowledge of the decision said.

Under the terms of the deal, BP would remain in Russia but — initially at least — only as a minority investor in an oil company controlled by the government of President Vladimir V. Putin. Later, BP is hoping to use this new strategic tie with the Kremlin to drum up other business. read more

Published : Sunday, 21 Oct 2012, 2:01 PM CDT

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Republican Tommy Thompson’s campaign said the Wisconsin Senate candidate sold stock in four companies for $38,000 because they have ties to Iran.

Campaign spokeswoman Lisa Boothe identified the companies Friday as Royal Dutch Shell; Rio Tinto, a London-based mining company; Schlumberger, a Houston-based provider of oil-field services; and Total Petroleum, a petroleum-marketing company based in Africa.

“He rid himself of them as soon as he found out they had any business dealings with Iran, no matter how minor,” Boothe said in a statement. read more

FROM OUR JUNE 2009 SHELL NEWS ARCHIVE

The Ogoni claim victory over the oil giant, although the company insists the $15.5-million award is a humanitarian gesture.

June 13, 2009

After 13 years of litigation, Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to settle with plaintiffs who accused the oil giant of complicity in human rights abuses in Nigeria, the most infamous of which was the execution of prominent playwright, author and environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa. A member of the Ogoni tribe, Saro-Wiwa was a vocal critic of Shell and the brutal military government of Gen. Sani Abacha. His eloquence brought international attention to Shell’s questionable environmental practices in the Niger River delta and the government’s lax regulation of environmental laws. read more