Jun 30th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Royal Dutch Shell Plc board members Peter Voser, Simon Henry and Jorma Ollila, all members of the sinister Bilderberg Group and participants in the controversial 2013 Bilderberg Conference. How is their membership is such a secretive organisation compatible with Shell’s claimed core business principles of openness and transparency? (Comment by John Donovan)
Famous for being shrouded in secrecy, the Bilderberg conference took place in Britain for the first time since 1998 and conspiracy theorists believe this is where leaders plot world domination.
The huge police operation drafted in to monitor the four-day event in Watford, which has previously attracted mass demonstrations, could cost the British taxpayer as much as £2million or more, it has been claimed.Since its inception in 1954, Bilderberg has held annual gatherings of 120-150 invited political leaders and experts from industry, finance, academia and the media, designed to ‘foster dialogue between Europe and North America’.The group describes the conference as ‘a forum for informal, off-the-record discussions about megatrends and the major issues facing the world’ and states that the private nature of the meeting allows participants to ‘listen, reflect and gather insights’ without being bound by the conventions of office or by pre-agreed public positions.There is no detailed agenda, no resolutions are proposed, no votes are taken, and no policy statements are issued.
Several cars with blacked-out windows entered the gates of the Grove Hotel, near Watford, in Hertfordshire, were seen arriving the secretive meeting. Some were heckled by crowds of protestors outside.
BILDERBERG CONFERENCE 2013: FULL LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Chairman: Henri de Castries, Chairman and CEO, AXA Group
Paul M. Achleitner, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Deutsche Bank AG
Josef Ackermann, Chairman of the Board, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd
Jun 30th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region is losing its battle against organised oil theft. According to the managing director of the Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mutiu Sunmonu, oil theft by local groups currently results in a total of $6bn per year in lost revenue to the corporate giant. The “blood oil” industry, a term coined by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, is reportedly run by armed groups as well as activists calling for a fairer distribution of the country’s enormous oil profits. The majority of Nigeria’s 160 million citizens live in poverty – despite being residents of Africa’s biggest oil producer.
The illicit trade is blooming in Nigeria, where regulations are few.
An illegal refinery worker, John Sowawi, pumps water into the distilling equipment that is used to refine the stolen crude oil. Tife Owolabi/Transterra Media
Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region is losing its battle against organised oil theft. According to the managing director of the Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mutiu Sunmonu, oil theft by local groups currently results in a total of $6bn per year in lost revenue to the corporate giant. Other major oil companies have also said they were losing a huge amount of money due to oil theft, and are paying huge amounts for security.
The “blood oil” industry, a term coined by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, is reportedly run by armed groups as well as activists calling for a fairer distribution of the country’s enormous oil profits. The majority of Nigeria’s 160 million citizens live in poverty – despite being residents of Africa’s biggest oil producer.read more
Jun 30th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
SUNDAY 30 June 2013
Extra gardai are on duty in Co Mayo this weekend after violence broke out at a protest against the Shell gas pipeline last Sunday when a security guard had his arm badly injured and €150,000 worth of damage was done to machinery, writes Jim Cusack.read more
Jun 29th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
London (Platts)–28Jun2013/902 am EDT/1302 GMT
Shell’s hopes for a new gas-to-liquids mega project on the US Gulf Coast would benefit from much-improved process efficiencies, but any resulting cost savings could be limited by the need to build most of the plant outside the US, Shell officials said this week.
Shell has improved its proprietary GTL technology to the point where it can achieve 50% gains in throughput volumes compared to its giant Pearl GTL plant in Qatar which came on stream in 2011, according to one of Shell’s top GTL scientists.read more
Jun 29th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
By Yereth Rosen
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, June 28 | Fri Jun 28, 2013 2:23pm EDT
(Reuters) – No one will drill in Arctic waters off Alaska this year, but there is still plenty of offshore work for the oil industry to do when conditions finally allow it next month.
Royal Dutch Shell Plc, which canceled its 2013 Arctic offshore drill season after numerous troubles there last year, plans to send ships to study sites around oil prospects in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, according to permit applications.read more
The House of Representatives advanced two items on the oil industry’s wish list Thursday, by passing legislation that would unleash drilling in the Western Gap area of the Gulf of Mexico and waive new financial reporting requirements on companies’ foreign dealmaking.
Jun 28th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
The litigation relates to a corruption case in which Shell was ordered to pay $48 million (£29.4m) in civil and criminal fines after its contractor (Panalpina Inc.) bribed Nigerian customs officials.It appears that Shell decided to try to make Robert Writt the fall guy for Shell’s involvement in the massive corruption scheme (targeting officials of a host country) by turning Writt in to the US federal authorities, in the belief that Shell was safe from legal retribution by him. The Appeals Court has decided otherwise.
By John Donovan
A Texas Appeals Court has reinstated a defamation action brought by a former Shell project manager, Robert Writt, against Shell Oil Co.
Shell had managed to have the case blocked on a legal technicality, but the Court of Appeals of the first District of Texas overturned the decision.
The case is:
NO.01-11-00201-CV ROBERT WRITT, Appellant
V.
SHELL OIL COMPANY AND SHELL INTERNATIONAL, E&P, INC., Appellees
Jun 26th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Shell lawyers are panicking about the prospect of being compelled to hand over secret information to a US court hearing a case about alleged manipulation of the crude oil futures market. Shell mentions the protection of trade secrets. In my experience, that is probably trade secrets Shell has stolen from someone else, inevitably a smaller company, or an individual who made the mistake of trusting Shell and its sham business principles.Â
By John Donovan
A Shell insider source has brought to my attention certain current litigation in the USA in which Shell Oil Company has involvement as one of a number of third parties.
Shell lawyers are panicking about the prospect of being compelled to hand over secret information to a US court hearing a case about alleged manipulation of the crude oil futures market.
For obvious reasons, the timing is rather unfortunate for Shell.
The case is:
U.S. COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION, Plaintiff, read more
Jun 26th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
€30,000 of €200,000 course funding to come from Corrib Gas Community Gain Investment Fund
Wednesday Jun 26, 2013
An innovative new art degree, to be part-funded by Shell, is causing controversy among staff at two third-level colleges. The proposed new visual art degree in Erris, Co Mayo, is being offered by the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) and Mayo County Council, which administers the €8.5 million Corrib Gas Community Gain Investment Fund.
A DIT staff member has said that €30,000 of the €200,000 course funding – the bulk of which is from DIT – will come from the Corrib fund. This fund, which is to benefit the people of Erris, is being rolled out over five years by the council as an An Bord Pleanála condition for planning permission for the last phase of the Corrib gas pipeline. Its administration has nothing to do with Shell.read more
Jun 26th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Eight Shell contractors were arrested by Nigerian security services in connection with the fire that broke out last week (19 June), following an oil spill at a section of the pipeline near Bodo that was being repaired by Shell contractors.
Posted: 26 June 2013
A major fire that forced Shell to close its Trans Niger Pipeline in southern Nigeria raises serious questions about the way the oil giant is operating, Amnesty International and the Nigerian National Coalition on Gas Flaring and Oil Spills (NACGOND) said.
The organisations called for an independent inquiry into the events that led to the fire at Bodo in Rivers State – an area already devastated by years of oil pollution.
Eight Shell contractors were arrested by Nigerian security services in connection with the fire that broke out last week (19 June), following an oil spill at a section of the pipeline near Bodo that was being repaired by Shell contractors.read more
How about Shell – the world’s largest corporation, according to Fortune? In 2010, the company launched an ad campaign called “Let’s Go,” hyping its efforts to “broaden the world’s energy mix.” The ads are still running today. But the numbers tell a different story. Shell reports spending about $400 million a year on alternatives, out of the $23 billion it spent on all expenditures in 2012. At its peak in 2007, Shell was spending just 2.5 percent of its total capital expenditures on alternatives. Today it’s down to 1.5 percent.read more
Jun 25th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
By Jeremy Heallen
Law360, Houston (June 25, 2013, 3:21 PM ET) — A Texas appeals court Tuesday revived a defamation suit against Shell Oil Co., ruling that the oil and gas giant could potentially be held liable for allegedly telling federal authorities that a former employee signed off on bribes to foreign officials.
The First District Court of Appeals rejected a trial court’s decision that Shell was immune from the suit under an “absolute privilege†that extended to statements made in the context of judicial proceedings because at the time the company told the U.S. Dept. of Justice… read more
Jun 25th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
June 25 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission opened a formal investigation into how prices of crude oil and petroleum-derived products are set, mirroring a European Union inquiry, two people familiar with the matter said. The investigation, now in a preliminary stage, will probably broaden into a multi-jurisdictional affair…
U.S. FTC Said to Open Oil Price Probe, Mirroring EU Inquiry
Sara Forden Jun 25, 2013 12:01 am ET
June 25 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission opened a formal investigation into how prices of crude oil and petroleum-derived products are set, mirroring a European Union inquiry, two people familiar with the matter said.
The investigation, now in a preliminary stage, will probably broaden into a multi-jurisdictional affair like the inquiry into manipulation of the London interbank offered rate, or Libor, the people said. FTC investigators are reviewing the progress made by their European counterparts, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is confidential.read more
Jun 25th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Shane Ferro
The Wall Street Journal has a painstakingly detailed article on how oil prices are benchmarked, and how those benchmarks can be manipulated. The EU has been investigating major oil companies, as well as the industry publication that sets the daily benchmark price, since last month. If the probe turns up damning evidence, this could be the biggest price-fixing scandal since Libor.
What’s going on here?
In mid-May, EU investigators raided the offices of Shell, BP and Statoil, three of Europe’s largest oil exporters. They also hit Platts, which takes pricing data from oil traders and uses it to set a daily oil-price benchmark. The raids come on the heels of the Libor scandal, in which some of the world’s largest banks were fined for manipulating interest rate benchmarks.read more
Jun 25th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
By Jeremy Heallen
Law360, Houston (June 25, 2013, 3:21 PM ET) — A Texas appeals court Tuesday revived a defamation suit against Shell Oil Co., ruling that the oil and gas giant could potentially be held liable for allegedly telling federal authorities that a former employee signed off on bribes to foreign officials.
The First District Court of Appeals rejected a trial court’s decision that Shell was immune from the suit under an “absolute privilege” that extended to statements made in the context of judicial proceedings because at the time the company told the U.S. Dept. of Justice that it believed project manager Robert Writt had violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a criminal case had not yet been initiated.read more
Jun 25th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
By Obafemi Oredein: June 24, 2013
Special to DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
Shell spokesman Tony Okonedo said in a statement that the team that will visit the site on Tuesday includes regulators, Ministry of Environment officials, community members, SPDC officials and independent observers.
Jun 24th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Nigerian soldiers have arrested eight people working for companies contracted by Royal Dutch Shell, military authorities said, following a pipeline fire that the company blamed on damage caused by oil thieves.
YENAGOA, Nigeria, June 24 | Mon Jun 24, 2013 3:54pm BST
(Reuters) – Nigerian soldiers have arrested eight people working for companies contracted by Royal Dutch Shell, military authorities said, following a pipeline fire that the company blamed on damage caused by oil thieves.
Shell’s Nigerian unit, Shell Petroleum Development Co. of Nigeria Ltd. (SPDC), shut the 150,000 barrel per day (bpd) Trans Niger pipeline last week after an explosion and a fire in Bodo West, in Ogoniland, an area already heavily polluted by oil spills.read more
Jun 24th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Because of the “royaldutchshellplc.com” domain name, we regularly receive job applications, business proposals, pension enquiries, and sometimes even terrorist threats meant for Shell. We deal with all such matters as agreed with Mr Brandjes, sometimes corresponding with third parties on behalf of Shell, occasionally passing on correspondence to him. We have been offered oil wells and coalmines by third parties wrongly believing that we are Shell.
LETTER DATED 24 JUNE 2013 FROM ALFRED & JOHN DONOVAN TO SHELL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
24 June 2013
Mr. Gary Thomson
Shell International Limited
Shell Centre
London SE1 7NA
UK
Dear Mr Thomson
Data Protection Act 1998 Subject Access Request (SAR)
Thank you for your letter dated 19 June 2013.
Please find enclosed completed application forms together with cheques based on a fee of £10 per applicant, if that is appropriate.
The application is made on an annual basis in joint names; the formula sensibly requested by your former colleague Mr Richard Wiseman and agreed to by us.
The categories of “Particular Personal Data” you have brought to our attention in the standard form supplied are not appropriate to our application. You do not have any category that is relevant to our relationship with Shell, which is unique.read more
Jun 24th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Monday, June 24, 2013
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd as operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation/SPDC joint venture announced that the SPDC JV (NNPC 55%, SPDC 30%, TOTAL 10%, NAOC 5%) has taken final investment decisions for the Trans Niger Pipeline loop-line and the Gbaran-Ubie Phase Two projects, both in Nigeria’s eastern Niger Delta. The total capital investment for the two bundles of projects is around $3.9 billion. SPDC has also announced a strategic review of the interests that it holds in selected onshore leases in the SPDC JV.read more
(Reuters) – No pilot was required when the Aeryon Scout took off into the leaden skies of Alaska to inspect a stretch of oil pipeline. The miniature aircraft was guided by an engineer on the ground, armed only with a tablet computer.
The 20-minute test flight, conducted by BP Plc last fall, was a glimpse of a future where oil and gas companies in the Arctic can rely on unmanned aircraft to detect pipeline faults, at a fraction of the cost of piloted helicopter flights.read more
Jun 24th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Now, just to refresh your memory, Shell is the oil company whose most notable adventure in 2012 consisted of trying and repeatedly failing to drill for oil off the coast of Alaska this summer. So why did the company win an award, as opposed to the ridicule of its peers? Are extra points awarded for transforming an oil drilling operation into a tragicomic circus show? Or maybe Shell won “Energy Company of the Year” by excelling at lying its ass off; After all, after it spent years and billions of dollars convincing U.S. regulators that drilling was safe, and then turned around and admitted its safety equipment in the Arctic was a joke.
Somebody thought Royal-Dutch Shell did an extra-good job this year, and decided to give them a trophy: The oil giant was named “Energy Company of the Year” at the Platts Global Energy Awards. According to its website, Platts is the “leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals and metals information,” and is in no way related to screen legend Oliver Platt.
Now, just to refresh your memory, Shell is the oil company whose most notable adventure in 2012 consisted of trying and repeatedly failing to drill for oil off the coast of Alaska this summer. So why did the company win an award, as opposed to the ridicule of its peers? Are extra points awarded for transforming an oil drilling operation into a tragicomic circus show?read more
Jun 24th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
June 24, 2013
Shell was considering a further reduction in its oil production in the eastern Niger Delta, it said on Friday. Nigeria wants more of its oil and gas owned either by the state oil company or local firms, raising concerns among foreign oil majors they may lose smaller assets for nothing if they do not sell now, industry experts say. Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary, the Shell Petroleum Development of Nigeria, said on Friday that it would consult with its international and Nigerian partners over the future of the 28 leases that produce some 750 000 barrels a day of oil. – Reutersread more
Jun 24th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Peter Klinger, The West Australian June 24, 2013, 7:30 am
Outgoing Shell Australia chair-woman Ann Pickard will use her last visit to Canberra today to plead for a return to political leadership capable of making “the important and hard decisions required” to keep the country internationally competitive.
Evoking the examples of reformist former prime ministers Robert Menzies, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating and John Howard, Ms Pickard will use her address to a Committee for Economic Development of Australia function to call for “conviction in making hard, long-term decisions”.read more
Shell Petroleum Development Co. of Nigeria Ltd. (SPDC), operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC)/SPDC joint venture (SPDC JV), reported that the group has taken final investment decisions for the Trans Niger Pipeline loop-line (TNPL) and the Gbaran-Ubie Phase Two projects. Both are in Nigeria’s eastern Niger Delta.
Jun 22nd, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Today The Wall Street Journal reports that “Shell Contractors” have been arrested in connection with the theft of oil. This relates to the explosion and fire earlier this week that resulted in the closure of the Trans Niger pipeline.
By John Donovan
We have been reporting for some time about Shell skullduggery in Nigeria, including:
Jun 22nd, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
By John Donovan: After the recent historic U.S. Supreme Courtprecedent setting decision in favour of the evil oil giant Royal Dutch Shell Plc and big business in the Kiobel vs. Royal Dutch Shell case, there is further disturbing evidence this week that the court is siding with multinational corporations against ordinary people and small businesses. WHY? The following extraordinary article by the Editorial Board of The New York Times is published today on page 18 of the New York edition.
This week, the Supreme Court continued its aggressive effort to favor corporations by forcing customers to raise grievances through individual arbitration rather than a class action or some other joint legal challenge.
In American Express Company v. Italian Colors Restaurant, the court ruled 5 to 3 that a group of merchants could not bring a class action against the company even on antitrust grounds because each had signed a contract that required complaints to be taken to individual arbitration.read more
Jun 22nd, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
21 June 2013
NIGERIA’s daily crude oil output declined by 150,000 barrels, as Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, SPDC, joint venture, Thursday, said it has shut the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) following an explosion and fire at a crude theft point on the 28″ section of the facility at Bodo West in Ogoni land.
To this end, the country is currently losing about $14.73 million (N2.357 billion) daily, pending when the pipeline is restored.
A statement by Mr. Tony Okonedo, Corporate Media Relations Manager, said that prior to the incident, SPDC had shut down the 28″ TNP to remove crude theft connections, and has now closed the 24″ TNP as a precautionary response to the fire. This means that the entire TNP system, comprising the 28″ and 24″ pipelines have been shut-in. The 24″ TNP will be reopened when it is safe to do so, while the 28″ TNP will remain shut-in until the fire has been extinguished, and investigation and damage assessment completed.”read more
Jun 21st, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
June 21, 2013
AMSTERDAM (AP) — Royal Dutch Shell PLC says it will spend $3.9 billion on investments in Nigeria, including an effort to strengthen the Trans-Niger Pipeline that was shut down this week after it was damaged in a theft attack.
In a statement Friday, the company said it plans to spend $1.5 billion on the pipeline, which carries 150,000 barrels of crude per day and is located in the eastern Niger Delta. Shell operates in Nigeria via a joint venture that is majority-owned by the country’s state oil company.read more
Jun 21st, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
21 June 2013
LAGOS — Oil giant Shell announced Friday it may sell more of its onshore oil blocks in Nigeria, where theft and sabotage have repeatedly cut into production in Africa’s largest crude producer.
The British-Dutch firm, Nigeria’s biggest producer, also said the joint venture its Nigerian subsidiary operates was planning to invest $3.9 billion (3 billion euros) on gas projects and pipeline work.
Shell said it may continue with efforts to sell off its interests in onshore oil blocks. It has sold its interests in eight blocks since 2010 for a total of $1.8 billion, it said.read more
Jun 21st, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Press release
Issued by the Rossport Solidarity Camp
For immediate release
21st June 2013
*Corrib campaigner released from Castlerea prison*
*Liam Heffernan released after 10 days imprisonment and 5 days on hunger strike*
Today at Harristown court, Castlrea Co. Roscommon, Liam Walsh Heffernan (28) of Castlebar Co. Mayo, was released from Castlerea prison after 10 days in custody. For the last 5 days of his imprisonment he had been on hunger strike protesting against his detention and the extraordinary conditions of the bail terms that he had thus far refused.read more
Jun 21st, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
An article published on 18 June contains information about six potential front-runners to replace Peter Voser, the current Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell Plc
The six are: Simon Henry, Marvin Odum, Andrew Brown, Matthias Bichsel, Josef Ackermann and Hans Wijers.
Jun 21st, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Fri Jun 21, 2013 10:39am EDT
* Production flatlines at 3 mln bpd in first half
* Target of 3.4 mln by end year “doable”
* New oilfields due on stream includeShell’sMajnoon
* 2014 goal of 4.5 mln bpd seen as unachievable
By Peg Mackey and Alex Lawler
LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) – Iraq’s oil output target for 2013 is still within reach, even with flows stuck at 3 million barrels a day during the first half of the year, but a lofty goal for 2014 will be far more difficult to meet, oil executives and officials say.read more
Jun 21st, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Royal Dutch/Shell is considering a further reduction in its oil production in the eastern Niger Delta, where decades of spills and oil thefts have damaged the region’s environment and the reputation of the company.
LONDON/LAGOS | Fri Jun 21, 2013 3:57pm BST
(Reuters) – Royal Dutch/Shell (RDSa.L) is considering a further reduction in its oil production in the eastern Niger Delta, where decades of spills and oil thefts have damaged the region’s environment and the reputation of the company.
Nigeria’s government wants more of its oil and gas owned either by the state oil company or local firms, raising concerns among foreign oil majors they may lose smaller assets for nothing if they don’t sell now, industry experts say.read more
Jun 21st, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Environmental activists accuse Shell Nigeria of using oil theft as an excuse to cover up accidental spills. The company has to compensate local communities for spills not caused by theft.
Shell Nigeria: Explosion forces closure of Trans Niger Pipeline carrying 150,000 barrels a day
By Associated Press, Published: June 20
LAGOS, Nigeria — Shell Nigeria says an explosion and fire caused by oil theft have forced it to shut down its Trans Niger Pipeline that carries 150,000 barrels of crude a day.Thursday’s statement said the theft of oil, known as bunkering, caused the conflagration at Bodo West in Ogoniland. The area in southern Nigeria already has suffered decades of oil spills.Shell’s Nigeria Director Mutiu Sunmonu described “another sad reminder of the tragic consequences of crude oil theft.â€
Environmental activists accuse Shell Nigeria of using oil theft as an excuse to cover up accidental spills. The company has to compensate local communities for spills not caused by theft.
“Sabotage is a problem in Nigeria, but Shell exaggerates this issue to avoid criticism for its failure to prevent oil spills,†Audrey Gaughran of Amnesty International said.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Jun 21st, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Rossport campaigners say Liam Heffernan was arrested for blocking construction vehicles
CAMPAIGNERS AGAINST the construction of a Shell gas pipeline at Rossport in Co Mayo say one of their fellow campaigners is on his fourth day of a hunger strike over his arrest.
Liam Heffernan was arrested at Aughoose last Wednesday for allegedly obstructing Shell construction vehicles as they moved in to bore a tunnel to carry a pipeline in the area.
Campaigners claim his arrest was without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.
They say Heffernan was taken to Belmullet Garda Station where he was offered the opportunity to enter into a bail bond, on the condition that he stay away from Shell’s tunnelling compound at Aughoose.read more
Jun 20th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
By Benoit Faucon and Sarah Kent: June 20, 2013
LONDON–A key Nigeria pipeline operated by a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA, RDSA.LN) has caught fire following an oil spill, an eye witness and a local environmental activist said Thursday.
Jun 20th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Controversy relating to Shell’s evil track record in Nigeria is not limited to oil spill pollution. There is also the corruption, plunder, collusion, militants on Shell’s pay roll and Shell spying on the host government. Graphic from the Guardian Article: Unloveable Shell: the Goddess of Oil (Comments by John Donovan)
Claims by Shell that sabotage is responsible for most oil spilt in Nigeria have come under fire. A Dutch agency found that the oil giants statements were based on disputed evidence and flawed investigations.
Friends of the Earth International
Amnesty International
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS, 19 JUNE 2013 – Claims by Shell that sabotage is responsible for most oil spilt in Nigeria have come under fire. A Dutch agency found that the oil giant’s statements were based on disputed evidence and flawed investigations.read more
Jun 20th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
On Monday 17th of June Shell Corrib Gas Project campaigner Liam Heffernan (right) began a hunger strike in protest against his continued detention in Castlerea prison.
Issued by Rossport Solidarity Camp
On Monday 17th of June Shell Corrib Gas Project campaigner Liam Heffernan (right) began a hunger strike in protest against his continued detention in Castlerea prison.
On Wednesday morning the 12th of June Liam Heffernan – a campaigner from the Rossport Solidarity Camp – was arrested at Aughoose, County Mayo under sections 8 and 9 of the Public Order Act for allegedly obstructing Shell construction vehicles without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.read more
Jun 19th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Premier Colin Barnett has renewed his attack on Royal Dutch Shell’s “unreliable” floating gas processing technology, claiming its susceptibility to cyclones is worrying customers in Asia.
Peter Kerr, The West AustralianJune 19, 2013, 7:17 am
Premier Colin Barnett has renewed his attack on Royal Dutch Shell’s “unreliable” floating gas processing technology, claiming its susceptibility to cyclones is worrying customers in Asia.
In a remarkable intervention during Parliament’s Question Time yesterday, Mr Barnett also showed he had refused to accept the loss of a land-based LNG hub at James Price Point. He issued a veiled threat that he would strip Woodside Petroleum and its Browse Basin partners of their State-based gas retention leases next year if they pursued FLNG.read more
Jun 19th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Oil company Shell will resume talks next week in London with lawyers representing 15,000 of the poorest people in the world who are claiming millions of pounds’ compensation for oil spills on the Niger delta. But Martyn Day, of Leigh Day law firm which is acting for the communities, said the case could still go to a full high court trial in London in 2014.
The company has admitted liability for two spills but disputes the quantity of oil and damage done
Oil company Shell will resume talks next week in London with lawyers representing 15,000 of the poorest people in the world who are claiming millions of pounds’ compensation for oil spills on the Niger delta. But Martyn Day, of Leigh Day law firm which is acting for the communities, said the case could still go to a full high court trial in London in 2014.
The Shell petroleum development company of Nigeria (SPDC) has admitted liability for two spills from a pipeline in the Niger delta in 2008, but the company disputes the quantity of oil that was spilled and the damage that was done to livelihoods and the environment near the coastal village of Bodo in Rivers State. Oil spill experts working for the communities estimate that nearly 500,000 barrels leaked from the company pipeline over several months, Shell claims it was far less.read more
Jun 19th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
The changes come amid renewed interest from companies such as BP Plc, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Imperial Oil Ltd. and the Canadian unit of Chevron Corp. in tapping offshore Atlantic and Arctic crude. Photograph by: Handout/United States Coast Guard , Financial Post
Jeff Lewis, Financial Post | Jun 18, 2013 | Last Updated: Jun 18, 2013 – 10:07 UTC
CALGARY • Ottawa is boosting the liability cap on oil companies with plans to drill in Atlantic and Arctic waters as it looks to rekindle interest in Canada’s offshore.
In changes announced Tuesday, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver said companies operating in the Atlantic would be on the hook for a maximum of $1-billion in the event of a spill, up from $30-million previously. Arctic drillers, who face high costs and harsh operating conditions in the Canadian Beaufort Sea, would also be responsible for a $1-billion liability limit, up from $40-million under existing rules.read more
Jun 19th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
BY RICHARD GILBER: staff write: June 19, 2013
The Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) has approved Shell Canada Limited’s applications to construct and operate two pipelines and a single gas well battery in the Beaver Mines area of southern Alberta.
Shell applied for approval to construct and operate two pipelines that are about 1.2 km in length and are required for production at the company’s existing Waterton 68 well, which is located about 30 kilometres southwest of Pincher Creek.read more
Jun 19th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
By Sally Bakewell June 18, 2013
Carbon capture and storage, a way of cutting emissions from industry by burying them underground, needs more state support for the European Union to meet clean-energy goals, a Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) adviser said.
“We’ve got to be clear that the EU’s climate goals in the long run cannot be met without clear policy intervention and that CCS is vital for the delivery of that,†Graeme Sweeney, who advises Shell on carbon-dioxide strategy, said by telephone.read more
Jun 19th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Promoters of Canadian tar sands development and the sale of large volumes of Canadian heavy oil never mention this hidden and unwanted ‘gift’ of high sulfur ‘coal’ that comes with the heavy oil. It is the ‘dirty little secret’ of the Canadian heavy oil crude that nobody in the oil industry wants to talk about. Where this stuff will be stored is a problem yet to be solved. At the present time it cannot be used as a fuel in the US because it is so polluting, worse that the dirtiest coal mined in the US.
Article authored by a regular contributor
John,
The following links tell a story about Canadian tar sands development that is interesting because they bring attention to a serious problem associated with the refining of the heavy crudes and bitumen from Canadian tar sand that has yet to be debated.
The refining of Canadian heavy crudes from the tar sands of Alberta in large volumes is going to produce vast amounts of a high sulfur content solid carbon by-product called ‘petroleum coke’, or ‘pet coke’. Disposal of this unwanted by-product will quickly become a problem for the refiners and nobody seems to be paying attention to that little fact.read more
Jun 19th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
…an independent investigation into how the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s guidelines are enforced found ‘discrepancies’ between Shell’s story and other accounts of the size and cause of spills… urged Shell to publish all investigations carried out prior to 2011, potentially exposing the company to multi-million pound lawsuits…
Royal Dutch Shell’s claims to be reducing the amount of oil it spills in Nigeria have been undermined by a report into how it publishes data on environmental disasters.
The Anglo-Dutch firm has been at pains to show that most spills in the Niger Delta are the result of thieves hacking into pipelines, a crime known as ‘bunkering’.
But an independent investigation into how the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s guidelines are enforced found ‘discrepancies’ between Shell’s story and other accounts of the size and cause of spills.read more
Jun 19th, 2013
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
The National Contact Point (NCP) agency will today give Shell a rap on the knuckles for its reporting of its spills in the Niger Delta region, some of which have been highly damaging to the environment. NCP has reached this conclusion following an investigation into accusations by Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth International that Shell has exaggerated the proportion of spills caused by sabotage to avoid paying compensation and to reduce damage to its reputation.
TOM BAWDEN: WEDNESDAY 19 JUNE 2013
Shell’s persistent claims that theft and sabotage are responsible for almost all the oil spills at its operation in Nigeria could have been exaggerated, an international watchdog has found.
The National Contact Point (NCP) agency will today give Shell a rap on the knuckles for its reporting of its spills in the Niger Delta region, some of which have been highly damaging to the environment.
The agency, set up to oversee OECD guidelines on multi-national companies, said: “Given the many years of discussion about the causes of oil spills in Nigeria, Royal Dutch Shell management should have had a more cautious attitude about the percentage of oil spills caused by the sabotage,” noting that the data they are based on is “not absolute”.read more
OVER 500 EXTERNAL PUBLICATIONS CITING OUR SHELL WEBSITES
See our link list of over 500 articles by the FT, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Bloomberg, Forbes, Dow Jones Newswires, New York Times, CNBC etc, plus UK House of Commons Select Committee Hansard records, information on U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission websiteetc. all containing references to our Shell focussed websites, or our website founders Alfred and John Donovan. Includes TV documentary features in English and German, newspaper and magazine articles, radio interviews, newsletters etc. Plus academic papers, Stratfor intelligence reports and UK, U.S. and Australian state/parliamentary publications, also citing our Shell websites. Click on this link to see the entire list, all in date order with a link to an index of over 100 books also containing references to our websites and/or our activities.
John Donovan, the website owner A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
JOHN DONOVAN, THE OWNER OF THIS AND SEVERAL OTHER SHELL FOCUSSED WEBSITES
SHELL PRELUDE TO DISASTER
The links below are to a series of articles, many triggered by a well-placed whistleblower directly involved in the pioneering Royal Dutch Shell Prelude project. Includes articles by Mr Bill Campbell above, the retired distinguished HSE Group Auditor of Shell International and another retired Shell guru with a track record of spotting potential pitfalls in major Shell projects.
The campaign waged on this website by John Donovan to persuade Edward Heerema to rename the worlds biggest ship, The Pieter Schelte - which he named after his late father, Pieter Schelte Heerema, a former Officer in the German Waffen-SS - has been successful. On Friday 6 February 2015, Allseas announced that it was changing the ships name, and on 9 February announced the new name - Pioneering Spirit.
GLOBAL NEWS COVERAGE: FEBRUARY 2010
MORE INFORMATION: Contact details for over 176,000 employees and contractors of Royal Dutch Shell reached John Donovan and some environmental and human rights groups, ostensibly from disaffected Shell staff calling for a “peaceful corporate revolution” at the company. The database, from Shell’s internal directory, contained names and telephone numbers for all the company’s work force worldwide, including some home numbers. It was supplied with a 170 page covering note, explaining that it was being circulated by “116 concerned employees of Shell dispersed throughout the USA, the UK, and the Netherlands”, to highlight the harm done by the company’s operations in Nigeria. John Donovan brought the leak to the attention of Shell. Tests proved that the data was authentic and he destroyed the database after being informed by Mr. Richard Wiseman, the then Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer of Royal Dutch Shell Plc, that the confidential information if publicly disclosed, could put Shell employees and contractors in real danger.
This is not a Shell website. That fact should be abundantly plain from the overall content of this home page and our sister Shell focussed websites, including shellnazihistory.com. Click on the Disclaimer link at top of this page for more information. You Can Be Sure Shell does not endorse or approve of this website. There are no subscription charges nor do we solicit or accept donations. It is an entirely free to use website drawing attention to the negative side of Shell while also publishing positive news about the company. The Shell logo image with the white text used on this website, as per the above example, is in the public domain because its copyright has expired and its author is anonymous. It can be found on WIKIMEDIA COMMONS. Our shellenergy.websitepublishes Shell Energy customer complaints posted on Trustpilot where there is an ample supply. Use this link for Shell’s own website.
Shell Breaking News
Shell and BP take a beating as bank woes hit crude pricesMarch 15, 2023 17:36Proactive InvestorsBP PLC (LSE:BP.) and Royal Dutch Shell PLC (LSE:SHEL, NYSE:SHEL) shares have taken a hit, dropping over 8%, due to a sell-off in the banking sector.
The natural resources market has been volatile, with Brent Crude and West Texas Intermediate falling by 4- …
Shell CEO Pay Up 50%March 9, 2023 21:23Manufacturing Business TechnologyCEO of Royal Dutch Shell Ben van Beurden speaks at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, June 21, 2017. Shell paid outgoing Chief Executive Ben van Beurden a total of 9.7 million pounds ($11.5 million) in 2022 as the …
Former Shell CEO's pay jumped 53% to $11.5m in 2022March 9, 2023 11:17Gulf NewsBen van Beurden, chief executive officer of Royal Dutch Shell, speaks during the 26th World Gas Conference in Paris, France, June 2, 2015
Image Credit: Reuters
London: Shell's former chief executive, Ben van Beurden, received a pay package of 9.7 …
Big Oil Goes Green: Shell Acquires VoltaFebruary 9, 2023 06:03Law Street MediaIn Big Oil’s latest foray into green energy, Shell has announced its acquisition of Volta, Inc. for $169 million.
Expected to close during the first half of 2023, the all-cash deal “builds on the momentum in electric mobility by combining one of the …
Shell CEO's first changes combine upstream and LNG operationsJanuary 30, 2023 09:20ReutersFILE PHOTO: The Royal Dutch Shell logo is seen at a Shell petrol station in London, January 31, 2008. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo/File Photo
Changes could result in some job cuts, Shell says
Upstream boss to oversee expanded unit
Executive …
SHELL’S ROLE IN NIGERIAN OPL 245 BRIBERY SCANDAL
Whatever fig leaves they might be trying to use to hide the truth, Shell and Eni paid over $1bn to a company called Malabu for the OPL 245 licence. Even though the payment was channelled through the Nigerian government, it was clear that Shell knew that the ultimate beneficiary was Dan Etete, the former minister of petroleum. Etete is the owner of Malabu, to whom he awarded the licence when he was Nigerian Minister of Petroleum.
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.
MORE INFORMATION
Shell appeased and collaborated with the Nazis. The oil giant instructed its employees in the Netherlands to complete a form giving particulars about their descent, which for some, amounted to a self-declared death warrant. Shell used slave labor and was a close business partner in Germany of I.G. Farben, the notorious Nazi run chemical giant that also used slave labor and supplied the Zyklon-B gas used during the Holocaust to exterminate millions of people, including children. Shell continued the partnership with the Nazis in the years after the retirement of Sir Henri and even after his death. It was money generated on Shell forecourts around the world, profiteering from cartel oil prices, that funded the Nazi party and saved it from financial collapse. Evidence about Shell's Nazi connections can be found in extracts from "A History of Royal Dutch Shell" Volumes 1 and 2 authored by historians paid by Shell, who had unrestricted access to Shell archives. There are 67 pages in total, so takes some time to download.
Photograph (full size here) shows a Swastika flag flying at the head office of Royal Dutch Petroleum, 30 Carel van Bylandtlaan, The Hague, during the Nazi occupation of the in World War II (From Image Database Hague Municipal)
Sir Henri Deterding, the founder of the Royal Dutch Shell Group - known as "The Most Powerful Man in the World" - who became an ardent Nazi and financial supporter of Hitler and the Nazi party.
Reading between the lines in various legal documents, it seems that the allegations are that after the technology in question had been disclosed to a Shell company in the USA, the information was passed to Shell in the Netherlands in breach of confidentiality. And Royal Dutch Shell subsequently exploited the technology without payment or credit to the company holding the rights; Newton Research Partners. The inference seems to be that Twister B.V. was founded by Shell partly on trade secrets stolen from Bloom/Newton.
DISCLAIMER: This is not a Shell website nor is it officially endorsed by or affiliated with Royal Dutch Shell Plc. Originally co-founded by the late Alfred Donovan and his son John, it is now operated by John, Shell's "No.1 Enemy", aided by an expert team, with invaluable support from retired Shell senior executives and officials as guest contributors and leaked information from Shell insiders. (JOHN DONOVAN, WEBSITE OWNER) For nearly a decade, we have operated globally under the Royal Dutch Shell Plc top level domain name, dealing on Shell’s reluctant behalf with job applications, business proposals, Shell pension enquiries, shareholder enquiries, complaints, invitations to speak at conferences, an approach from the Dutch Defence Ministry and even terrorist threats. All meant for Shell. Prospect magazine has aptly described this website as being:"An open wound for Shell": WIPO proceedings by Shell to seize the domain name failed. NO SUBSCRIPTION CHARGES: All of our watchdog activities monitoring Royal Dutch Shell, including operating this website, are carried out on a non-profit basis. Any advertising revenues generated are used to recover and/or defray operational costs. We are a news aggregator and original content website. All information is available free for educational and research purposes. SHELL TACIT ENDORSEMENT: WHAT A WELL INFORMED SHELL OFFICIAL SAID ABOUT US:
"John and Alfred Donovan well known in UK/Hague. They perceive Shell played them and so have made it their mission to embarrass,belittle and criticize Shell, which they do quite well. Their website, royaldutchshellplc.com is an excellent source of group news and comment and I recommend it far above what our own group internal comms puts out."
WARNING TO SHELL EMPLOYEES: Shell Global Affairs Security "CAS") is spying on Shell employees globally trying to trace who is visiting, posting, or leaking information to this website from Shell premises. Threats, including death threats, have allegedly been made against conscience driven Shell whistleblowers supplying us with information. The worlds biggest leak of employee details as part of a claimed corporate revolution by 116 Shell employees, suggest the espionage operation, threats and draconian litigation have not been entirely successful in cutting off the supply of information to this website. The insider leaks had already cost Shell billions on the Sakhalin Energy project and the loss of SEIC Deputy Chairman, David Greer. We publish our own carefully researched articles about Shell e.g. "How Royal Dutch Shell saved Hitler and the Nazi Party". MEDIA COVERAGE: Prospect Magazine, The Sunday Times, and The Guardian, have all published major articles about us: "Rise of the Gripe Site";"Two men and a website mount vendetta against Shell' and "92-year-old's website leaves oil giant Shell-shocked”. SHELL PETROL STATION images displayed in the website header panel are licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Information on copyright issues here.
John Donovan can be contacted at [email protected]
SHELL’S $500,000 WEDDING GIFT TO CORRUPT BRUNEI ROYAL FAMILY
EXTRACT FROM ASIAN JOURNAL ARTICLE IN LIST OF LINKS BELOW: "Fireworks will light up the sky for three nights. The local unit of oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has donated 500,000 Brunei dollars (US$292,400; euro 243,700) for the display, and for cultural events to be hosted by popular performers from Malaysia."
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:
THIS IS WHAT IT SAID:
Subject: This could be the most important whistleblower email you have ever received.
Some unfortunate Royal Dutch Shell workers have already lost their lives. More lives are at stake.
My name is Bill Campbell. I am a former Group Auditor of Shell International. I am writing to you on a matter of conscience in an effort to avert the inevitability of another major accident in the North Sea. The consequences could potentially impact on families in many constituencies, including your own.
As Royal Dutch Shell and the Health & Safety Executive would acknowledge, I am an expert on safety matters relating to offshore oil and gas platforms. In 1999, I was appointed by Shell to lead a safety audit on the Brent Bravo platform. The audit revealed a platform management culture that basically gave a higher priority to production than the safety of Shell employees. To our astonishment we discovered that a "Touch F*** All" policy was in place. Worse still, safety records were routinely falsified and repairs bodged.
I personally brought the shocking situation to the attention of senior management including Malcolm Brinded, the then Managing Director of Shell Exploration & Production. I revealed that ESDV leak-off tests were purposely falsified, not once but many times and that Brent Bravo platform management had admitted responsibility for the dangerous practices being followed. In response to my team ringing alarm bells, management pledged to rectify the serious problems which had been uncovered.
When I later complained that the pledges were not being kept, I was removed from my oversight function.
Four years later, a massive gas leak occurred on the platform. Two workers lost their lives. I have no doubt at all that the inaction of the relevant Asset Manager, the General Manager, the Oil Director and Malcolm Brinded, contributed in some part to the unlawful killing of two persons on Brent Bravo in September 2003.
Shell subsequently pleaded guilty to breaches of the HSE regulations and a record-breaking £900,000 fine was imposed. I thought this would bring about a real change in policy to put the emphasis on safety.
Unfortunately I was wrong. Although I supplied the evidence related to 1999, and the fact that there had been a collapse in controls of integrity from 1999 to 2003 on all 16 of Shell's North Sea offshore installations covered in a post fatality integrity review to the HSE for review by the Procurator Fiscal, none of this evidence was presented before the Sheriff at the subsequent Inquiry. The situation is explained in a letter to the Procurator Fiscal and the Sheriff (on 24th February 2007).
Shell management has engaged in spin to try to pretend that it is getting to grips with its safety problem. However, its atrocious safety record - the worst in the North Sea in terms of accidental deaths and absolute number of enforcement actions – tells a different story. This fact has resulted in a number of newspaper articles.
I have had meetings with senior Shell people including its CEO Mr. Jeroen van der Veer. I regret to say that I have found him to be economical with the truth. He prefers to support cover-up and deceit rather than confronting the underlying problems. Brinded is now Executive Director of Shell Exploration & Production. He believes in burying evidence.
My family and friends would probably prefer me to give up on this matter and enjoy my retirement after so many years working for Shell.
However, by writing to every MP in the UK, no one can ever say that I did not do my best to avert an inevitable further major accident event in the North Sea. When it happens (I pray that I am wrong) I will make this warning communication available to the media together with the vast amount of evidence in my possession.
At least my conscience is clear. I have done everything possible to ring the alarm bells about Shell management and its unscrupulous attitude to the safety of its employees.
Yours sincerely
Bill Campbell
ENDS
(Malcolm Brinded and Jeroen van der Veer are no longer with Shell. The Oil Director referred to in the email is Chris Finlayson, who left Shell to become Chief Executive of British Gas before being fired - his photo immediately below)
SIR PHILIP WATTS, THE GROUP CHAIRMAN OF ROYAL DUTCH SHELL GROUP, FORCED TO RESIGN IN 2004
Shell’s reputation was destroyed in 2004 after FIVE consecutive cuts to its hydrocarbon reserves covering 55% of its total reserves. US and UK financial regulators imposed $150 million in fines on Shell for securities fraud. Shell was also rocked by class action lawsuits. Sir Philip Watts
and Walter van de Vijver (whose headcut images appear courtesy of The Wall Street Journal) were among the Shell executives forced to resign. More details at the foot of this column.
MORE DETAILS: The Shell reserves scandal brought about
the end of the Royal Dutch Shell Group in its original form as an Anglo-Dutch partnership.
Shell Transport & Trading Co and Royal Dutch Petroleum were unified into a single Dutch owned company - Royal Dutch Shell Plc.
Sir Philip turned to religion and is now a very wealthy priest after receiving a payoff/pension package from Shell reportedly worth $18.5 million. Walter van de Vijver in contrast was the victim of a sadistic sacking by his Shell senior management backstabbing colleagues.
Displayed below are some of the spectacular promotional campaigns my company Don Marketing created for Shell in the 1980s and 1990s. This was before the series of SIX high court actions we brought against Shell for stealing ideas (4) and for defamation (2) - all settled by Shell. This website is a permanent response by me to the malicious underhand tactics, including treachery, espionage and intimidation, used by Shell during and after the bouts of litigation. More information is printed at the foot of this column.
MORE DETAILS: After a solicitor acting for Shell threatened to make the litigation "drawn out and difficult" with the intention of draining the resources of a financially weaker opponent, my late father (Alfred Donovan) and I decided to mount a wide-ranging campaign as a counter-measure. We jointly founded the Shell Corporate Conscience Pressure Group, which nearly 15% of Shell UK retailers joined. We regularly conducted ethical surveys involving up to 1500 Shell petrol stations. All responses were opened and authenticated by an independent solicitor who supplied Affidavits confirming the results. In whole page announcements in trade magazines (examples above) we challenged Shell to commission and publish the resuits of independent research asking the same questions and offering respondents GUARANTEED anonymity. Shell never took up the invitation. Instead it asked the UK Advertising Standards Authority to investigate our Shell surveys. No problems were found. The head-cut image of Alfred Donovan appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
SHELL CONTROVERSIES
selection of memorable warnings/articles/images associated with the controversial track record of Royal Dutch Shell.
WARNING: DO NOT DISCLOSE YOUR IDEAS TO SHELL GameChanger OR SHELL Ideas360 WITHOUT TAKING EVERY POSSIBLE PRECAUTION. Shell management has ample funds to pay for intellectual property but prefers to steal it from small businesses and in our experience, gives its full backing to dishonest managers willing to do its bidding. We have sued Shell repeatedly in the High Court for the theft of our Intellectual Property. It is doubtful if anyone can match our dire experience in dealing with this ruthless unscrupulous serial poacher of other parties ideas. Expect threats, legal machinations and sinister action from Shell and its spooks if you object to having your ideas stolen.
Some years ago extensive documentary evidence was brought to the attention of Malcolm Brinded above, when he was Chairman of Shell UK, proving beyond any doubt that Shell executives had conspired to rig a tender for a major contract. A number of innocent firms were deliberately lured into signing confidentiality agreements and disclosing Intellectual Property to Shell under false pretences, in a carefully contrived plot. The firm which was awarded the contract never took part in the tender. One objective of the Machiavellian plan was to stop/delay IP trade secrets owned by the participants in the tender from being disclosed to Shell's rivals. This was achieved by outright deception, without paying a cent to the firms involved, who wrongly believed they were participating in an honest tender. Instead of sacking the ring leader, AJL - who had a personal relationship with the firm which miraculously won the race in which it never ran - Shell senior directors, including Brinded, gave AJL their full backing. Some of the Shell executives involved, including for example, Tim Hannagan, still hold high positions inside Shell - in his case, Global Brand and Visual Identity Manager. If Shell does not accept that this is a true, provable account of what happened, then it should sue for libel. How on earth is such predatory conduct compatible with Shell's claimed business principles?