A court in The Hague will rule on May 26 on a climate case against Shell, led by Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie).
The environmentalist case demands that Shell cut CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030. Success for the NGO would see the corporation ordered to “reduce its emissions in line with global climate goals”.
The outcome, it said, should “impact climate policy and corporate accountability globally”. It does not seek compensation, rather a change to Shell’s business plan.read more
Jan 6th, 2021
by John Donovan.
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Shell postpones North Sea seismic job due to fishing, environmental concerns
Shell has postponed a 3D seismic survey in the UK North Sea after weighing up the impacts on fishing businesses and the environment.By Mark Lammey: 06/01/2021, 7:45 am
Partner Egdon Resources said the survey of the Resolution and Endeavour gas discoveries would take place in February 2022, rather than in the first quarter of this year.
Operator Shell made the decision following “extensive stakeholder engagement” and the revision of the environmental impact assessment.
The oil giant concluded that the commercial impact on local fishing businesses, along with potential impacts on marine mammalian movements, the breeding season for sea birds and tourism, meant it would be better to do the work in February.
The survey had originally been scheduled for March or April 2021.read more
Dec 16th, 2020
by John Donovan.
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Shell and Equinor team up on digital collaboration project
Shell and Equinor have announced plans to team up to further the use of advanced analytics on historical data to improve operational spare part inventories.
The two energy giants will develop the next generation of the Shell Inventory Optimiser, with the goal of gaining better control over available equipment and stock levels.
Microsoft will support Shell and Equinor with the co-development of the tool, which uses the tech giant’s Azure platform.read more
It comes as the energy giant took over operatorship of the licences from Egdon Resources, farming in with 70% interest in both.
Under the deal, Shell will pay 85% of the costs for acquiring and processing the 3D seismic survey, which needs to completed by May 31 2021 under the terms of the licenses.
Shell will meet these costs up to $5million, at which point Egdon will be responsible for 30% of survey.read more
Jul 9th, 2020
by John Donovan.
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Shell eyes $2.2 billion divestment from giant Indonesia gas project
by Damon Evans:09/07/2020, 3:40 pmShell is pushing ahead with plans to divest its share of the giant Abadi LNG project in the Masela Block offshore Indonesia.
Its 35% stake is valued at $2.2 billion, data from Rystad Energy shows. But, despite the block’s close proximity to Asian demand markets, it will be tough to find buyers for one of the world’s largest undeveloped gas resources, potentially leaving the project in limbo.A spokesperson for Indonesian upstream regulator SKK Migas told local media on 6 July that the Anglo-Dutch supermajor had decided to exit the proposed project due to the low oil price environment and development delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Similar rumours about Shell’s exit emerged in early 2019, but Inpex, the Japanese operator of the Masela Block, subsequently won approval for a new development plan, including additional fiscal incentives to enhance the project’s economics, Andrew Harwood, Asia Pacific research director at Wood Mackenzie, told Energy Voice.
However, “there is more substance behind the news this time, with Shell’s recent decision to write-down the value of its upstream portfolio perhaps signaling a wider portfolio review,” added Harwood.read more
Jun 22nd, 2020
by John Donovan.
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Shell and Total join UK floating offshore wind syndicate
By David McPhee: 22/06/2020
North Sea oil giants Shell and Total have joined a UK floating offshore wind consortium created to drive forward the technology.
The oil firms will work alongside offshore wind developers EDF Renewables, EDP Renewables, Equinor, ESB, Mainstream Renewable Power, ScottishPower Renewables and SSE Renewables as part of Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult’s national Floating Offshore Wind Centre of Excellence (FOWCoE).read more
A Scottish politician said yesterday he was “deeply disappointed” that an oil production vessel which has sat in Dundee for a year will be dismantled in Norway.
North-east Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald claimed the scrapping of Shell’s Curlew vessel could have been done at a number of Scottish locations “had they been given the opportunity to tender”.
Mr Macdonald called for “action” to help Scottish yards win more North Sea oil and gas decommissioning work.read more
Bureau Veritas has signed a global framework agreement with Shell to help reduce emissions from operations.
Shell has set a target of maintaining methane emissions intensity below 0.2% by 2025.
Bureau Veritas has said it will help Shell detect leaks across its assets. The Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) process will allow Shell to monitor, quantify and control emissions in order to minimise its carbon footprint.read more
North Sea firms must dig deeper into the talent pool to find “unicorns” within the workforce, a Shell plant boss warned yesterday.
Teresa Waddington, natural gas liquids plant manager for Shell in Fife, said operators and contractors wanting to be diverse and inclusive should target people who might not ordinarily apply and were currently “invisible” to employers.
She called on the north-east oil and gas sector to “redress the balance and really champion diversity”.
She added: “As a manager I write a job description for a unicorn and then I pick from a stable of horses – that’s the reality of it.
“A lot of people count themselves out when they don’t meet the unicorn job description in the first place.read more
Oil and gas giant Shell has announced the agreement of a new $10 billion revolving credit facility to help progress the firm towards its net-zero target.
Shell said the new facility replaces its existing $8.84 billion revolving credit facility and is provided by a syndicate of 25 banks.
The Bank of America and Barclays Bank acted as joint co-ordinators for the facility.
Interest and fees paid on the facility will be linked to Shell’s progress towards reaching its short-term net-zero carbon goal.
Shell set a target within its latest Sustainability Report to cut the carbon footprint of the energy products it sells by around 50% by 2050 and by 20% by 2035 as society moves towards meeting the aims of the Paris Agreement.read more
Nov 5th, 2019
by John Donovan.
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by David McPhee: 05/11/2019, 9:38 amUpdated: 05/11/2019, 11:08 am
Oil giant Shell has today announced a deal to buy up a 100% stake in a French floating wind firm.
Shell has agreed to purchase 100% of Brittany-headquartered Eolfi, a French renewable energy developer specialising in floating wind projects.
The firm said the deal would “enhance” Shell’s existing wind team and a floating wind pilot project – in conjunction with Innogy and Stiesdal Offshore Technologies.
It said the deal was also “a significant step for Shell in France”, where Shell will look to grow its offshore wind business.read more
Oct 29th, 2019
by John Donovan.
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Shell brings in Ocean Endeavor for drilling work at Fram field
by David McPhee: 29/10/2019, 6:00 am Updated: 29/10/2019, 6:38 am
Oil giant Shell has brought in Diamond Offshore’s Ocean Endeavor for drilling work at its Fram gas field in the North Sea.
Drilling work is set to begin today and should last up to 110 days, according to the latest Kingfisher Bulletin from the Seafish non-departmental public body.
The Fram field, operated by Shell, lies 136 miles east of Aberdeen.
Shell UK and Esso Exploration and Production UK have stakes of 32% and 68% respectively.
Diamond Offshore’s third quarter results announced the deal with Shell was part of a £70 million backlog of North Sea contracts that included work for its Ocean Patriot and Ocean GreatWhite drilling rigs with Apache and Siccar Point, respectively.read more
Oct 11th, 2019
by John Donovan.
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Shell to offset fuel carbon emissions at UK petrol stations
Oil giant Shell has announced plans to offset carbon emission from fuel at a number of its UK petrol stations.
The new project will see Shell offset the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from customers’ fuel purchases on their behalf.
The energy firm is planning to roll the initiative out across 1,000 Shell UK service stations.
Sinead Lynch, Shell UK country chairwoman, said: “Switching to an electric vehicle is the best way for drivers to reduce their CO2 footprints and they can now charge on a growing number of our UK forecourts with 100% renewable electricity.
“But today the majority of people still use petrol and diesel. We can help them address the impact of their emissions by offsetting their fuel purchases, starting now.”read more
A request by Shell has seen offshore safety firm Survitec increase lifeboat capacity on the oil and gas giant’s Shearwater gas hub.
The project, commissioned by Shell last year, asked Survitec to to increase lifeboat capacity on Shearwater by more than 22%.
The replacement of three 49-person capacity lifeboats increased total capacity from 147 to 180.
Andrew Sinclair, Shell project manager said: “This project was a priority for the Shearwater Asset allowing for a ramp up in project and maintenance activity to help unlock the platforms potential and secure a bright future for the facility.”read more
Oil giant Shell has announced that Saudi Aramco has bought up its 50% interest in the Shell Saudi Arabia (Refining) Limited’s (SASREF) joint venture in Jubail Industrial City.
The deal has been agreed for more than £500 million.
Shell said the completion of the deal is contingent on “receipt of all necessary regulatory consents”.
The acquisition is understood to support Saudi Aramco’s longer term plan to increase the “complexity and capacity” of its refineries, as part of its downstream growth strategy.read more
Sep 6th, 2019
by John Donovan.
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Shell ‘absolutely’ looking at big Scottish North Sea offshore wind projects
by David McPhee: 06/09/2019, 7:10 am Updated: 06/09/2019, 7:42 am
Shell’s energy transition manager, Joanna Coleman, confirmed last night that the oil and gas giant was “absolutely” targeting the North Sea for future big offshore wind development.
Ms Coleman was representing Shell at Offshore Europe in Aberdeen yesterday to outline her firm’s plans to move to lower carbon and renewable energy in the UK.
She spoke about Shell’s work in developing carbon capture and storage in Peterhead, alongside its plans for hydrogen and electric vehicles.
But she added that her firms “focus” is offshore wind deployment in the UK.
Asked about the Scottish North Sea, Ms Coleman said: “We’ll need to look at what acreage the Crown Estate Scotland puts out to bid and decide which blocks we want to bid on.read more
Aug 27th, 2019
by John Donovan.
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Shell, Equinor, SSE back new project to address offshore wind ‘barriers’
by David McPhee: 27/8/2019
Some of the world’s biggest energy firms are backing a new project aimed at addressing current barriers in the UK offshore wind market.
The second stage of the Offshore Renewable Joint Industry Project (ORJIP) programme, announced by the Carbon Trust, said it aims to reduce consenting risk, project maturation time, cost and the environmental impact of new and existing UK offshore wind farms.
The new four-year programme will be funded by public and private partners.
EDF Renewables, EDP Renewables, E.On, Equinor, Innogy, Marine Scotland, Red Rock Power, Shell, SSE Renewables and the Crown Estate and Crown Estate Scotland are all involved.read more
Shell has completed the sale of a 22.45% non-operated interest in the Caesar-Tonga asset in the US Gulf of Mexico to Equinor.
The total cash consideration was $965 million.
The transaction represents Shell’s focus on strategically positioning the deep-water business for growth and is consistent with its strategy to pursue competitive projects that deliver value in the 2020s and beyond.
The sale contributes to Shell’s ongoing divestment programme.
Shell currently is the largest leaseholder and one of the leading offshore producers of oil and natural gas in the US Gulf of Mexico.read more
Jul 26th, 2019
by John Donovan.
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by David McPhee and James Wyllie: 26 July 2019
Oil giant Shell has confirmed all decommissioning work on the Curlew floating production vessel (FPSO) has been suspended due to an “incident” involving a worker.
The occurrence is understood to have been a “confined space incident” during tank cleaning work two weeks ago.
It has been claimed that the situation resulted in a male worker running out of oxygen while in the tank.
Shell said no one was injured.
Augean North Sea Services is carrying out cleaning and waste disposal on the FPSO at the Port of Dundee.read more
Work on Shell’s first solar plant in the Netherlands is complete, according to engineering and construction firm Wood.
The Moerdijk Solar PV Plant is a 27 megawatt (MW) development near the city of Breda.
The new plant holds 76,000 solar PV panels and is one of the country’s largest facilities.
Wood, who acted as Shell’s engineering contractor throughout the project, provided Shell’s clean energy team with “technical procurement expertise” during the 16-month contract.read more
Steve Phimister, Shell’s UK vice president for upstream, said yesterday during Oil and Gas UK’s (OGUK) industry conference that he thinks the country needs to take decisive action on the issue of climate change.
But he added that it did not include “abandoning” oil and gas.
Mr Phimister claimed he “agrees with the view from the climate protestors” of the need to move to a net zero carbon target “quickly”.
He added: “I understand why these activists were calling for this change, and it would be easy to assume that we all and those folk are on the opposite side of the conversation, but I don’t see it that way.read more
May 9th, 2019
by John Donovan.
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The German government has made a formal objection to Shell’s plans to decommission the Brent field in the North Sea.
by Allister Thomas and Mark Lammey: 09/05/2019
Shell submitted plans in 2017 which proposed to leave the huge concrete legs of three of the four Brent platforms in place, prompting outcry from environmental groups.
Germany’s environment ministry commissioned a new report on the plans from Aberdeen-based consultancy Scientia et Sagacitas, which has highlighted “major issues” with Shell’s assessments.
The UK and Germany are both part of Ospar, an international agreement with several European countries to protect the marine environment.read more
May 3rd, 2019
by John Donovan.
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by David McPhee: 03/05/2019, 7:40 amUpdated: 03/05/2019, 7:48 am
Oil giant Shell yesterday cited a “strong start to 2019” and increased pre-tax profits as the reason for implementing a bullish share buyback programme.
The firm announced it intends to repurchase almost £20 billion shares by 2025, with the first tranche expected to see it re-aquire £2.1bn over the next three months.
Shell pre-tax profits rose to £7.2bn for Q1 if this year, compared to £6.3bn over the same period in 2018.
But, by Shell’s own preferred method of reporting it also experienced a 7% drop in statutory earnings and a 2% fall in underlying earnings.
Chief executive Ben van Beurden said the firm had delivered “robust results” despite challenging market conditions.read more
A new report alleges that Shell and Eni benefited ‘at the expense’ of the Nigerian people in a generous military-style contact in 2011.
Analysis from non-profit watchdog Global Witness suggests the firms signed a “Sole Risk” contract, which gave away Nigeria’s right to its share of the oil produced in the $1.1bn deal.
Court cases are underway into allegations of bribery in the deal for the OPL 245 license, which holds one of the country’s largest oil fields.read more
Shell said the payment was “primarily related” to decommissioning work carried out by its upstream business.
Oil companies build up credits on the taxes they pay during the production life of a field.
They can then use those credits to offset decommissioning costs once the well runs dry.
The Anglo-Dutch firm published the figure in its latest Payments to Governments report, which covers the 34 countries where Shell has upstream operations.
Last year, Shell paid about £50 billion to governments. It stumped up £7.75bn in income taxes and £4.45bn in government royalties.read more
A new UK Government-backed carbon capture advisory group will include representatives from BP and Shell.
Announced by the UK Government today, the group has been formed in an effort to open the first Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) facility in the UK by the mid-2020s.
Energy minister Claire Perry said the group would help ensure the takes “full advantage” in the emerging CCS sector.
The UK Government has backed the group with a £1 million support package.
Energy and infrastructure firms such as BP, Shell, Tata Steel, National Grid, Cadent and Drax are all involved.read more
The world’s second-largest oil explorer by market value is spending up to $2 billion a year on its new energies division, mainly to grow in a power sector it envisions delivering 8-12% annual returns, according to Maarten Wetselaar, director of Shell’s integrated gas new energies unit.
“We believe we can be the largest electricity power company in the world in the early 2030s,” Wetselaar said.
“We are not interested in the power business because we like what we saw in the last 20 years.
“We are interested because we think we like what we see in the next 20 years.”read more
Oil giant Shell has agreed a deal to acquire an energy generation trader as part of its low carbon transition.
Limejump works with generators to “optimise their generation assets within trading markets” such as the wholesale market.
The firm says it has created a Virtual Power Platform to “maximise asset developers return on investment and reduce the concentration of carbon-emitting energy sources”.
Once the deal is finalised, Limejump will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell.
Brian Davis, vice president of energy solutions at Shell New Energies, said: “We are impressed by the Limejump team and their track record of building a digital energy platform that connects and optimises a diverse range of assets.read more
In its 2019 Outlook for LNG, Shell said demand will continue to rise next year, with “supplies to tighten in the mid-2020s”.
Shell warned that more new projects are needed.
Demand for cleaner fuels to improve air quality in Asia saw demand rise by 27million tonnes to 319million in 2018, with demand expected to reach around 384million tonnes in 2020.
Supply is expected to rise by 35million tonnes this year but it will not be enough to offset demand, with the additional supply to be absorbed completely by Asia and Europe.read more
Mark Gainsborough, executive vice president of Shell New Energies, told Reuters during an interview last week that his firm intends to buy up UK seabed leases or buy up stakes in existing projects.
Shell recently bought a majority stake in a floating wind project planned for 2020
Originally investing 33% in the ‘TetraSpar’ floating foundation demonstrator turbine last year, Shell will now own 66% of the project.
Shell also pledged up to £1.4billion in new renewable energies last year.read more
Feb 19th, 2019
by John Donovan.
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The UK Government last night refuted claims it has made a decision on whether to back Shell’s plans to leave large parts of three oil and gas platforms on the seabed.
Shell submitted plans in 2017 seeking permission to leave the giant legs of three of its four Brent platforms and some other infrastructure in the North Sea.
It has been reported that the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (Opred) has given its support for Shell’s proposal, despite concerns over the marine environment.
However, a government spokeswoman last night said a “decision has not yet been made” on whether to back the plans.read more
Energy giant Shell has bought a controlling stake in a floating wind project planned for 2020.
Originally investing 33% in the ‘TetraSpar’ floating foundation demonstrator turbine last year, Shell will now own 66% of the project.
The development project is a partnership between Shell, Innogy and Stiesdal Offshore Technologies (SOT).
It has a project budget of almost £16 million.
The demonstrator will also utilise a Siemens Gamesa 3.6 megawatt (MW) direct drive turbine.
Testing is due to begin in 2020 at the Marine Energy Test Centre (Metcentre) near Stavanger in Norway.
James Cotter, project manager at Shell, said: “Shell is working to grow our renewable power business and sees great promise in floating wind technologies that could change the face of the offshore wind industry over the next decade.read more
The chief executive of Cluff Natural Resources (CLNR) has said the company’s farm-out deal with Shell will be “transformational” in its North Sea growth plans.
Yesterday CLNR announced it will farm-out 70% of its P2552 licence to Shell, along with the option for the energy giant to acquire a 50% stake in the P2437 licence.
CLNR saw its share price surge following the announcement, and CEO Graham Swindells said it gives them “clear line of sight” with Shell set to bear most of the costs.
He believes the deal will raise the profile of the company and offers a platform for growth as it aims to take on more licences in the next round from the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA).
He said: “This takes us from a company with a portfolio of highly prospective assets to a company that’s trying to position ourselves as one of the leading independent exploration and appraisal-focussed companies in the North Sea.
“A big part of this is it provides a platform for us from which to work and build on these assets that we have farmed out.
“We have the intention to further expand and diversify our portfolio when the 32nd licensing round is opened up, hopefully in the summer of this year.”read more
Cluff Natural Resources (CLNR) has announced it will farm-out a southern North Sea licence to Shell, with the possibility of an agreement on a second.
The deal will see CLNR farm-out 70% of its P2252 licence to the energy giant, which contains the Penascola prospect estimated to hold around 100 million barrels of oil equivalent.
Cluff will retain the remaining 30% non-operated interest and the costs will be “satisfied by each party in proportion to their working interests”.
The agreed work programme includes shooting of at least 400km2 of new seismic data over the Penascola prospect this summer to support a well investment decision before the end of 2020.read more
Shearwater plays a key role in the energy giant’s “Central Graben Strategy”, making the platform the main production site for nearby fields like Arran and Fram.
Speaking at the Subsea Expo today, UK Commercial Manager Nina Holm Vista said Shell is eyeing more opportunities to tie-back to Shearwater as part of the plan to prolong the installation’s life.read more
Shell said it would start setting targets for shorter periods in an effort to cut the net carbon footprint of its energy products by around half by 2050, and 20% by 2035.read more
The Anglo-Dutch firm wants to “reset” the way it works with suppliers and will look to cement “fewer, but deeper” relationships, said Neil Gilmour, vice president CP integrated gas, projects and new energies.
Mr Gilmour said more benefit could be extracted from longer-term relationships were operators and suppliers “keep each other on their toes commercially”.
Speaking at BHGE’s annual meeting in Florence, Mr Gilmour said: “It’s a pivotal moment for the energy industry. It’s a pivotal moment for Shell and also for its relationships with suppliers.read more
Royal Dutch Shell is set to unveil its highest annual profits for four years next week, but fourth-quarter figures are expected to take a hit from recent oil price falls.
Results on Thursday are expected to reveal a 39% surge in underlying earnings to £16.8 billion for 2018, up from £12.1 billion in 2017.
This would mark its highest profits since 2014 and comes after Shell hailed one of its “strongest ever quarters” for the three months to September as higher oil prices drove earnings up 37%.
But fourth-quarter results may take the shine off the performance after oil prices went into reverse since reaching a heady high of nearly $87 per barrel in October.read more
A UK renewable energy company, Anesco will work with Shell on a battery storage project at the site.
Anesco will provide the design, procurement, installation, commissioning and maintenance of the utility scale system.
Anesco executive chairman, Steve Shine siad: “We are delighted to be partnering with Shell New Energies on this exciting new project in the storage sector.
“It marks another significant milestone for us at Anesco. We have fully complied with Shell’s high standards of quality and safety and that is a massive compliment to the Anesco team.”read more
The £456m sale includes Shell’s interest in the Maui, Pohokura, and Tank Farm assets, and operatorship of the Great South Basin venture, which was subject to a separate agreement.
Shell said the deal was part of the firm’s effort to simplify its portfolio.
The company also confirmed that employees of Shell Taranaki and Shell NZ 2011 are now part of OMV New Zealand.
Zoe Yujnovich, Shell’s vice president in Australia and New Zealand, said: “We are proud of having worked in New Zealand for more than 100 years and completion of the sale to OMV marks an important milestone in the company’s history.read more
REVVY, STEADY, GO: The Shell Recharge initiative is being brought to Scotland after it met with great success south of the border
Energy giant Shell has announced it is throwing its weight behind renewable energy in Scotland with the introduction of three electric charge points at locations around the country.
Charging docks will be placed at service stations in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Dunblane in a move which rolls out an already well established initiative, Shell Recharge, north of the border following its success in England. Jane Lindsay-Green, Shell UK future fuels manager, said the sites were chosen because of their proximity to main driving routes, and where there is an opportunity to reach more EV drivers.read more
Dec 18th, 2018
by John Donovan.
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China signaled its openness for business with a raft of deals that’ll give oil majors including Royal Dutch Shell Plc new opportunities to develop fields in partnership with the nation’s biggest offshore explorer.
China National Offshore Oil Corp. said in Beijing on Tuesday that it had inked oil and gas accords with nine firms. The signing ceremony followed President Xi Jinping’s address to party cadres marking 40 years of reform and broadly underlining the nation’s commitment to global trade.
The agreements cover 64,000 square kilometers in the Pearl River basin, to a depth of up to 3,000 meters. In addition to the Netherlands-based Shell, France’s Total SA and U.S.-based Chevron Corp. were also awarded parcels. All three majors hold existing production sharing contracts with CNOOC. The other firms involved are: ConocoPhillips, Equinor ASA, Husky Energy Inc., Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Co., Roc Oil Co., and SK Innovation Co.read more
The Shearwater platform will serve newly-sanctioned projects like Fram and Arran, as well as the nearby Columbus field.
However, Jack Allardyce from Cantor Fitzgerald, highlighted that it could be host to other discoveries such as Jackdaw, which have been “mired in development purgatory”.
Shell holds a 74% stake in Jackdaw, which was discovered in 2005 and is thought to be capable of producing more than 100million barrels of oil equivalent.
The hub expansion is the operator’s seventh investment decision in the UK North Sea, showing the “ongoing commitment” to the region.read more
Shell’s Brent Charlie, which is 185km (115 miles) North East of Lerwick, Shetland, contacted HM Coastguard just before 5pm on November 27 reporting that they had lost power and were running on backup batteries.
“The Brent Charlie platform was shut down for maintenance and although the 184 crew were safe and well the platform had limited power, meaning no lighting, heating or water,” said a spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
“With severe incoming weather HM Coastguard and Shell made the decision to ensure the safety of the crew and to declare an emergency situation and evacuate 135 non-essential crew.read more
Aug 15th, 2018
by John Donovan.
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In spite of everything hurled by the North Sea and global market conditions across half a century, and despite predictions to the contrary, Shell remains a big player on the UK Continental Shelf.
Energy Voice interviewed Shell UK upstream vice president Steve Phimister aboard the Shearwater platform.
A characteristic throughout has been a quest to lead.
Driving Shell forward is VP Upstream President Steve Phimister who, by coincidence, was born the same year as Shell’s UKCS odyssey began 50 years ago.
The super-major has lived through boom times followed by harsh periods when commodity prices were in the basement and, from the late 1990s, speculation grew as to whether such companies had a future in the North Sea.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.
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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?
EnergyVoice.com
Shell postpones North Sea seismic job due to fishing, environmental concerns
Shell and Equinor team up on digital collaboration project
by Damon Evans:
A Scottish politician said yesterday he was “deeply disappointed” that an oil production vessel which has sat in Dundee for a year will be dismantled in Norway.
Shell signs up Bureau Veritas for emissions fight
Teresa Waddington, natural gas liquids plant manager for Shell in Fife, said operators and contractors wanting to be diverse and inclusive should target people who might not ordinarily apply and were currently “invisible” to employers.
Shell inks new $10bn credit facility to progress to net-zero
Oil giant Shell has today announced a deal to buy up a 100% stake in a French floating wind firm.
by 
Jackdaw will be tied back to the Shearwater platform, pictured.
by David McPhee and James Wyllie: 26 July 2019
Shell is expected to spend $1.5bn (£1.152bn) on decommissioning in the North Sea over the next six years, according to a new forecast.
Oil giant Shell has emerged as the world’s “most valuable” oil and gas brand, according to a global brand consultancy group.
Royal Dutch Shell plans to become the world’s biggest power company despite electricity’s historically narrow margins.
Written by 
Oil giant Shell is rumoured to be keen on entering the UK offshore wind market, according to the firm’s new energy president.
Shell buys up controlling stake in floating wind project
Ben van Beurden Photographer: Aaron M. Sprecher/Bloomberg
The boss of oil giant Shell has admitted he is “still unhappy” with the firm’s safety performance, despite pledging a redoubling of efforts in 2018.
REVVY, STEADY, GO: The Shell Recharge initiative is being brought to Scotland after it met with great success south of the border
In spite of everything hurled by the North Sea and global market conditions across half a century, and despite predictions to the contrary, Shell remains a big player on the UK Continental Shelf.
Energy Voice interviewed Shell UK upstream vice president Steve Phimister aboard the Shearwater platform.
A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
MORE DETAILS:
