Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BP Plc agreed annual deals to buy Libyan crude, underscoring how the North African country’s recovering production and improving security are enticing some of the world’s largest oil companies.

Shell’s deal with Libya’s National Oil Corp. was the first of its kind since 2013 and Europe’s biggest oil company will load its first cargo under the contract within days, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because they’re not authorized to talk to the media. BP, which didn’t have a term deal in 2017, also reached an agreement for this year, the people said. read more

Royal Dutch Shell Plc, the world’s largest oil trader, is said to have loaded its first crude from Libya in five years over the weekend, adding to evidence of the OPEC nation’s comeback.

The cargo on Saturday is for 600,000 barrels of crude from the Zueitina port, according to two people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the information is private. A Shell spokesperson declined to comment on the shipment, but said the company’s Shell International Trading & Shipping “has a history marketing Libyan crudes. We welcome new business opportunities with Libya’s National Oil Corp.” read more

DUBAI (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell has lifted a cargo of 600,000 barrels of crude oil from Libya’s Zueitina port, its first from the war-torn north African country in 5 years, two industry sources told Reuters on Saturday.

“Libya is a significant resource holder and Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Ltd (STASCO) has a history marketing Libyan crudes,” a Shell spokesperson said.

“We welcome new business opportunities with Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC). However, we don’t comment on specific trading deals,” the spokesperson added. read more

Gaurav Agnihotri: 19 Sept 2016

Oil prices fell last week after the IEA and OPEC reported in their respective oil market reports that the supply-demand rebalancing of oil will take longer than market expectations. The WTI (WTI) and Brent were down by almost 2% and were trading at $43.3 and $45.77 at the time of writing this article. Even the U.S rig count increased for the 12th week in a row. Oil prices are going down as markets have realized that global oil supplies are only going to increase in the coming time. “It really looks similar to the period of the early 1990s, when we were at $20 oil. Is $45 to $50 the new $20? I am not ready to say we are in this new equilibrium environment, but it sure does feel like we’re moving in that direction,” said the head of commodities research at Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), Jeff Curie. It must be noted that investment firms such as Goldman Sachs have started lowering their 2017 forecast for oil prices. Let us look at those factors that are putting downward pressure on oil. read more

OPINION ARTICLE BY DANIEL YERGIN PUBLISHED IN PRINT BY THE NEW YORK TIMES ON SATURDAY 25 JAN 2015

WASHINGTON — A HISTORIC change of roles is at the heart of the clamor and turmoil over the collapse of oil prices, which have plummeted by 50 percent since September. For decades, Saudi Arabia, backed by the Persian Gulf emirates, was described as the “swing producer.” With its immense production capacity, it could raise or lower its output to help the global market adjust to shortages or surpluses.

But on Nov. 27, at the OPEC meeting in Vienna, Saudi Arabia effectively resigned from that role and OPEC handed over all responsibility for oil prices to the market, which the Saudi oil minister, Ali Al-Naimi, predicted would “stabilize itself eventually.” OPEC’s decision was hardly unanimous. Venezuela and Iran, their economies in deep trouble, lobbied hard for production cutbacks, to no avail. Afterward, Iran accused Saudi Arabia of waging an “oil war” and being part of a “plot” against it. read more

Major Opec nations, Russia and US shale oil drillers now appear on the brink of a price war as these three giant producing blocs fight for a greater share of global demand. (Potentially disastrous news for Big Oil – ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Chevron and Total)

The Telegraph: World on brink of oil price war as Opec set to keep pumping

Extracts

Oil slumped on Wednesday as expectations that Opec will cut production faded following dovish remarks by cartel kingpin Saudi Arabia, which could signal the beginning of a price war. Crude traded in the US fell to as low as $74 per barrel as traders bet that Opec will allow the price to fall further amid growing signs of a global price war amid producers.

Major Opec nations, Russia and US shale oil drillers now appear on the brink of a price war as these three giant producing blocs fight for a greater share of global demand. read more

By John Donovan

For nearly a hundred years the Royal Dutch Shell Group has appeased and collaborated with evil regimes including Nazi Germany, Nigeria, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Iran, Iraq under Saddam Hussein, Apartheid South Africa and with Putin of Russia, despite his annexation of Sakhalin2 and Crimea. Anything to earn a buck irrespective of ethics, human rights abuses and massive corruption. Astonishingly, Shell claims to operate with a set of business principles. Shell’s latest CEO, Ben van Beurden, is shown bowing to Putin on 18 April 2014,  soon after Russia had used force to annexe Crimea. No shame. No morals. Its just business. It is what Ben van Beurden describes as Shell’s “economic interests.”  Following in the foot steps of the founder of the Royal Dutch Shell Group, the ardent Nazi, Sir Henri Deterding.  read more

For over a 100 years, Shell has been driven by unscrupulous greed as its sole motivator. Shell funded Hitler and the Nazis party and has subsequently done business with a string of evil regimes, including General Sani Abacha, Gaddafi, Saddam Hussein and the Mad Mullahs of Iran. Putin is but the latest  power mad egomaniac to be treated like royalty by Shell. Bowed to and fawned over on Good Friday by the overpaid bootlicker, Ben van Beurden. 

Sunday, 20 April 2014

By John Donovan

The New York Times newspaper published an article today under the headline: In Cold War Echo, Obama Strategy Writes Off Putin

Extract:

Just as the United States resolved in the aftermath of World War II to counter the Soviet Union and its global ambitions, Mr. Obama is focused on isolating President Vladimir V. Putin’s Russia by cutting off its economic and political ties to the outside world, limiting its expansionist ambitions in its own neighborhood and effectively making it a pariah state. read more

There are 47 pages in all, many marked as confidential. The leaked files include a history of Shell’s long involvement with Libya, confidential technical information, confidential strategies and plans, including projections stretching many years ahead.

By John Donovan

We have combined a number of leaked files relating to Shell’s operations in Libya and have published them online.

There are 47 pages in all, many marked as confidential.

The leaked files include a history of Shell’s long involvement with Libya, confidential technical information, confidential strategies and plans, including projections stretching many years ahead.

The information is likely to be of interest to academics and even more so to Shell’s rivals, who may find some of it invaluable.
read more

VIENNA | Wed Nov 7, 2012 4:27pm GMT

Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) said on Wednesday that it remained interested in oil and gas exploration opportunities in Libya after abandoning drilling in two blocks earlier this year.

Shell told Reuters in May that it planned to exit from the LNGDA and area 89 after disappointing results, prompting concerns that the OPEC country would struggle to reach future production targets.

“That was just a project exit. We did not exit Libya,” said Nureddin Wefati, head of media relations for Shell’s upstream activities in the Middle East and North Africa, at the North Africa Oil and Gas Summit. read more

From our October 2005 Shell News Archive

The Seoul Times: NOC of Libya, Shell Agree on Major Gas Deal

“Shell’s Executive Director for Exploration and Production, Mr Malcolm Brinded, said: We are delighted to be back in Libya and honoured to work together with NOC…”: “I am excited about concluding this major agreement.”

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

By Jamal Al Majaida
Middle East & Africa

The National Oil Corporation of the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (NOC) and Shell Exploration and Production Libya GmbH have reached a long-term agreement for a major gas exploration and development deal.

The agreement covers the rejuvenation and upgrade of the existing LNG Plant at Marsa Al-Brega on the Libyan coast, together with exploration and development of five areas located in the heart of Libya’s major oil and gas producing Sirte Basin. read more

Libya is now producing 1.5m barrels of high-quality oil a day. But with exploration by BP and Shell so far disappointing, British involvement in the country remains slow

Terry Macalister: The Observer, Sunday 26 August 2012

A decade ago Libya was at the centre of dramatic stories alleging cloak-and-dagger diplomacy between then-BP boss Lord Browne, Colonel Gaddafi and MI6 agents. And barely 12 months ago British warplanes were in action over Tripoli – this time fighting to topple the North African dictator former prime minister Tony Blair had previously decided to embrace.

But if these two events were seen by critics as the UK manoeuvring for an “oil boom” that would benefit both countries and an energy-hungry Blighty economy, it must be deemed a bit of a failure. read more

07/08/2012 | 11:13am US/Eastern

By Summer Said

DUBAI–Libya’s state oil company Sunday criticized Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSB) for its decision to abandon exploration blocks in Libya, and said that Shell “has generally not achieved any encouraging results” in the North African country.

In a statement posted on its website, Libya’s National Oil Corp., or NOC, said it hadn’t received prior notice from Shell of its intention to give up its exploration permits, which covered several areas in the Sirte basin. read more

Shell drafted letter Tony Blair sent to Gaddafi while Prime Minister

By John Donovan

We have received further confidential information from disgruntled Shell Libya security staff; namely VIP Recruitment Records for Shell Libya.

These records shows a system was set up by Shell so that relatives of senior members of the Gaddafi regime, including  government ministers, Libyan Ambassadors, the head of the Libyan Investment Fund and officials from the Libya National Oil Corporation, were all given preferential treatment for Shell job applications.  read more

EMAIL FROM JOHN DONOVAN TO ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC COMPANY SECRETARY & GENERAL COUNSEL CORPORATE, MR MICHIEL BRANDJES

SENT SUNDAY 17 JUNE 2012

From: John Donovan <[email protected]>
Subject: Disgruntled Shell Libya Security Staff
Date: 17 June 2012 16:01:20 GMT+01:00
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]

Dear Mr Brandjes

As you will no doubt be aware, over the last few days we have published whistleblower articles containing leaked Shell emails emanating from Shell Libya.

We published the most recent Shell internal email on the same day it was widely circulated inside Shell i.e. yesterday 16 June 2012.

The information is being supplied by a group of disgruntled Shell Libya security staff who have made serious allegations of misdeeds. read more

By John Donovan

We have already published an article containing a leaked email purportedly sent on 14 June 2012 by disgruntled Shell Exploration & Production Libya staff to senior Shell managers. Shell claims that it is withdrawing from Libya because of a deteriorating security situation. It self-evidently prefers to do business with dictators (a policy stretching back to Hitler).

The disgruntled employees – 17 in total, are all members of Shell’s security staff in Libya.

We now have a Statement of Complaint signed by all 17, detailing serious allegations against Salah Alshaafi, the chief of the Shell Security team. read more

(Photo from the article Royal Dutch Shell, Tony Blair and Muammar Gaddafi)

Email purportedly sent on 14 June 2012 by Shell Libya staff to senior Shell managers.

The email is in reaction to Shell’s recent decision to terminate its exploration contracts in Libya.

Shell apparently preferred to deal with Mad Dog Gaddafi.

THE EMAIL

From: Mohamed Mahmoud <[email protected]>
To: “[email protected]” <[email protected]>; “[email protected]” <[email protected]>; “[email protected]” <[email protected]>; “[email protected]” <[email protected]>; “[email protected]” <[email protected]>; “[email protected]” <[email protected]>; “[email protected]” <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2012 5:55 PM
Subject: Demands of Shell Libyan Staff read more

May 31, 2012, 3:05 p.m. EDT

By Ben Lefebvre

PORT ARTHUR, Texas -(MarketWatch)- Royal Dutch Shell PLC RDS.A -1.89% hopes to be drilling for oil offshore Alaska by the summer, Chief Executive Peter Voser said Thursday.

The move to drill in Alaska’s Beaufort Sea would help the oil giant gain advantage in the global race to tap Arctic energy resources. The plan is “progressing very well,” Voser said. “With the support of regulators and local communities, we are working toward drilling by summer.” read more

Published May 28, 2012 Dow Jones Newswires

LONDON –  Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA) Monday became the first major to exit oil and gas exploration blocks in post-war Libya, amid concerns over insecurity and contracts.

The Anglo-Dutch giant insisted it was still interested in the country, which holds Africa’s largest oil reserves.

But the move casts a cloud on Libya’s oil recovery as Shell had originally planned sizable investments in the blocks.

Shell “intends to suspend and abandon drilled wells and stop exploration in [its] Libyan licenses,” a company spokesman said, confirming an internal e-mail seen by Dow Jones Newswires. read more

March 7, 2012

By Isabel Ordonez

HOUSTON — Royal Dutch Shell remains confident it will be able to start exploring for oil in the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Alaska this summer, the company’s Executive Vice President for Exploration David Lawrence said Wednesday.

“As long we continue to meet critical milestones we will drill this summer,” Lawrence told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview in the sidelines of IHS CERA conference in Houston.

Shell has been seeking permits to drill in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas off the north coast of Alaska for several years and has spent more than $4 billion to prepare for exploratory drilling. The company has already obtained several key approvals but it still needs to cross several more regulatory barriers before it will be permitted to begin drilling in July. It also faces opposition from several environmental groups. read more

Jan. 5, 2012 at 10:07 AM

TRIPOLI, Libya, Jan. 5 (UPI) — The post-war government in Libya told the Dutch ambassador existing contracts with Royal Dutch Shell were still valid, the country’s oil minister said.

As of November, the International Energy Agency said Libyan oil production was around 500,000 barrels per day, up from the 75,000 recorded in September. Before the war began in March, Libya was producing around 1.6 million bpd.

Production in the country is returning faster than most analysts expected when NATO forces established a no-fly zone over the country last year. read more

Shell also seeks oil deal with Libyan NATO-rebels.

From: New Energy Times Blog
By Steven B. Krivit

Royal Dutch Shell, plc, one of the largest energy companies in the world, is interested in exploring low-energy nuclear reaction research as a possible game-changer in the energy business.

Two Shell scientists, Anitha Sarkar and Gilles Buchs, with the backing of the Shell GameChanger program, are looking for opportunities to work actively with Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR) experts, according to a brief introduction the researchers prepared. read more

December 07, 2011, 8:58 AM EST

By Robert Tuttle and Anthony DiPaola

Dec. 7 (Bloomberg) — BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Europe’s biggest oil companies, aim to resume exploration in Libya, whose new government seeks to stabilize relations with foreign companies following the ouster of Muammar Qaddafi.

Both companies are evaluating whether to resume drilling at wells begun in the North African state before the outbreak of hostilities at the start of this year, BP Chief Executive Officer Robert Dudley and Shell head Peter Voser said yesterday in Doha, Qatar’s capital. read more

Saif was a key player in Libya’s campaign to renounce nuclear status and became close to leading figures after Mr Blair signed the ‘deal in the desert’ in March 2004, which saw British firms such as BP and Shell sign massive contracts with the Libyans.

Links: Blair and Gadaffi pictured in 2007 – will he be squirming regarding Saif’s capture?

By REBECCA EVANS and TOM KELLY

Last updated at 1:28 PM on 21st November 2011

Tony Blair’s close relationship with the Gaddafi family was yesterday dismissed by an ally as a mere ‘lapse of judgment’.

Lord Goldsmith, who served as Mr Blair’s Attorney General for six years, said that cosying up to Colonel Gaddafi was trivial  when compared with the crimes of the former Libyan dictator’s bloody regime.

His comments followed claims that the capture of the tyrant’s playboy son Saif could cause acute potential embarrassment for Britain’s political elite. read more

The release happened after Blair’s notorious “deal in the desert” with Muammar Gadaffi paving the way for multi- million-pound oil contracts with Shell and BP.

(Saif al-Islam Gadaffi – above right)

THE SUNDAY TIMES

Headline: Gadaffi son may spill British secrets

Sunday 20 November 2011

Marie Colvin and Dipesh Gadher

THE London-educated Saif al-Islam Gadaffi, 39, always denied that he played an active role in politics, but he holds the key to the secrets of his father’s despotic regime.

His trial could prove deeply embarrassing if he chooses to reveal details of his once-cosy relations with British politicians including Tony Blair and Peter Mandelson, the former business secretary.

Mohammed al-Alagi, Libya’s interim justice minister, said yesterday that Gadaffi will be placed on trial in Libya and faces the death penalty. read more

After 11 years and $39 billion of investment, Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) and their partners have yet to sell a drop of oil from what was touted as the world’s biggest discovery in four decades.

From pages 42 & 43 of “Royal Dutch Shell and its sustainability troubles” – Background report to the Erratum of Shell’s Annual Report 2010

The report was made on behalf of Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands)
Author: Albert ten Kate: May 2011.

In May 2005, Shell signed an agreement to start a joint venture with the Libyan National Oil Corporation. The joint venture would revamp and expand the existing liquified natural gas (LNG) Plant at Marsa el-Brega on the Libyan coast. It would also explore for gas and subsequently develop five areas totalling 20,000 square kilometres located in the heart of Libya’s Sirte Basin. Shell was committed to invest USD 637 million in the first phase of the joint venture.

Already in March 2004, Malcolm Brinded, head of exploration and production at Shell, stated: “We were in Libya in the Fifties and we were in Libya in the Eighties for an exploration programme, but for this one we came back in 2001 and so this is the culmination of discussions over that.” International sanctions on Libya were lifted in 2003 and 2004. Thus, Shell had been fishing for contracts from Gaddafi a long time before international sanctions were lifted. read more

COMMENTS FROM A ROYAL DUTCH SHELL RETIREE ON CURRENT NEWS STORIES

Interested in the report on this leak they are trying to stop in Athabasca…

Oilsands leak turned mine to pond

Few people probably realise this is a nightmare and very likely unstoppable until the whole aquifer runs out of energy. Compare it with a blow-out.  I think it is a major mishap but have no other info then what I read in the article.

And the oilwells in Sakhalin going to sand is a disaster of great magnitude.

6 Oil Wells On Sakhalin Go Offline

With winter starting they presumably cannot re-enter the wells and try to fix it. It also shows the original design was flawed. I bet that even those atheist Russians (and the secular Shell folk as well)  are praying the same will not happen on the gaswells because then they really are f*cked! read more

TRIPOLI | Wed Oct 5, 2011 12:48pm EDT

(Reuters) – Executives from Royal Dutch Shell held talks with Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) in Tripoli on Wednesday, a source said, as more majors return to the war-torn country to grasp new opportunities and make sure old deals are valid.

“There were discussions about the procedures to come back to Libya,” said a source in Libya with direct knowledge of the meeting.

Shell confirmed it held talks with NOC in Tripoli. read more

From pages 41, 42, 43 & 44 of “Royal Dutch Shell and its sustainability troubles” – Background report to the Erratum of Shell’s Annual Report 2010

The report is made on behalf of Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands)
Author: Albert ten Kate: May 2011.

Interfering with politics

Improper involvement?

Oil and politics have a lot to do with each other. The home states of Royal Dutch Shell are the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. These countries might want to secure their oil/gas imports and the economic benefits of having an international oil company based within their territory. These interests might overpower ethical interests, such as the protection of human rights in countries hosting the oil company. Home states often might have the same business interest than “their” oil companies. read more

By John Donovan

SHELL IS A MAJOR SHAREHOLDER, PARTNER, OWNER AND MANAGEMENT PARTICIPANT IN A COMPANY SUPPLYING THE FUEL FOR SYRIAN TANKS USED TO CRUSH THE UPRISING

On Wednesday 24 August 2011, I sent an email to Mr Michiel Brandjes, Company Secretary & General Counsel Corporate, Royal Dutch Shell Plc.

I asked him whether an email sent earlier that same day to a third party, purportedly by Graham Henley, General Manager of Syria Shell Petroleum Development B.V. was authentic. I supplied a copy.
read more

Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell is keeping an ear close to the gound in Libya, but says it’s still much too early to consider returning there, a spokesman told Dutch news agency ANP.

Shell withdrew its personnel from Libya earlier this year because of heightening political tension. The company was conducting exploration for natural gas with the help of two drilling towers.

“We are watching the situation carefully and monitoring it to see when one can make contact [with the rebels] and when we can go back in and operate,” said Shell. “It’s too early to make a call.” read more

By John Donovan

Many people fondly remember the advertising slogan…

“You can be Sure of Shell”

The legendary crooner, Bing Crosby, sung the praises of Shell in the 1950’s.

MICHAEL HOLIDAY VERSION

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IdhOXh_g7s

Our research indicates that the slogan

“YOU CAN BE SURE OF SHELL”…

was first used in Great Britain by Shell in 1937 (right) months after the forced resignation of Sir Henri Deterding, the man most responsible for the creation and global success of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. read more

*SHELL DEALING WITH THE DEVIL AGAIN:

Voser insisted the North African dictatorship was ‘still under development and is evolving into democratic structures over time’. And despite saying Libya was ‘rather small for Shell’, he refused to profess any discomfort at the firm’s cosy relationship with Gaddafi, based on a £ 375m exploration deal signed in 2005 with the blessing of former Prime Minister Tony Blair

Fuelling a growth support

By Rob Davies
Last updated at 3:35 AM on 16th March 2011

Speaking as he showed off an ambitious $100bn ( £ 62.2bn) growth plan, the Swiss chief executive said Shell had diverted boatloads of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Japan, to address the power shortfall caused by its nuclear crisis.

But he offered no firm stance on Libya, saying Shell would ‘see things unfolding … and then we’ll take a decision’ on how to proceed.

Voser insisted the North African dictatorship was ‘still under development and is evolving into democratic structures over time’. read more

ARISE SIR MALCOLM…

The unscrupulous Royal Dutch Shell fat cat, Malcolm Brinded, with the aid of the sleazy duo Blair and Prince Andrew (aka “Air Miles Andy”), sold out the relatives and victims of Pan Am 103 by getting Shell into bed with the mass murderer, Gaddafi.

Regular readers of this blog will know that we have consistently made forthright comments about the dubious circumstances of Shell’s return to Libya and the deranged despot, Gaddafi.

We were never fooled by the claims that he was a reformed sponsor of international terrorism.
read more

Will Royal Dutch Shell carry out threat to block Internet publication of its connection with Hitler and the Nazis?

By John Donovan

I have printed below my recent email correspondence with Mr. Michiel Brandjes, the Company Secretary and General Counsel Corporate of Royal Dutch Shell Plc.

As can be seen, it relates to Royal Dutch Shell’s support for Hitler and the Nazis.

I have already published a related article: “Royal Dutch Shell and the Nazis: Shell threatens legal proceedings

This is obviously a highly sensitive subject for Shell.

The reply to my email concerning our intention to publish related information from “A History of Royal Dutch Shell”, authored by Shell’s paid historians, is the first time we have managed to elicit any comment from Shell on the subject. read more

By John Donovan

A few days ago we published an article under the headline “Shell dealing with the devil in Libya”

Today I received an email from a well known former senior Royal Dutch Shell official suggesting that the headline should have been

“Satan dealing with the devil in Libya”.

This serious person, of high integrity, knows Shell even better than we do.

THE MOST EVIL COMPANY ON THE PLANET?

By John Donovan

We have in recent years published a number of articles drawing attention to Shell getting into bed with the Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was presented as being a reformed character, despite his notorious track record as the principal financier of international terrorism.

Gaddafi financed the Black September Movement, which carried out the massacre in Munich at the 1972 Summer Olympics and also financed “Carlos the Jackal”.

Currently Shell is engaged in an evacuation plan to extract employees who otherwise might end up as hostages held by the supposedly benevolent dictator. read more

AMSTERDAM Feb 22 (Reuters) – Oil major Royal Dutch Shell said on Tuesday that all its expat employees and their dependents in Libya, involved primarily in the company’s exploration activities in the country, had been relocated.

“Given the continuing uncertainty in Libya, Shell’s expatriate staff have now been temporarily relocated. Shell offices remain closed, and business continuity plans are in place,” a Shell spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman did not say how the evacuations took place. read more

Mon Feb 21, 2011 6:22am EST

* Statoil, Shell, BP plan evacuations as unrest spreads

* Repsol, Eni say oil production unaffected

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) – European oil and gas companies have evacuated staff and suspended drilling preparations in Libya as violence spreads across the north African country.