Royal Dutch Shell Group .com Rotating Header Image

ConocoPhillips

Hold the champagne

Screen Shot 2016-09-02 at 12.53.40

screen-shot-2016-11-04-at-19-29-23

screen-shot-2016-11-03-at-14-50-16By Ed Crooks, November 4, 2016

If you are looking forward to the oil industry recovery, you shouldn’t break out the champagne just yet.

Over the past eight days, the world’s largest listed oil companies have released third quarter earnings reports. From all of them, the message was that while the worst might be over, they were still facing a long hard road ahead.

The snap reactions from the stock market were mixed: positive for  ChevronRoyal Dutch ShellTotal and ConocoPhillips; negative for ExxonMobilBPEniStatoilPetrochina and Cnooc. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell and other oil majors slip down in energy rankings

screen-shot-2016-09-26-at-15-54-23

Shell and other oil majors slip down in energy rankings

screen-shot-2016-09-20-at-18-43-10

Written by Rita Brown – 02/10/2016 6:09 pm

Shell was one of a handful of oil majors, which tumbled down the charts for this year’s Platts Top 250 Global Energy Company Rankings.

The survey considers four metrics – revenues, profits, return on invested capital and asset worth.

Shell, Chevron and ConocoPhillips all missed out on top 10 spots.

Shell slid 28 places to 31st on the list, Chevron fell 15 spaces to the 17th and ConocoPhillips tumbled a whopping 122 places, falling from seventh to the 129th spot. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell Looking Beyond Petroleum

Screen Shot 2016-09-01 at 18.43.41

Screen Shot 2016-09-01 at 18.44.31

Screen Shot 2016-09-01 at 18.45.16

There are many players looking to enter the oil markets thanks to the raft of deals available as the oil price crash appears to be over. For the oil majors, this will likely mean major opportunities to snap up unconventional producers and assets at low valuations. One “oil” major that may not be participating is Shell. The Anglo-Dutch oil giant is increasingly turning away from its roots in oil and moving towards natural gas as an alternative.

In the year 2000, 37 percent of Shell’s production was from natural gas. By 2015, that number had risen to 49 percent. For ExxonMobil, those figures were 40 percent in 2000 and 43 percent in 2015. For Chevron and BP, the 2000 figures were 27 percent and 40 percent respectively, and for 2015, it was 33 percent and 38 percent. Among oil majors, only ConocoPhillips has seen a comparable shift to gas going form 33 percent to 43 percent gas production between 2000 and 2015. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell CEO sees oil demand up by 1-1.5 mln barrels/day per year

Screen Shot 2016-08-04 at 09.29.49

Screen Shot 2016-08-29 at 18.12.46

Screen Shot 2016-07-29 at 16.46.22The CEOs of Shell and ConocoPhillips made the following comments to the ONS oil conference in Stavanger, Norway, on Monday:

* Shell CEO Ben van Beurden says sees increase in oil demand of 1-1.5 million barrels per day per year

* Shell CEO says sees future oil demand more dictated by consumer decisions rather than producers’ decisions

* ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance says carbon price needs to be $100 or more to reach climate target read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Is Gas The Future? Shell Seems To Think So

Screen Shot 2016-07-01 at 23.22.31

Screen Shot 2016-07-21 at 08.28.48

Screen Shot 2016-07-08 at 14.36.15

By Gregory Brew – Jul 20, 2016

The world’s second largest private oil company sees a new future, and it’s not in oil.

Shell has made a concerted effort to shift the bulk of its business from oil-related projects to natural gas, LNG and renewables. Coming on the heels of its February purchase of BG Group (a $54 billion acquisition), Shell has organized a division focused solely on renewable energy. It announced new investment for its LNG facility on Curtis Island in Australia, where natural gas has enjoyed $180 billion in new capital. It has emerged as a stronger voice on global climate change than its competitor ExxonMobil and the company’s website proposes a number of “Shell Scenarios” that could allow for a growing energy market while creating less CO2. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell drops legal attempt to extend offshore lease terms in the Arctic

Screen Shot 2016-06-25 at 10.16.04

Screen Shot 2016-06-25 at 10.21.36Shell drops legal attempt to extend offshore lease terms in the Arctic

Author: Yereth Rosen: 24 June 2016

Months after abandoning its plans for oil exploration in Arctic waters off Alaska, Royal Dutch Shell has dropped its legal effort to hold onto those offshore leases.

Shell notified the Interior Department it will no longer pursue its appeals of a decision that denied extension of the company’s oil leases in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas off Alaska. The department’s Board of Land Appeals on Thursday granted Shell’s request and dismissed the case. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Oil Prices and the Brexit: What Just Happened

Screen Shot 2016-06-24 at 21.58.25

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

By Matthew Dilallo: 24 June 2016

What: Crude prices tumbled on Friday after Britain’s stunning decision to leave the European Union. By mid-afternoon, oil was down 4.5% and back below $50 a barrel. The sell-off washed over into oil stocks, with British giants BP (NYSE:BP) and Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS-A)(NYSE:RDS-B) both following crude downward by more than 5% as of 12:30 p.m. EDT.

Those moves, however, were tame compared to the sell-offs of other European oil stocks, with Statoil (NYSE:STO) and Total (NYSE:TOT) down nearly 6% and 9%, respectively. Even large independent U.S. oil companies were taking it on the chin, with ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) just one among the many oil stocks sliding in parallel with the price of crude. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Chevron Corporation: Another Day, Another Attack In Nigeria

Screen Shot 2016-06-02 at 07.26.47

Screen Shot 2016-06-02 at 07.25.46

Screen Shot 2016-06-02 at 07.27.19

Shell, ConocoPhillips and Total are also considering to divest their assets in the Niger Delta.

By Micheal Kaufman: Jun 1, 2016

Operations of international oil & gas companies seem to be in a lot of trouble in Nigeria as militant activities have accelerated in the past few weeks. The militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, has again targeted a Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) facility today, pressurizing it to leave the impoverished area. This is the fourth attack on a Chevron facility in Africa’s biggest economy.

The militant group said on Twitter that it blew up the energy company’s RMP 23 and RMP 24 crude oil wells in the Niger Delta at 3:44 AM. According to the Niger Delta Avengers, these two wells are Chevron’s largest oil producing wells. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

BP, Shell among bidders to run Qatar oil field – sources

Screen Shot 2016-05-26 at 09.26.29

Screen Shot 2016-05-26 at 09.31.17

DOHA | BY TOM FINNBusiness | Wed May 25, 2016 5:20pm BST

Six international oil firms including BP and Royal Dutch Shell Plc have bid to operate Qatar’s largest offshore oil field, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The other bidders are the field’s current operator Maersk, as well as Total SA, Chevron Corp and ConocoPhillips, said the people who spoke on condition of anonymity as the information was private.

The people said state-owned Qatar Petroleum (QP) would award the contract for the oil field, which is 80 kilometres (50 miles) off Qatar’s coast and currently produces around 300,000 barrels per day (bpd), in the second half of the year. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Canadian Crude Prices Surge as Fire Hits Shell, Suncor Output

Screen Shot 2016-05-06 at 17.14.03

Screen Shot 2016-05-06 at 17.12.55

Screen Shot 2016-05-04 at 23.08.44

  • Oil-sands output may be down by 1 million barrels a day: RBC

  • Suncor, Shell, Husky, ConocoPhillips cut production amid blaze

By Robert Tuttle and Rebecca Penty: May 6, 2016

The worst wildfire in Alberta history is boosting Canadian crude prices as oil companies evacuate workers and shut in as much as 1 million barrels a day of output.

Western Canadian Select, the benchmark for oil sands production, strengthened $1 to an $11.85-a-barrel discount to U.S. West Texas Intermediate on Thursday, the narrowest spread since July, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The absolute price rose $1.54 to $32.47 a barrel.

Suncor Energy Inc., Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Husky Energy Inc. are among companies that shut plants or reduced production. Cnooc Ltd.’s Nexen, ConocoPhillips, Imperial Oil Ltd. and Statoil ASA were also affected. The shutdowns follow supply disruptions in places like Nigeria and Iraq earlier this year that have helped global prices rebound from a 12-year low. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell Seen as Best Oil Major Wager by Analysts After BG Deal

Screen Shot 2016-03-09 at 11.28.24

Screen Shot 2016-03-09 at 11.33.13

Screen Shot 2016-02-17 at 08.47.47By Rakteem Katakey: Bloomberg.comMarch 9, 2016

Ben Van Beurden staked his reputation on Royal Dutch Shell Plc’s $53 billion acquisition of BG Group Plc as crude slumped. Analysts are rewarding the chief executive officer by putting the enlarged company in pole position to exploit a market upturn. 

Shell’s shares will rise about 12.2 percent in the next 12 months, the most among the world’s six biggest non-state oil companies, according to the target prices of analysts compiled by Bloomberg. More than 65 percent of analysts who cover Europe’s largest oil producer recommend buying the stock, the highest share among its peers. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

For Exxon and Shell, Age of Ultramajors Comes at the Wrong Time

Screen Shot 2016-02-24 at 07.39.56

Screen Shot 2016-02-24 at 07.46.24

As oil and gas prices have tumbled, Exxon and Shell have been forced to retreat. With oil barely above $30 a barrel, they’re cutting spending, including some costly, high-risk mega-projects. Photographer: George Osodi/Bloomberg

By Javier Blas: Bloomberg.com: 24 FEB 2016

Despite their size, both companies suffering with cheap oil

Exxon and Shell cutting spending as fast as everyone else

Screen Shot 2016-02-24 at 07.54.19This may not be the best time to be bigger than big.

The $64 billion tie-up of Royal Dutch Shell Plc with BG Group Plc and the steady growth of Exxon Mobil Corp. are creating a new league of two: the ultramajors. Executives at smaller companies are even starting to joke that Chevron Corp., Total SA, BP Plc, ConocoPhillips and ENI SpA are merely the mid-cap sector of Big Oil. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell expects its Brazil output to quadruple by 2020: CEO

Screen Shot 2016-02-15 at 20.28.18

RIO DE JANEIRO | BY JEB BLOUNT AND MARTA NOGUEIRA: Mon Feb 15, 2016

Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L), Europe’s largest oil company, expects to make robust investments in Brazil’s offshore resources, hoping to quadruple oil and gas output there by the end of the decade, its chief executive officer said on Monday.

CEO Ben van Beurden spoke in Brazil shortly after Shell’s $52 billion takeover of BG Group Plc BG.L, approved in late January, took effect.

Thanks to BG’s large portfolio of assets in Brazil and Shell’s decision to buy 20 percent of the giant Libra offshore project in 2013, Brazil will be a key area for the Anglo-Dutch company as it focuses on liquefied natural gas and deepwater oil production, van Beurden said. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

As Big Oil shrinks, boards plot different paths out of crisis

Screen Shot 2016-02-07 at 09.16.30

Screen Shot 2016-02-07 at 09.10.14

Screen Shot 2016-02-07 at 09.14.51* Companies seek to safeguard growth for when market recovers

* U.S. firms abandon deepwater projects for shale oil fields

* Britain’s BP bets on Egyptian gas, Shell on major acquisition

By Ron Bousso and Terry Wade

LONDON/HOUSTON, Feb 7 As oil and gas companies cut ever-deeper into the bone to weather their worst downturn in decades, boards have adopted contrasting strategies to lead them out of the crisis.

Crude prices have tumbled around 70 percent over the past 18 months to around $35 a barrel, leading to five of the world’s top oil companies reporting sharp declines in profits in recent days.

Executives at energy firms face a tough balancing act: they must cut spending to stay financially afloat while preserving the production infrastructure and capacity that will allow them to compete and grow when the market recovers. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

OPEC Won’t Cut Drilling, and Prices Plunge 5%

Screen Shot 2015-10-15 at 10.33.51

Screen Shot 2015-12-08 at 11.24.15

Screen Shot 2015-11-13 at 07.41.54

By CLIFFORD KRAUSSA version of this article appears in print on December 8, 2015, on page B1 of the New York edition

HOUSTON — Crude oil prices slid a further 5 percent on Monday to fall to their lowest levels since the 2009 global recession, pummeled by the fading chance that Saudi Arabia would cut production to halt the commodity’s yearlong slide.

In only 16 months global oil prices have collapsed from over $110 a barrel to less than half that, and the oil industry in the United States and around the world is reeling from its worst crisis since the late 1990s. On Monday, the American benchmark broke the $38-a-barrel mark, a price that makes drilling and completing wells a losing proposition in almost all oil fields around the country. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Even as it walks away from Arctic drilling, Shell keeps door open for future work

Screen Shot 2015-10-26 at 21.45.20

Screen Shot 2015-10-29 at 08.33.48

Screen Shot 2015-10-05 at 14.03.31Posted on October 29, 2015 | By Jennifer A. Dlouhy

WASHINGTON — Shell is walking away from oil exploration in Arctic waters north of Alaska, but it isn’t ready to close the door completely.

Disappointing results from a critical test well at the company’s Burger prospect in the Chukchi Sea, combined with the high costs of developing the region and an “unpredictable regulatory environment” have prompted Royal Dutch Shell “to cease further exploration activity offshore Alaska for the foreseeable future,” CEO Ben van Beurden told reporters Thursday. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

IF SHELL FINDS OIL IN CHUKCHI SEA, WHAT NEXT?

Screen Shot 2015-09-19 at 09.10.58

Screen Shot 2015-09-19 at 09.12.09

Screen Shot 2015-06-13 at 09.26.5318 September 2015

The short drilling season for oil exploration in U.S. Arctic offshore waters will reach one stopping point Sept. 28 and a complete halt Oct. 31 for Royal Dutch Shell Plc. The company has been drilling since July 30 at the Burger prospect in the Chukchi Sea north of Alaska. If oil is discovered, it will require some very interesting and complicated development decisions and regulatory considerations.

Shell has come a long way to get this far. It acquired a set of leases over the Burger prospect in 2008 and has spent about $7 billion on trying to develop the leases. Shell, operating through its subsidiary Shell Gulf of Mexico Inc., did not report a discovery from the well it drilled in 2012, and no one has ever yet discovered oil in the Chukchi — not oil in commercial quantities, at any rate. A dry hole is always a possibility. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Inside Shell’s Extreme Plan to Drill for Oil in the Arctic

Screen Shot 2015-08-05 at 12.34.51

by Paul Barrett and Benjamin Elgin: 5 August 2015: BLOOMBERG.COM

Screen Shot 2015-08-05 at 12.36.22

Protesters near the Polar Pioneer.: Photographer: Keri Coles/Greenpeace

Ann Pickard

Ann Pickard – Shell VP Arctic Drilling

In a windowless conference room in Anchorage, a dozen Royal Dutch Shell employees report on the highest-profile oil project in the multinational’s vast global portfolio. Warmed by mid-July temperatures, Arctic ice in the Chukchi Sea, northwest of the Alaskan mainland, is receding. Storms are easing; helicopter flights will soon resume. Underwater volcanoes—yes, volcanoes—are dormant. “That’s good news for us,” Ann Pickard, Shell’s top executive for the Arctic, whispers to a visitor. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell Cleared For Exploration Off Nova Scotia

Screen Shot 2015-06-18 at 09.23.43

Screen Shot 2015-06-18 at 09.25.16

Screen Shot 2015-06-11 at 19.31.15By Andy TullyPosted on Wed, 17 June 2015

Shell Canada Ltd. is ready to begin exploratory drilling off the coast of Nova Scotia now that it has received conditional approval for the project from the country’s environmental minister.

Canada’s Environmental Assessment Agency issued the decision the night of June 15 after the environmental minister, Leona Aglukkaq, found that the project in the Shelburne Basin, 125 miles south of Nova Scotia’s southwestern coast, would not have a major impact on the local environment. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell gets environmental ok for Canada offshore drilling project

Screen Shot 2015-05-23 at 08.00.10

Screen Shot 2015-06-11 at 19.31.15Shell gets environmental ok for Canada offshore drilling project

Markets | Mon Jun 15, 2015 

Canada’s environment ministry on Monday said it had approved an East Coast offshore drilling project led by Royal Dutch Shell Plc, saying the exploration project was “not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.”

The approval is contingent on the company meeting numerous conditions, including mitigating the potential impact on fish and marine habitats, among other things, the government said in a statement.

The Shelburne Basin Venture Exploration Drilling project, which is operated by Shell, consists of up to seven exploration wells located some 250 kilometers (155 miles) off the coast of the province of Nova Scotia, on Canada’s East Coast. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Oil companies reach $345 million settlement with Quebec train crash victims

Screen Shot 2015-06-11 at 09.05.31

Screen Shot 2015-05-13 at 21.47.32Victoria Young; 11 June 2015

A group of oil companies has come to an agreement with victims of the 2013 oil train derailment in Quebec, Canada.

The train had been carrying 7.7 million litres of crude oil when it crashed, resulting in a massive spill and an explosion that killed 47 people.

Royal Dutch Shell, Marathon Oil Corp, Conoco Phillips and Irving Oil were all named by The Wall Street Journal as contributing. It is not clear how much each company will contribute.

It has been reported the settlement was reached in bankruptcy court to avoid costly and lengthy court processes. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Energy groups ax $100B in total spending after oil rout

Screen Shot 2015-05-19 at 09.03.12

Article by: Carl Surran, SA News Editor, Seeking Alpha: 18 May 2015

Energy groups ax $100B in total spending after oil rout

  • More than $100B of spending on at least 26 major projects by the world’s energy companies has been slowed, postponed or canceled in the wake of plunging oil prices, including Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A, RDS.B), BP, ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) and Statoil (NYSE:STO), according to a Financial Times analysis.
  • One of the biggest developments to be shelved, Shell’s Arrow liquefied natural gas plant in Australia, accounted for almost a quarter of the planned spending reduction.
  • Western Canada is suffering the most from the retrenchment, with nine Canadian oil sands projects pulled back, each ranging from $1B-$10B in planned expenditure, the analysis says.
  • According to Morgan Stanley, which looked at capex guidance for 2015 from more than 120 companies, investment is expected to drop by a quarter this year to $389B from $520B.

SOURCE

Latest on Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDS.A: Get latest price)

Obama said to seek oil demand, climate balance with Shell Arctic permit
Mon, May 18 Opportune Time For Oil And Gas Exposure
Mon, May 18 Australia – LNG Growth Will Become Significant
Mon, May 18 5 Top Dividend Global Dogs Show 9% To 39% May Upsides
Mon, May 18 Wall Street Breakfast: Shell May Have To Sell BG’s Kazakh ‘Cash-Cow’
Mon, May 18

Shell might have to sell BG “cash-cow” in Kazakhstan read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Energy earnings run dry in Americas

Screen Shot 2015-04-26 at 18.35.06FT: Energy earnings run dry in Americas

By Ed Crooks, Christopher Adams and David Crouch

ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips of the US on Thursday reported that they lost money on oil and gas production in their home country in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, Royal Dutch Shell disclosed a $1.1bn loss at its upstream exploration and production business in the Americas, and suggested that came mostly from its shale oil and gas operations.

Screen Shot 2015-05-01 at 15.38.14

FULL FT ARTICLE

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

How The Majors Are Playing The Oil Price Slump

Screen Shot 2015-04-13 at 09.05.09

Screen Shot 2015-02-01 at 14.48.37Article by Nick Cunningham published 22 April 2015 by OilPrice.com

How The Majors Are Playing The Oil Price Slump

The largest oil and gas companies are employing different strategies to weather the downturn and plan for the future. Each strategy has its risks, and not all may work out. Which companies will emerge stronger after an oil price rebound and which will fall further behind because of bad decisions?

There are different ways to play a down cycle. With oil prices half of what they were in 2014, revenues are significantly lower for everyone across the board. As a result, the oil industry has collectively implemented an estimated $114 billion in spending cuts. But oil executives are also trying to figure out how to grow over the next five or ten years. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

‘Big Oil’ poring over troubled waters

Screen Shot 2015-04-18 at 23.53.17

‘Big Oil’ poring over troubled waters

Screen Shot 2015-01-13 at 09.23.28By Mark Robinson, 17 April 2015

The severity of crude oil’s collapse meant that its effects were always likely to be felt far beyond petrol station forecourts. Reduced assumptions on future pricing convinced oil and gas majors, already given over to renewed capital discipline, to also accelerate the reduction in exploration and appraisal commitments.

The effect on valuations for oil companies and their ancillary industries has been well documented by the Investors Chronicle, but the trouble doesn’t end there. The fall-away in valuations across the wider industry has also made tertiary finance more difficult to attain for mid-tier and smaller oil companies. It also means that secondary capital issues are more expensive to complete – even for oil companies with existing production. The end result is that there are a lot of distressed energy assets up for grabs at knockdown prices. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Oil price down, coffers full: now Big Petroleum is in the mood for mergers

Screen Shot 2015-04-10 at 21.07.49

Screen Shot 2015-04-12 at 18.23.05

The energy sector looks set for a round of mergers and acquisitions. Illustration: David Simonds for the Observer

Screen Shot 2015-04-12 at 18.24.21

The world of Big Oil looks set for another round of mega-mergers and acquisitions after Shell set the ball rolling this week with its $70bn agreement to take over BG.

FULL ARTICLE

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Why Stocks Of Chevron Corporation, Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, And ConocoPhillips Should Be Avoided

Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 09.04.47

Screen Shot 2015-02-18 at 13.17.14

Why Stocks Of Chevron Corporation, Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, And ConocoPhillips Should Be Avoided

Bidness Etc looks at why Barron’s Asia advises new investors against buying stocks of the four Big Oil companies, namely, Exxon, Chevron, Shell, and ConocoPhillips

By: MICHEAL KAUFMAN

Published: Feb 18, 2015 at 6:36 am EST

Extracts

Crude oil price have dramatically decreased more than 50% since June 2014. Amid the low-price scenario, Barron’s Asia believes that new investors should avoid placing their bets on the four Big Oil companies, comprising, Royal Dutch Shell plc (ADR) (NYSE:RDS.A), Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), and ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP).

Barrion’s Asia terms these stocks as the most defensive energy stocks mainly due to minor changes in the value of these stocks since mid-October. The West Texas Intermediate has fallen more than 35% over the same period. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Big Oil Unable To Increase Reserves To Counter Declining Production

Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 09.04.47

Screen Shot 2015-02-08 at 15.11.10

Bidness Etc discusses why major oil firms have been unable to replace their new reserves, despite crude production level falling since last year amid tumbling crude price

By: MICHEAL KAUFMANPublished: Feb 8, 2015 at 8:40 am EST

According to the quarterly results announced during the past few weeks, major oil companies have reported a mediocre performance for last year, as far as exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas reserves is concerned. At the same time, companies have also reduced their capital spending budgets for this year, which might exacerbate their lower production problem.

Over the last decade, some of the biggest oil companies have seen their production drop and their growth of reserves stutter, even though oil price was going up for the most part. Royal Dutch Shell plc (ADR) (NYSE:RDS.A), BP plc (ADR) (NYSE:BP), ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), and Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) are five of the biggest global oil and gas companies, which saw their production drop 3.25% year-over-year (YoY) on average last year, while failing to replace the crude oil and natural gas – they extracted last year – with new reserves. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

BIG OIL: Who will blink first to set the M&A scramble in motion

Screen Shot 2015-01-31 at 08.53.48With more than $110 billion of oil and gas assets on the block as companies big and small count the cost of the collapse in oil prices, it is now a question of who will blink first to set the M&A scramble in motion.

Screen Shot 2015-01-29 at 13.58.27

Article published by Reuters 30 Jan 2015 under the headline:

Buyers bide their time in $110 bln oil asset sell-off

* Half of the assets on sale are in North America

* North Sea could prove a hard sell

* Potential buyers holding out for further price falls

* Wave of deals expected within three to six months

By Ron Bousso

LONDON, Jan 30 (Reuters) – With more than $110 billion of oil and gas assets on the block as companies big and small count the cost of the collapse in oil prices, it is now a question of who will blink first to set the M&A scramble in motion.

Energy groups with spare cash, venture capital funds and multinational and state oil companies are eyeing assets with valuations that have largely tracked the halving of the oil price to less than $50 a barrel since last June. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Oil rout gives Exxon and Shell reason to buy rival ‘sisters’

Screen Shot 2015-01-31 at 08.53.48…a major deal over the next year that will bring together two of the super majors, or see one of their smaller rivals swallowed up, is highly likely – and almost a certainty if historical precedent is anything to go by. Certainly, if the oil rout of the late 90s is anything to go by, a major deal among the industries big “sisters” is just around the corner.

Article By Andrew Critchlow, Commodities editor, The Telegraph, published 30 Jan 2015 under the headline:

Oil rout gives Exxon and Shell reason to buy rival ‘sisters’

First there were the “Seven Sisters”, a term coined in the 1950s to describe a cabal of the world’s biggest international oil companies (IOCs), which at that time controlled the supply of fossil fuels with a vice-like grip.

Then came the Yom Kippur war of 1973 and the subsequent Middle East oil crisis, which would gradually see their power over more than three-quarters of the world’s crude wrestled back by newly independent states in the Persian Gulf.

By the late 1990s – with oil prices at around $20 (£13.20) per barrel – the original seven had grown much bigger and been morphed into new giants, which consumed their smaller rivals in a race to acquire what little of the world’s oil and gas reserves still remained open to them. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

U.S. Seen Limiting Oil Drilling in Arctic, May Open Atlantic

Screen Shot 2015-01-27 at 19.17.15

26 JAN 2015

(Bloomberg) — The U.S. Interior Department will lay a framework as soon as Tuesday for oil exploration in the nation’s coastal waters in a five-year plan that is expected to withdraw areas off Alaska while possibly adding parts of the Atlantic.

Republican Lisa Murkowski said the head of the offshore energy office told her the agency will place areas of the energy-rich U.S. Arctic off limits. Those areas had been previously deferred from new leasing. Current leases in the Arctic, such as those held by Royal Dutch Shell Plc, won’t be affected. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Oil crashes below $50 – Big Oil loses $200 billion

Screen Shot 2015-01-07 at 22.48.35

Screen Shot 2014-02-18 at 18.34.00The meltdown in oil prices has wiped out more than $200 billion in market valuation among the 10 largest oil and natural gas companies in the S&P 500. To combat depressed prices, oil companies are hitting the brakes on spending and laying off workers. Investors are saying “enough.” They are dumping their energy stocks as the outlook for profits and dividends has diminished significantly.

From a BBC News article published 7 Jan 2015 under the headline:

Screen Shot 2015-01-07 at 23.11.04“Brent crude oil price dips below $50 a barrel”

The price of Brent crude oil has fallen below $50 a barrel for the first time since May 2009.

It fell more than a dollar to $49.92 a barrel in early trading on Wednesday before edging back above the $50 mark.

Slowing global growth and increased supply of oil and gas have pushed prices sharply lower in recent weeks.

The price of oil traded in the United States, known as West Texas Intermediate crude, has already fallen below $50.

Many observers expect the price of oil to fall further as North American shale producers continue to supply increasing quantities of oil and gas, and the oil-producing group Opec resists calls for cuts in production to support prices. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Why Shell Is Facing Problems In The Arctic

Screen Shot 2014-12-19 at 19.59.57

By: MICHEAL KAUFMAN
Published: Dec 19, 2014 at 11:21 am EST

Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (ADR) (NYSE:RDS.A) is uncertain over its plans to drill in the US Arctic. The final decision regarding the company is expected to come in March, 2015. During this time the company is likely to consider various factors before taking a decision.

How crude oil prices have moved in the last six months seems will be a factor in any decision taken by management. Oil exploration and production (E&P) activities have fallen globally because of the dip in prices. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell may abandon Arctic drilling indefinitely

Screen Shot 2014-12-19 at 15.36.47By John Donovan

Royal Dutch Shell is expected to announce by March if it will go forward with plans to drill for oil in Arctic waters offshore Alaska in 2015, a decision which may have more to do with the outcome of court cases and U.S. government reviews than global market fundamentals.

Shell’s decision is widely seen as a potential turning point for the company’s long-range Arctic plans, with billions already spent and rival companies putting their own Arctic drilling plans on hold; if Shell does not pursue drilling off north Alaska in 2015, it may abandon the region indefinitely. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Talk of Shell BP tie-up to create £200bn world leader

Screen Shot 2014-01-30 at 00.47.49

After a solid 10 hours locked in secret briefings at the Langham Hotel in London this week, 100 of BP’s top investors emerged into the crisp winter evening air to the grim news that oil prices had sunk to a new five-year low.

From an article in The Sunday Telegraph 14 December 2014 by Andrew Critchlow

UK oil giants fight for control in a current of falling prices

Investors in BP and Royal Dutch Shell – Britain’s biggest international oil companies – now find themselves caught in the crossfire of a much bigger game

After a solid 10 hours locked in secret briefings at the Langham Hotel in London this week, 100 of BP’s top investors emerged into the crisp winter evening air to the grim news that oil prices had sunk to a new five-year low.

Given the challenges facing big oil producers, the mood at the briefing, led by BP’s upstream chief executive Lamar McKay, was described as being “serious” by those present. However, the thought of US crude crashing below $60 (£38) per barrel, a baseline level that most oil majors use to stress test the profitability of their future projects, will have pushed sentiment to a new low. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell one of 5 Companies Al Gore Says Are Doomed

Screen Shot 2014-08-06 at 09.25.26“Royal Dutch Shell is another company with a doomed oil sands project, according to the Carbon Tracker Initiative. Its Carmon Creek project needs oil prices to hit $157 per barrel in order to be profitable. On top of that, Royal Dutch Shell is seeking to drill for oil in the Arctic, which has already wasted $5 billion of investors’ capital and would waste more money if drilling restarted.”

By John Donovan

According to an article by Matt DiLallo published by The Motley Fool on 23 August, former US VP Al Gore believes that the balance sheets of ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, ConocoPhillips, Total SA and BP plc include $7 trillion of worthless ‘unburnable” carbon assets. 

Extract

“This unburnable carbon is the oil, gas, and coal that is still in the earth that, if extracted and burned, would push the globe over the edge in terms of climate change. Because this is an edge we can’t cross, it would suggest that the companies owning the assets are all but doomed.” read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Oil majors BP and Shell may be ready for more mergers

Some of Shell’s big shareholders are said to be frustrated by the company’s continued spending on expensive far-flung projects that fail to yield healthy returns. Alongside its profit warning at the start of this year, Shell announced that it was halting a controversial exploration programme off the coast of Alaska because the costs had far outweighed the results. Some $4.5bn had been ploughed into exploring in the region since 2005. Rumours continue to swirl that an activist investor is circling Shell with a view to taking a stake and forcing it adopt a more radical strategy. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Judge suspends Arctic drilling, orders new environmental report

Screen Shot 2014-04-04 at 09.49.25Extracts from a Los Angeles Times article by Paresh Dave published 24 April 2014

In the ongoing battle over offshore drilling, a federal judge in Alaska told regulators Thursday to redo an environmental impact study that underestimated the amount of recoverable oil and, potentially, the risks to delicate Arctic habitat. The decision by U.S. District Judge Ralph Beistline stopped short of scrapping the $2.6 billion in leases, however. In light of the new analysis, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will have to decide whether to move forward with or cancel the agreed-upon leases with Royal Dutch Shell, ConocoPhillips and other companies. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Oil firms’ cost cuts may jeopardise worker safety – Norway watchdog

Screen Shot 2014-04-24 at 19.51.07

Shell oil rig Kulluk seen grounded off the coast of an Alaskan island.

Extract from a Reuters article by Gwladys Fouche published 24 April 2014

OSLO, April 24 (Reuters) – Cost-cutting by oil companies could jeopardise the safety of workers in the future, Norway’s safety watchdog warned on Thursday. The regulator said it was concerned that as a result safety standards could be compromised in Norway, where the world’s biggest oil companies drill offshore, including BP, Royal Dutch Shell, ConocoPhillips, Total, Statoil and Exxon Mobil. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Shell Discovers Oil at Limbayong Field in Offshore Sabah

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 16.29.29Extract from an article by Petroliam Nasional Berhad published by RIGZONE on Monday 17 March 2014

Malaysia’s national oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) and Royal Dutch Shell plc announced Monday an oil discovery offshore Sabah, Malaysia. The drilling of the Limbayong-2 appraisal well was carried out by the consortium of Shell Malaysia (35 percent), ConocoPhillips (35 percent) and Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd (30 percent).

FULL ARTICLE

Petroliam Nasional Berhad | Petroliam Nasional Berhad |
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Why Royal Dutch Shell’s Fire Sale May be Cause for Concern

Screen Shot 2013-12-22 at 19.09.52…both BP’s and ConocoPhillips’ asset sales look downright modest in comparison to the outright fire sale Royal Dutch Shell will soon embark on. Royal Dutch Shell unloaded billions last year, with even greater amounts to be sold off over the next two years. That’s why investors may have legitimate cause for concern about the fate of Shell’s future growth trajectory.

Screen Shot 2013-09-16 at 00.01.41

by Bob Ciura

Royal Dutch Shell plans to sell off several billion dollars worth of assets over the next two years. Should investors be worried?

The last year was a tough one for integrated oil majors. Thinning refining margins put a serious dent in downstream earnings, and upstream profitability failed to impress despite cooperative energy prices. As a result, it’s not entirely surprising to see members of Big Oil such as (NYSE: BP) sell off non-critical assets.

Even independent exploration and production major ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP), which isn’t nearly as integrated as its peers after spinning off its downstream and midstream business, got in on the asset sale game last year. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Oil Profits Slump as Higher Spending Fails to Lift Output

Screen Shot 2013-10-01 at 07.56.54Investors are shunning the world’s biggest oil companies as drilling costs surge, major projects are delayed and energy prices stagnate. Shell, the second-largest oil company by market value, will report its lowest fourth-quarter profit since 2009 after The Hague-based explorer was socked with cost overruns on some of its most important new fields. Ben van Beurden, who took the helm at Shell at the start of the year, said Jan. 17, in Shell’s first profit-warning in a decade, that disruptions in Nigeria, weak refining margins and lower U.S. natural gas production brought down earnings.

Screen Shot 2013-12-11 at 00.15.23

Jan 29, 2014 12:00 AM GMT

Investors are shunning the world’s biggest oil companies as drilling costs surge, major projects are delayed and energy prices stagnate.

Crude and natural gas producers from Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) to ConocoPhillips began issuing profit warnings three weeks ago as they tallied the extent of fourth-quarter disappointments. Shareholders have punished the stocks, making the energy sector the worst performer in the MSCI World Index this year, in anticipation of bleak earnings disclosures later this week. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

City awaits details after Shell shock

Screen Shot 2013-10-01 at 07.56.54After the shock update effectively publicised the firm’s headline figures for the final quarter of last year, this week the City will be looking for clues as to whether Shell’s shrinking bottom line is temporary or structural.; …the new boss appears keen to make changes at the notoriously bureaucratic company.

Screen Shot 2014-01-27 at 09.14.41

by DOMINIC JEFF: 26 Jan 2014

OIL major Royal Dutch Shell is expected to reveal huge write-offs this week which investors hope will account for its recent profits warning.

After the shock update effectively publicised the firm’s headline figures for the final quarter of last year, this week the City will be looking for clues as to whether Shell’s shrinking bottom line is temporary or structural.

In its warning, Shell said that profits will almost halve to around $2.9 billion (£1.8bn). With previous market expectations of a $4bn haul, it will be the latest disappointment for shareholders after the firm’s earnings declined dramatically throughout 2013. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Selection of article links relating to Royal Dutch Shell 17 Jan 2014

Screen Shot 2013-10-01 at 07.56.54Selection of article links relating to Royal Dutch Shell kindly provided by a regular contributor

How Royal Dutch Shell Will Soon Become a Major Player in Natural  DailyFinance-2013 was a difficult year for integrated major Royal Dutch Shell due to … disruptions in Nigeria, one of its major oil-producting geographies.

Federal Reserve: Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Is What Scares Us …: Huffington Post-Jan 14, 2014: That expansion, plus recent catastrophes like the BP oil spill, has ….

Shell shock: Oil giant warns of ‘significantly lower’ profitCNBC.com read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Western energy companies flocking to China to unlock shale reserves

FINANCIAL TIMES

ExxonMobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips of the US, and Royal Dutch Shell, Total and Eni from Europe, are among the international oil companies that have signed deals to explore shale resources in China. Yet for all the excitement, the future of China’s shale remains cloudy. 

FULL FT ARTICLE

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Greenland explores Arctic mineral riches amid fears for pristine region

The move comes as BP and Shell join others exploring for oil and gas in the pristine waters off Greenland, as concerns grow that the wave of industrialisation in the region will damage the pristine environment.Screen Shot 2013-01-18 at 22.39.30

London Mining’s £1.5bn iron ore mine and new oil drilling licences for BP and Shell spark concern for environment

Screen Shot 2014-01-05 at 20.04.13 Site of London Mining’s iron ore mine at Isua, Greenland. Photograph: London Mining

London Mining, a British mineral company, is trying to attract Chinese and other international investors to build a £1.5bn iron ore mine just outside the Arctic Circle in Greenland.

The move comes as BP and Shell join others exploring for oil and gas in the pristine waters off Greenland, as concerns grow that the wave of industrialisation in the region will damage the pristine environment.

Greenland and the wider Arctic is seen as one of the new frontiers for exploiting mineral wealth, but uncertain national boundaries have also opened up potential political, if not military, conflicts. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Big Oil sits out lobbying on Iran as Congress stands firm

The companies that have lobbied Congress this year have largely been U.S. divisions of larger international oil companies, such as BP America, part of London-based BP Plc and Shell Oil Co, the U.S. unit of Royal Dutch Shell Plc.

Screen Shot 2013-01-29 at 14.38.10

By Timothy Gardner and Andy Sullivan: WASHINGTON Sun Dec 22, 2013 7:24am EST

(Reuters) – As debate rises in Washington over the first thaw in relations between Iran and the United States in decades, powerful oil companies are opting for an unusual tactic: silence.

Oil companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp and ConocoPhillips could earn huge profits if the United States loosened economic sanctions on Iran, allowing access to its oil and natural gas fields, some of the world’s largest and least costly to produce. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Large Companies Prepared to Pay Price on Carbon

ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Chevron, BP and Shell, all major contributors to the Republican party…

Screen Shot 2013-01-24 at 21.49.23

Screen Shot 2013-12-05 at 08.37.46

Shell, a co-owner of the Motiva oil refinery in Port Arthur, Tex., has added climate-related carbon taxes to its long-term budgets. Michael Stravato for The New York Times

By CORAL DAVENPORT:  A version of this article appears in print on December 5, 2013, on page A1 of the New York edition

WASHINGTON — More than two dozen of the nation’s biggest corporations, including the five major oil companies, are planning their future growth on the expectation that the government will force them to pay a price for carbon pollution as a way to control global warming.

The development is a striking departure from conservative orthodoxy and a reflection of growing divisions between the Republican Party and its business supporters.

A new report by the environmental data company CDP has found that at least 29 companies, some with close ties to Republicans, including ExxonMobil, Walmart and American Electric Power, are incorporating a price on carbon into their long-term financial plans. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

Is the Last Oil Frontier About to Open Up?

Royal Dutch Shell , for example, has spent more than $5 billion on its Alaskan Arctic program with nothing to show for it. This time around Shell has signed a contract with Transocean on a rig that starts in July. Previously, Shell had used its own rig, Kulluk, and one owned by Noble Corp. . It was the Kulluk that ran aground in 2012…

by Matthew DiLallo, The Motley Fool Nov 26th 2013 2:00PM

Melting Arctic ice caps are springing forth a new frontier for global commerce. New sea lanes are starting to open and more activity is coming to the region. This changing landscape has some suggesting that the last frontier for oil and gas companies might soon be more accessible.

With these changes come new challenges. It’s not just global oil companies that are interested in exploring this final frontier. Countries like China and Russia are looking to stake claim to the region, which could one day prove to be an issue for national security. That is why this transformation will need to be handled with care to protect the already fragile environment and relationships with those nations seeking to extract the region’s natural resources. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.

The 1 Threat That Could Kill a Major Oil Company

The first company which will have a leak of oil [in the Arctic]… a drop, is a dead company.

— Christophe de Margerie, Total CEO 

At a recent event at the Council on Foreign Relations, Total‘s CEO did not mince words about the risks of drilling for oil in the Arctic: It’s risky, and the chances of an oil spill in the region is simply too great for Total to justify investing in oil exploration there. While there are differing opinions across the oil space regarding if and how we should explore drilling in the Arctic, de Margerie’s statements raise a very poignant question for oil and gas investors: How much are our energy investments at risk of a “giant killer”-type accident? Let’s take a look at the risks involved in Arctic drilling and who is involved in the Arctic. read more

This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.