APRIL 24, 2019 / 3:16 PM

(Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell’s U.S. unit said on Wednesday that it had made one of its biggest oil discoveries in the Blacktip deepwater well in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

Blacktip, operated by Shell and co-owned by U.S. oil giant Chevron Corp, Equinor ASA and Repsol, is the company’s second material discovery in the Perdido Corridor, Shell’s Upstream Director Andy Brown said.

Blacktip was discovered in the Alaminos Canyon, about 30 miles from the Perdido platform and discovery at Whale, a deepwater well operated by Shell and co-owned by Chevron. read more

Ron Bousso: APRIL 24, 2019

LONDON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell is in talks to buy BP’s stake in the Shearwater oil and gas field in the British North Sea for around $250 million, three industry sources told Reuters. Shell, the field’s operator, announced plans last year to expand a gas hub around Shearwater, including the construction of a new pipeline.

Shell has a 28 percent stake in Shearwater, BP holds 27.5 percent and Exxon Mobil has the remaining 44.5 percent. read more

DUBAI, April 21 (Reuters) – Saudi Aramco will acquire Royal Dutch Shell’s 50 percent stake in their Saudi refining joint venture SASREF for $631 million, the two companies said on Sunday.

The purchase, which is part of Aramco’s strategy to expand its downstream operations, will be completed later this year, they said in a joint statement.

Saudi Aramco Shell Refinery Co (SASREF), based in Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia, has a crude oil refining capacity of 305,000 barrels per day (bpd). read more

Strikes impact Shell’s Pernis oil refinery but extent unclear

Ahmad Ghaddar

Shell said earlier in the day that the unit had been shut. It later clarified that it had only repeated what the unions had said and would not comment on the status of the refinery.

The refinery, near Rotterdam, has the capacity to process 404,000 barrels per day of oil.

The CNV union also said strike action had disrupted planned maintenance at the adjacent Moerdijk petrochemical site.

A Shell spokeswoman said striking workers were trying to disrupt planned maintenance on the Moerdijk Lower Olefins (MLO) unit. read more

By Clyde Hughes: APRIL 16, 2019

April 16 (UPI) — Environmental protesters blocked several famous landmarks in London Tuesday, demanding that legislators take immediate action to fight climate change.

Demonstrators who call the protests an Extinction Rebellionblocked the Waterloo Bridge, Marble Arch, Parliament Square and the Oxford Circus on Monday. More protesters returned Tuesday morning after police started making arrests.

Authorities said they have arrested more than 100 of the protesters. read more

APRIL 11, 2019 / 8:55 AM /

(Adds comment from Delek CEO, details on Caesar Tonga field, industry background)

April 11 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to sell its stake in the Caesar Tonga field in the Gulf of Mexico for $965 million in cash to a subsidiary of Israel’s energy conglomerate Delek Group.

Company unit Shell Offshore will sell its 22.45 percent non-operated interest in a deal, which is likely to close by the end of the third quarter of 2019, Shell said in a statement. read more

Shell halfway through Norco, Louisiana gasoline unit overhaul – sources

APRIL 10, 2019

HOUSTON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc is about halfway through a planned overhaul of the gasoline-producing Residual Catalytic Cracking Unit (RCCU) at its 218,200 barrel-per-day (bpd) Norco, Louisiana refinery, said sources familiar with plant operations.

An overhaul of the 14,200 bpd Alkylation Unit also under way is expected to finish in about two weeks, the sources said on Tuesday.

Shell spokesman Ray Fisher declined to comment.

Work on the 112,000 bpd RCCU should finish in about a month if no problems develop, said the sources. They declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak with media. read more

Chen Aizhu

China is already in the initial stages of developing its vast shale gas resources, with production last year making up just 6 percent of total gas output after more than a decade of work. China’s shale oil is at an even more basic phase due to challenging geology and hefty development costs, experts said.

Shale oil makes up less than 1 percent of China’s crude output after several years of development, according to Angus Rodger, research director of Asia-Pacific upstream at Wood Mackenzie. read more

April 8, 2019

LONDON, April 8 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell confirmed labour strikes started on Monday at its 404,000 barrel per day Pernis oil refinery in the Netherlands and that production would be affected.

“There will be impact on production but at this point we can’t say exactly what the exact impact will be because we don’t know yet,” a spokeswoman said.

“We are taking it day by day, we will have another technical meeting with the unions this afternoon, and we will take it from there,” she added. read more

LONDON, April 5 (Reuters) –

* Royal Dutch Shell expects planned strikes at its 404,000 barrel per day Dutch Pernis oil refinery to go ahead as planned on Monday, according to a spokeswoman.

* Shell currently has no estimate on the extent to which the strike might impact production, she added.

* The strike, which comes after unions demanded higher wages, will also impact Shell’s Moerdijk chemical plant.

(Reporting By Shadia Nasralla; Editing by Susan Fenton)

SOURCE

APRIL 5, 2019

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Environmentalist and human rights groups said on Friday they had started a lawsuit against Royal Dutch Shell in the Netherlands to force the energy firm to cut its reliance on fossil fuels.

The groups, including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth Netherlands, handed over a court summons to Shell at its headquarters in The Hague, demanding it stop extracting oil and gas and cut its greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050.

“Shell spends billions on oil and gas exploration each year, with current plans to invest just 5 percent of its budget in sustainable energy and 95 percent in exploiting fossil fuels,” the groups said. read more

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Climate activists are planning to deliver a court summons to Shell in a court case aimed at forcing the energy giant to do more to rein in carbon emissions.

The summons is being delivered to Shell’s headquarters in The Hague on Friday afternoon.

The move comes a year after the Dutch branch of Friends of the Earth sent a letter to Shell’s CEO Ben van Beurden accusing the company of “breaching its legal duty of care” by causing climate damage across the globe. read more

by Josh Siegel: April 04, 2019 12:00 AM

Shell’s move to leave a trade group because of its climate change position is being met with skepticism from fossil fuel critics and energy producers alike, because Shell remains in other groups that oppose policies to address climate change.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., perhaps the harshest critic of the oil and gas industry, said that Shell’s decision to leave American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers “begs the question as to how Shell justifies continued membership in the much larger lobbying behemoths that spend millions opposing the climate action Shell claims to support.” read more

Oil giant Shell received a £113 million tax refund from the UK Government in 2018.

by David McPhee:  02/04/2019

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

LONDON, April 2 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell last year experienced a sharp rise in the number of oil spills caused by pipeline theft in Nigeria, which the company said were the result of larger output and higher oil prices.

The number of spills caused by sabotage and theft in the Niger delta rose last year to 111 from 62 in 2017, the Anglo-Dutch company said in its annual sustainability report.

The volume of oil spilt as a result rose to 1,600 tonnes, or roughly 12,000 barrels, from 1,400 tonnes the previous year. read more

Ron Bousso: 2 April 2019

* Shell to leave AFPM in 2020 over climate “misalignment”

* Shell releases first report on links with industry groups

* Investor welcomes report as “industry first”

LONDON, April 2 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc on Tuesday became the first major oil and gas company to announce plans to leave a leading U.S. refining lobby due to disagreement on climate policies, citing its support for the goals of the Paris climate agreement.

In its first review of its association with 19 key industry groups, Shell said it had found “material misalignment” over climate policy with the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) and would quit the body in 2020. read more

Written by David McPhee – 01/04/2019 12:46 pm

Oil giant Shell has emerged as the world’s “most valuable” oil and gas brand, according to a global brand consultancy group.

Brand valuation and strategy consultancy firm Brand Finance claim Shell has experienced a 7% boost in its brand value in 2019.

It also places the firm as the 26th most valuable across all industries.

Brand Finance value Shell at £32 billion as a consequence of the 7% increase.

Chinese oil and gas firms PetroChina and Sinopec took second and third place with a value of £27bn and £22bn, respectively.

French oil giant Total, UK firm BP and US firm Chevron came in at fourth, fifth and sixth place. read more

By SIMON NEVILLE, FINANCIAL MAIL ON SUNDAY

PUBLISHED: 21:52, 30 March 2019 | UPDATED: 21:52, 30 March 2019

Royal Dutch Shell is leading the charge back to the Gulf of Mexico nine years after the region was hit by BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The Anglo-Dutch business splashed out $84.8 million (£64.7 million) on 87 drilling sites at an auction this month, having made just three bids at the previous auction in August last year.

Shell bosses have placed significant focus on the area in the past six months. At its results in January, the firm revealed production in the area had increased 50 per cent in two years to a peak of 40,000 barrels of oil a day. read more

28 March 2019

Few people would associate Royal Dutch Shell – oil and gas mega-company and the sixth largest enterprise in the world – with taking a lead in tackling climate change.

However, Shell is making a serious attempt to show it is walking the green walk with commitment and enthusiasm. This week it revealed its utility arm First Utility, acquired a year ago, has rebranded as Shell Energy and switched all of its 700,000 UK residential customers to power generated by renewables. read more

29 March 2019

AMSTERDAM/LONDON (Reuters) – Workers at Royal Dutch Shell’s Pernis oil refinery, Europe’s largest, and the Moerdijk chemical plant in the Netherlands will go on strike and reduce output from April 8 in a bid for higher wages, Dutch labour union CNV said on Friday.

Production at the 400,000 barrel per day refinery and the chemical plant will be reduced and kept lower until an agreement is reached, CNV spokesman Piet Verburg said.

The exact reduction in output is not yet clear. read more

A sign warns people to stay off land contaminated by oil pollution

By Bukola Adebayo, CNN: Updated 0018 GMT (0818 HKT) March 27, 2019

Lagos, Nigeria (CNN)A major new inquiry into oil companies operating in the Niger Delta has been launched by the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu. The probe will investigate “environmental and human damage” in Nigeria’s vast oil fields. read more

Ed Crooks in New York and Anjli Raval in London: 25 March 2019

On Sunday Royal Dutch Shell, one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, announced that its First Utility retail power business would be rebranded as Shell Energy, with 700,000 households switched to renewable power. Customers will be offered not only cleaner electricity but discounts on fast-charging for their electric vehicles as well as broadband and smart-home technologies. Shell has floated the idea that by the 2030s it could be the largest power company in the world. FULL FT ARTICLE read more

By Ron Bousso, Susanna Twidale: March 24, 2019

LONDON (Reuters) – Just over a year after buying First Utility, Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) has rebranded the British household energy supplier and is switching all its customers to renewable electricity as the oil and gas giant seeks to expand its low-carbon business.

The move by the Anglo-Dutch company poses a challenge for Britain’s long-standing retail power suppliers whose profit margins have come under growing pressure due to intense competition and the regulator’s price cap. read more

Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron, Total and BP together have spent more than $1 billion on public relations since the Paris Agreement.

• By Alexander C. Kaufman
• Chris D’Angelo, HuffPost US
• 22 March 2019

The world’s five largest publicly traded oil companies are increasing their investments in oil and gas, putting a combined $110 billion in new fossil-fuel production.

Meanwhile, those firms are projected to spend just $3.6 billion on low-carbon investments, such as biofuels and renewables, according to a new analysis that Influence Map, a British nonprofit that analyzes corporate influence on climate policy, derived from industry data and numbers buried in company disclosures.

The reckless disparity comes just months after the United Nations warned that the world must rapidly phase out fossil fuel use over the next decade or face catastrophic global warming of at least 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. read more

Written by David McPhee – 21/03/2019 3:43 pm

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

Royal Dutch Shell (

The sale brought in the most revenue from such an event since the oil price downturn, with $244M in high offers received, according to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

Anadarko Petroleum (APC -0.7%) and Hess (NYSE:HES) were the next highest bidders by dollar amount of high bids, totaling $24M and $18M respectively.

Equinor (NYSE:EQNR) placed the apparent high bid of the sale, offering $24.4M for Mississippi Canyon Block 801, and teaming up with Kosmos Energy (NYSE:KOS) to win Keathley Canyon Block 964 with a $7M bid. read more

Ben Van Beurden’s total pay package soared by 126% last year: Last year, over a quarter of Shell’s investors voted against Mr van Beurden’s pay at the energy giant’s annual meeting

By JANE DENTON FOR THISISMONEY:PUBLISHED:16:01, 14 March 2019 | UPDATED:16:04, 14 March 2019

The boss of oil and gas giant Royal Dutch Shell received a 126 per cent pay rise last year.

Chief executive Ben Van Beurden pocketed over £17million, including a long-term incentive plan linked sum of £12.8million, up from £7.6million, and a £2.5million bonus.

In its latest results, the group said: ‘As a consequence of the LTIP vesting in particular, the single figure of remuneration for the CEO is significantly higher this year than in previous years.’ read more

Angela Macdonald-Smith: March 18, 2019

Oil major Shell has set out ambitions to build a major electricity generating and retailing business in Australia within the next decade as part of its global shift towards lower-carbon energy, in comments that look set to revive speculation that a significant acquisition may be on the cards.

Maarten Wetselaar, the group’s global head of gas and new energies, said it would be “an enormously lost opportunity” if Shell didn’t get good at supplying low-carbon electricity to consumers and make the most of its famous brand. read more

By Tsvetana Paraskova – Mar 15, 2019, 9:00 PM CDT

Royal Dutch Shell has set its first-ever short-term goals to cut the carbon footprint of its operations and product sales as the oil and gas industry is under intense investor and shareholder pressure to address to climate change.

In its annual report published on Thursday, Shell said that in early 2019, it had decided to set a “Net Carbon Footprint target” for 2021 to lower its carbon footprint by 2-3 percent compared to the 2016 Net Carbon Footprint of 79 grams of CO2 equivalent per megajoule. read more

“Contract workers at Shell Nigeria are living in poverty, with no job security and poor healthcare that is costing workers’ lives. Contract workers face dismissal if they join a union or ask for a pay rise. They lack safety equipment and risk death in the field.”

Published by John Williams, Digital Assistant Editor
LNG Industry, Friday, 15 March 2019 11:04

Royal Dutch Shell violations against contract workers in Nigeria came under scrutiny at the 40th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

Royal Dutch Shell violations against contract workers in Nigeria came under scrutiny today at the 40th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

In a joint statement to the General Assembly of the Human Rights Council, IndustriALL Global Union and Swiss organisation, Europe-Third World Center (CETIM), said: read more

Shell sets its first carbon reduction targets on output, consumption

Rivals BP and Total have already set short-term targets on reducing carbon dioxide emissions, but those planned cuts are limited to their own operations and exclude Scope 3 emissions.

“Early 2019, it was decided to set a Net Carbon Footprint target for 2021 of 2-3 percent lower than our 2016 Net Carbon Footprint of 79 grams of CO2 equivalent per megajoule,” Shell said in its 2018 annual report, which was released on Thursday.

The targets will be linked to the remuneration of around 150 executives in 2019, and expanded to 16,000 employees next year. read more

Oil major prepares for fundamental shift towards lower-carbon energy sources

Ed Crooks and Anjli Raval in Houston

Royal Dutch Shell, one of the world’s biggest oil and gas groups, is aiming to become the largest electricity company by the 2030s, as it prepares for a fundamental shift in global energy supplies towards lower-carbon sources. Maarten Wetselaar, Shell’s director of gas and new energies, told the Financial Times that the group could develop a power business, including supplying customers, trading and providing equipment, that was the same size as its oil or gas operations. read more

By Dulue Mbachu and Elisha Bala-Gbogbo: 13 March 2019, 03:00 GMT: Updated on 13 March 2019, 10:51 GMT

Niger River delta wracked by pipeline sabotage, crude theft

Buhari must act now or face ‘doomsday’ later, activist says

After the military government in 1995 executed nine Ogoni activists, including the writer Ken Saro-Wiwa, regional unrest spiraled into full-blown armed militancy in the past 15 years.

Fresh from his comfortable re-election, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari faces a huge hurdle to keep his vow to end the economy’s addiction to oil: win a lasting peace in the crude-rich Niger River delta.

The 76-year-old former military ruler will have to score a breakthrough that’s eluded previous governments in an area where armed groups and thieves pose a constant threat to the flow of crude. To carry out his plans to develop a backbone of stable power, roads and rail lines for agricultural expansion and industrialization in Africa’s most-populous nation, Buhari needs all the money he can get from oil, the source of two-thirds of government revenue. read more

By Kevin Crowley: 11 March 2019, 16:16 GMT: Updated on 11 March 2019, 22:56 GMT

European major ‘actively looking’ for targets, Sawan says

Upstream director-in-waiting declines to comment on Endeavor

Royal Dutch Shell Plc is on the hunt for deals to bulk up its position in the Permian Basin, where it lags rivals Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp.

“We are definitely actively looking at opportunities,” Wael Sawan, Shell’s deepwater boss, said in an interview on the sidelines of IHS Markit’s CERAWeek conference on Monday. “If none ever come up then that’s a disappointing outcome.” Sawan is set to lead the European supermajor’s entire upstream division in July. read more

7 March 2019

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Workers at Royal Dutch Shell’s Pernis refinery in the Netherlands might go on strike at the end of the month, after having rejected a proposed labour agreement, Dutch labour union FNV said on Thursday.

Workers at the 400,000 barrels per day refinery will vote on possible action on March 19 and 21, FNV spokesman Egbert Vellenberg said.

(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

SOURCE

* Shell upstream boss Brown sees ‘no merit’ in tax claim

* Bonga Southwest development decisions may slip into 2020

* Shell to fast track Whale development in Gulf of Mexico

By Ron Bousso: FEBRUARY 26, 2019

LONDON, Feb 26 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell said on Tuesday that Nigeria’s claims that it was owed billions in taxes could delay the development of a major oil field off the coast of the West African nation.

Nigeria ordered several major foreign oil and gas companies to pay nearly $20 billion in taxes it says are owed to local states, industry and government sources told Reuters. read more

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria has given permission to Royal Dutch Shell to transfer 20 percent of the rights to explore a block off its Black Sea coastline for gas and oil to Spain’s Repsol, the government said on Wednesday.

In December, Shell was allowed to transfer 30 percent of its drilling rights to Australia’s Woodside Energy.

The Balkan country contracted Shell for deepwater exploratory drilling in 2016 as part of its efforts to end its almost complete reliance on Russia’s natural gas supplies. read more

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.

Written by Allister Thomas – 19/02/2019 7:47 am

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

Shell leads the way on upstream spending plans, says GlobalData

Written by Allister Thomas – 14/02/2019 7:15 am

Shell is leading the way on new-build spending plans to 2025, according to a new report from GlobalData.

The analysts forecast that the energy giant is expected to spend £42.4billion on a total of 60 upstream projects over the period..

Total global capital expenditure on new-build developments in the next six years is £657.8bn.

Behind Shell in the spending ranks Gazprom and ExxonMobil, spending £38.7bn and £33.4bn respectively.

Canada, the US and Russia can expect to see the highest spending, according to the report, along with Mozambique.

GlobalData analyst Soorya Tejomoortula said: “Shell has spread its new-build capex for the development of 60 upcoming upstream projects. read more

Shell Australia chairman Zoe Yujnovich said industry must help to direct government to create a durable energy policy after more than a decade of failed energy and climate policies. CREDIT: BEN RUSHTON

By Cole Latimer: February 13, 2019 — 7.30pm

Shell has blasted the federal government over climate and energy policies saying business needs to take the lead on climate action, and the Coalition blaming high gas prices on exports “cannot go unchallenged”.

In a speech, Australia chief Zoe Yujnovich lashed the government’s performance on climate change and threats to cut off gas exports, saying industry needs to take the lead on climate and energy as governments are unable to “sell” their constantly changing policies. read more

Shell, Eni, Exxon among winners in Egypt’s oil and gas exploration tender

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

CAIRO (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell, Eni, BP and Exxon Mobil were among winners of Egypt’s international tender for oil and gas exploration on Tuesday, with 12 concessions awarded in total.

It marks Exxon Mobil’s entry into gas exploration in Egypt, while Shell was awarded the most concessions in the tender – three for oil and two for gas.

Neptune Energy, Merlon, Shell, Eni and state-controlled Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) were awarded seven oil exploration concessions in total in which 39 wells will be drilled, Egypt’s petroleum ministry said in a statement. read more

Feb. 12, 2019 10:08 AM ET|About: BP p.l.c. (BP)|By: Carl Surran, SA News Editor

Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A, RDS.B), Eni (NYSE:E), BP and Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) are among the winners of Egypt’s international tender for oil and gas exploration, with 12 concessions awarded in total.

The tender marks XOM’s entry into gas exploration in Egypt, while Shell is awarded the most concessions – three for oil and two for gas.

Egypt expects investments of at least $750M-$800M in the first stage of exploration in the 12 concessions, Petroleum Minister Tarek El Molla says. read more

By Ivana Kottasová, CNN Business

Updated 0832 GMT (1632 HKT) February 12, 2019

London (CNN Business)Climate activists are preparing legal action aimed at forcing Royal Dutch Shell to exit the oil business.

A coalition of environmental groups in the Netherlands said Tuesday that they will hand over a court summons on April 5 if Shell does not change its business model to comply with the Paris climate accord. read more

Written by Allister Thomas – 09/02/2019 6:00 am

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

Shell agrees farm-in to Cluff North Sea licence

Written by Allister Thomas – 08/02/2019 7:50 am

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

Shell leads cash race but Exxon catching up

Ron Bousso: 8 Feb 2019

LONDON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell widened its lead over Exxon Mobil as king of cash among the world’s top oil and gas companies last year but its U.S. rival could catch up with its investment drive in new production.

The five leading firms, known as oil majors, more than tripled profits and doubled cash generation since 2016 as deep cost cutting bore fruit after an industry slump. read more

WOOD has won a multi-million dollar contract to work on the development of an Australian gas field.

The Aberdeen engineering giant will complete design work in connection with Shell’s Crux field, which lies around 115 miles off Western Australia.

The award provides a vote of confidence in Wood on the part of Shell, which describes Crux as an important part of its Australian gas portfolio.

Wood stepped up efforts to win business overseas in response to the crude price plunge, which took a heavy toll on the North Sea oil services business on which it used to focus. read more

Shell Offshore to pay $2.2 million fine for 2016 Gulf spill

By Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

Shell Offshore Inc. has agreed to pay a $2.2 million civil fine to the federal government to settle charges that the company violated the Clean Water Act by spilling 1,900 barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico in May 2016 when a subsea pipeline cracked at the company’s Green Canyon oil field.

The fine, announced in the Federal Register on Friday (Feb. 1), will be paid after the expiration of a 30-day comment period. The money will be deposited in the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, which is used to pay for oil spill cleanups. read more

ROYAL Dutch Shell boss Ben van Beurden has underlined the fact the company wants to grow in the UK North Sea even as he expressed concern about the prospect of a no-deal Brexit.

Speaking after Shell posted a 36 per cent increase in annual profits to a four year high of $21.4 billion (£16.3bn), from $15.8bn, Mr van Beurden said the oil giant believed a no deal Brexit would be “a very bad outcome” but had prepared for the possibility.

Indicating that even a messy Brexit would have limited impact on the company’s plans, he said Shell was very pleased with its UK business. read more

Emily Gosden, Energy Editor: February 1, 2019

Resurgent oil and gas prices helped Royal Dutch Shell to double its profit to almost $24 billion last year, the highest since 2012.

Ben van Beurden, chief executive of the Anglo-Dutch energy group, said it was “delivering on pretty big promises” to investors as it embarked on the latest tranche of its $25 billion share buyback.

Mr van Beurden, 60, also became the latest voice in big business to warn against a no-deal Brexit, saying that it would be “a very bad outcome”.

Shell employs about 80,000 people worldwide, primarily in the production and sale of oil and gas. It produced the equivalent of 3.7 million barrels of oil per day last year and benefited from the rise in prices after supply curbs by Opec… read more