Shell Egypt to sell assets in Western Desert

CAIRO, Oct 20 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell plans to sell its onshore upstream assets in Egypt’s Western Desert to focus on expanding its Egyptian offshore gas exploration, Shell Egypt said on Sunday.

Having won three oil and two gas concessions in Egypt last February, senior executive last week told Reuters that the company would start operating the new areas in the second half of next year.

“We remain committed to Egypt and see our future in supporting the government’s energy hub vision by growing Shell positions across the offshore and LNG value chain,” Wael Sawan, Shell upstream director, said in a statement. read more

October 18, 2019

Greenlots, a subsidiary of Shell New Energies, has announced its participation in the development of the world’s largest electric vehicle charging network.

Greenlots EV chargers will be installed in Ford’s FordPass Charging network.

The Charging Network will be launched in 2020 and will allow Ford EV drivers to charge seamlessly across all the major charging networks in the US and select regions in Canada.

The network is the first of its kind rollout in the EV market and is to accelerate the adoption of electrified transportation across North America. read more

Ehab Farouk: OCTOBER 17, 2019

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell is aiming to start operating in its concession areas in Egypt in the second half of 2020, a senior executive said.

Shell won three oil and two gas concessions in Egypt in February.

Eni, BP and Exxon Mobil also won some of a total of 12 tenders as Egypt looks to sustain an investment upswing spurred by major discoveries.

Shell has also applied to take part in a bidding round in Egypt for oil and gas drilling in the Red Sea, Gerald Schotman, executive vice president upstream JVs at Shell, told Reuters. read more

Greenpeace activists climb Shell North Sea platform saying ‘clean up your mess’

By Ron Bousso

LONDON (Reuters) – Greenpeace activists boarded two Royal Dutch Shell oil platforms in the British North Sea on Monday in protest against plans to leave parts of the giant structures in place after production shuts down.

Pictures provided by Greenpeace show two people in yellow hats scaling one of two giant, rusty structures and unfurling a banner reading “Clean up your mess, Shell!”

Shell confirmed that protesters boarded the Brent Alpha platform and the Brent Bravo concrete legs. read more

Shell to offset fuel carbon emissions at UK petrol stations

Oil giant Shell has announced plans to offset carbon emission from fuel at a number of its UK petrol stations.

The new project will see Shell offset the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from customers’ fuel purchases on their behalf.

The energy firm is planning to roll the initiative out across 1,000 Shell UK service stations.

Sinead Lynch, Shell UK country chairwoman, said: “Switching to an electric vehicle is the best way for drivers to reduce their CO2 footprints and they can now charge on a growing number of our UK forecourts with 100% renewable electricity.

“But today the majority of people still use petrol and diesel. We can help them address the impact of their emissions by offsetting their fuel purchases, starting now.” read more

Shell eyes North Sea oil and gas developments amid drive to go gree

By Mark Williamson Group Business Correspondent

THE head of Royal Dutch Shell’s UK business has said the oil giant is set to approve more developments in the North Sea amid calls from activists for curbs on activity to help tackle climate change.

UK country chair Sinead Lynch said Shell is looking at projects across its North Sea heartlands. The firm thinks it can generate good returns in the area while supporting the effort to reduce carbon emissions in the UK to zero, net of amounts absorbed.

“The North Sea for us is definitely an area where we want to continue to play,” said Ms Lynch, who reckons Shell could be in the area for decades. read more

Shell still has appetite for Mideast investments, says CEO

Royal Dutch Shell CEO Ben van Beurden

OCTOBER 9, 2019 / 10:30 AM

LONDON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) has no intention to change its plans to invest in the Middle East, Chief Executive Ben van Beurden said on Wednesday

“We have absolutely no intention to change our attitude and appetite for investing in the Middle East. Far from it,” van Beurden told the Oil & Money conference.

Shell pulled out of the Majnoon oilfield in Iraq two years ago and earlier this year sold its stake in a refinery in Saudi Arabia. It is a major investor in Qatar and Oman. read more

Just Energy to sell U.K. operations to Shell for C$17M

Oct. 8, 2019 5:45 PM ET|About: Just Energy Group Inc. (JE)|By: Carl Surran, SA News Editor

Just Energy (NYSE:JE) +4.7% after-hours on news it agreed to sell its U.K. operations to Shell Energy Retail Ltd. (RDS.A, RDS.B) for ~C$17M.

JE says the sale of Hudson Energy Supply UK will help narrow its geographic focus and concentrate on its core operations.

In addition, JE says it has identified another C$20M/year in cost savings, to bring total annualized cost savings initiatives announced so far to C$60M.

The company also says the strategic review process initiated in June is ongoing, and it has not set a specific timeframe for the conclusion of the review. read more

By Leonard Hyman and William Tilles

Not long ago, Bill Gates offered some investment advice. That, in itself, constitutes news, but the content and the reactions make up a more interesting story.

Gates told the Financial Times, in essence, that investors who want to do something about climate change should stop making up lists of companies they do not want in their portfolios based on involvement in fossil fuel production or use. They should, instead, invest in disruptive technologies that will provide actual solutions to climate change. read more

OCTOBER 4, 2019

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell has promoted its current Australia chief, Zoe Yujnovich, to the role of executive vice president for conventional oil and gas from Jan. 1, based in the group’s headquarters in The Hague, Shell Australia said on Friday.

In her new role, Yujnovich will report to Shell’s upstream director and be responsible for delivering growth across 18 countries, including Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Oman, the UK and Iraq.

Yujnovich, an Australian, joined Shell in Canada in 2014 from the mining industry and since February 2017 has run its Australian business, which accounts for about a quarter of the group’s invested capital. read more

Shell approves upgrade Britain’s North Sea Pierce field to produce gas

By Reuters• last updated: 03/10/2019 – 15:04

LONDON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell <RDSa.L> and Ithaca Energy have given the go-ahead for upgrading the Pierce oilfield in the British North Sea so that it can produce natural gas, Shell said on Thursday.

The project involves modifying the existing floating production, support and offloading (FPSO) vessel and installing a sub-sea gas export line from the FPSO to the SEGAL pipeline.

It also involves drilling new wells in the field, which now produces oil and reinjects gas into the reservoir. read more

Shell Takes 20% Stake in Indian Solar Firm Orb Energy

(Bloomberg) — A Royal Dutch Shell Plc division took a 20% stake in Indian solar firm Orb Energy Pvt Ltd. as part of a drive to deliver a reliable source of electricity to 100 million people in the developing world by 2030.

Orb Energy, based in Bengaluru, south India, provides credit to small and medium sized firms to invest in solar panel systems. Founded in 2006, Orb Energy has sold over 160,000 solar systems in India with a total capacity of 75 megawatts.

“This is a vital and growing sector, with great potential to contribute to the country’s renewable energy ambitions,” Brian Davis, vice president in the Shell Energy Solutions division said in a statement. read more

Gordon Deegan: 2 Oct 2019

The Canadian-owned entity that acquired Shell Ireland’s 45 per cent interest in Corrib gas has already taken €414.8 million in dividends from the operation of the gas field.

Nephin Energy Holdings, which is owned by the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board, has just filed its first set of accounts since the Canadian group agreed in 2017 to purchase Shell Ireland’s interest in Corrib Gas for €903 million.

Nephin paid a dividend of €382.4 million to its Canadian parent last year and a further €32.4 million in April and May of this year. read more

Shell request sees Survitec increase lifeboat capacity on Shearwater gas hub

Jackdaw will be tied back to the Shearwater platform, pictured.

by David McPhee: 02/10/2019, 7:20 am

A request by Shell has seen offshore safety firm Survitec increase lifeboat capacity on the oil and gas giant’s Shearwater gas hub.

The project, commissioned by Shell last year, asked Survitec to to increase lifeboat capacity on Shearwater by more than 22%.

The replacement of three 49-person capacity lifeboats increased total capacity from 147 to 180.

Andrew Sinclair, Shell project manager said: “This project was a priority for the Shearwater Asset allowing for a ramp up in project and maintenance activity to help unlock the platforms potential and secure a bright future for the facility.” read more

Shell to book writeoff as high as $350 million

Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA.LN) said Monday that it expects to report extra upstream well write-offs of $250 million to $350 million in the third quarter, compared with the same period last year.

In a statement ahead of its third-quarter earnings the oil major said it expects upstream production to be between 2.6 million to 2.7 million barrels of oil equivalent a day and downstream oil product sales volumes of 6.7 million to 7.4 million barrels a day.

Shell said that integrated gas production for the quarter is expected to be between 930,000 and 960,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day. read more

Anjli Raval, Senior Energy Correspondent: 27 Sept 2019

The preceding three years offered plenty to talk about. Oil prices had collapsed; Shell had embarked on a complex $53bn takeover of natural gas giant BG Group and the company’s offices had been raided over a controversial Nigerian deal. Shell’s top brass were wrestling with a dilemma that has since beset every major oil and gas company. How should a company that generates most of its profits by meeting the world’s still-robust demand for oil and gas navigate the future as the political tide turns increasingly against fossil fuels. read more

JUDITH EVANS: 27 Sept 2019

A deal to sell Southbank Place near Waterloo station, which also includes the London headquarters of Royal Dutch Shell, to the Singaporean group Bright Ruby was called off on Friday, according to two people briefed on the situation.

FULL FT ARTICLE

Bloomberg: Kazakhstan Seeking Additional $1B From Shell, Eni

Bloomberg) — Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Eni SpA and their partners in the Karachaganak oil and gas venture may be required to pay an additional $1 billion to settle a dispute with Kazakhstan over revenue sharing, said people familiar with the matter.

The claim from the Central Asian nation’s government comes on top of last year’s similar-sized settlement from the Karachaganak partners. Kazakhstan has a history of disputes with international investors over revenue, taxes and cost-sharing at its energy projects. read more

The Punch:

OML 25: SPDC, Belema oil resolve dispute, resume operations in 10 days

Sept 17, 2019

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation with its joint venture partners, Shell Production Development Company and Belema OIL, have resolved the dispute on the operation of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 25.

The feuding group at the signing of the dispute closure agreement in Abuja, on Tuesday agreed that operations at the oil well would take off in the next 10 days.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Silva, while signing the agreement, thanked all the parties stressing that the step signified the beginning of a new chapter in the industry. read more

By Jessica Jaganathan: SEPT 19, 2019

SINGAPORE, Sept 19 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell has loaded the first cargo of low-sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) from its Pulau Bukom refining site in Singapore, it said on Thursday.

Demand for stable low-sulphur marine fuel supplies is rising as the shipping sector prepares for the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) lowering of the cap on sulphur in marine fuels to 0.5% from 3.5% beginning in January 2020.

This is the first time Shell has made LSFO from its own upstream crude, the company said in a statement. read more

by David McPhee: 18/09/2019, 12:36 pm

Oil giant Shell has announced that Saudi Aramco has bought up its 50% interest in the Shell Saudi Arabia (Refining) Limited’s (SASREF) joint venture in Jubail Industrial City.

The deal has been agreed for more than £500 million.

Shell said the completion of the deal is contingent on “receipt of all necessary regulatory consents”.

The acquisition is understood to support Saudi Aramco’s longer term plan to increase the “complexity and capacity” of its refineries, as part of its downstream growth strategy. read more

Qatar Petroleum and Shell in LNG marine fuel venture

Reuters: 18 Sept 2019

DUBAI, Sept 18 (Reuters) – Qatar Petroleum and Shell agreed on Wednesday to establish a partnership to accelerate the development of liquified natural gas (LNG) fuelling infrastructure around the world.

“The joint venture between the two companies will invest in LNG marine fuelling, bunkering vessels and other infrastructure in key locations to meet the needs of marine customers and help to reduce emissions of the global shipping industry,” a Shell statement said. read more

LONDON (Reuters) – Investors managing $15 trillion in assets turned up the heat on oil and gas sector on Wednesday ahead of a United Nations summit in New York aimed at accelerating efforts to fight climate change.

Energy companies are on the front line of the global transition to a low-carbon economy, with investors potentially on the hook for hefty losses if the companies do not overhaul their business models in time.

In its most detailed analysis of the energy sector, the Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI) said 31 out of 109 energy firms were aligned with commitments governments have so far made under the 2015 Paris Agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions. read more

While it is unclear whether sanctions would stop the project, they would certainly alienate major European energy companies, including Royal Dutch Shell…

By Ike Brannon and Eric Miller

A central plank of President Trump’s foreign policy toward Europe has been a demand for greater “burden-sharing” in the costs of defending the continent. Since the founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, the United States has paid the lion’s share of the bill for the Alliance. In 2006, NATO Defense Ministers formally agreed that each of its 29 members would spend a minimum of 2% of their GDP on defense. Yet, according to a March 2019 NATO report, only 7 of the 29 members have reached the 2% goal. read more

Liz Hampton: SEPTEMBER 10, 2019

Sept 10 (Reuters) – A group of oil and gas companies has agreed to begin testing blockchain, a technology at the heart of digital currencies, in a bid to lower administrative costs in their field operations while also reducing payment disputes and chances for fraud.

The OOC Oil & Gas Blockchain Consortium, whose members include Chevron Corp, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil Corp, Equinor and Royal Dutch Shell , among others, has awarded a contract to Data Gumbo to pilot the technology for water handling services in the Bakken shale field in North Dakota. read more

Shell ‘absolutely’ looking at big Scottish North Sea offshore wind projects

by David McPhee: 06/09/2019, 7:10 am Updated: 06/09/2019, 7:42 am

Shell’s energy transition manager, Joanna Coleman, confirmed last night that the oil and gas giant was “absolutely” targeting the North Sea for future big offshore wind development.

Ms Coleman was representing Shell at Offshore Europe in Aberdeen yesterday to outline her firm’s plans to move to lower carbon and renewable energy in the UK.

She spoke about Shell’s work in developing carbon capture and storage in Peterhead, alongside its plans for hydrogen and electric vehicles.

But she added that her firms “focus” is offshore wind deployment in the UK.

Asked about the Scottish North Sea, Ms Coleman said: “We’ll need to look at what acreage the Crown Estate Scotland puts out to bid and decide which blocks we want to bid on. read more

Marissa Luck Sep. 6, 2019 Updated: Sep. 6, 2019 6:55 a.m.

When car enthusiast John Hennessey started a YouTube channel more than a decade ago, he just wanted his Sealy auto modification shop to keep up with the times.

Fast forward 12 years and Hennessey’s social media presence has exploded to 340,000 YouTube subscribers and 1 million Instagram followers watching his mechanics modify high-end cars and trucks to go ridiculously fast. Hennessey, who describes himself as the“Chief Horsepower Evangelist” at his company, rubs elbows with famous Indy 500 and NASCAR drivers at automotive industry events. read more

Chen Aizhu: Sept 5, 2019

SINGAPORE, Sept 5 (Reuters) – Sinochem Energy Technology Co Ltd, a subsidiary of state oil and chemicals firm Sinochem Group, is in talks with Royal Dutch Shell and Macquarie Group to build an energy blockchain platform, three Beijing-based industry sources said.

Shell and Macquarie entered a memorandum of understanding in July to explore building a blockchain platform for crude oil, one of the Sinochem unit’s incubator projects with growth potential, said one of the sources who has direct knowledge of the matter. read more

Remembering HON, DR BARINEM NUBARI KIOBEL’S BIRTHDAY: 23rd September

Happy Birthday HON, Dr. Barinem Nubari Kiobel. Though you are not physically with us, your spirit lives on and your memory remains fresh in our hearts. Your legacy will live forever. You shall always be remembered. We love you but Jesus Loves You more. May your precious soul continue to rest in peace. Remain in the bosom of the LORD Almighty God until we meet to part no more. Happy posthumous birthday. We Love you.

See more information below about the career of Dr. Kiobel and a loving memorial salute by his widow. 

Esther Kiobel (above) the widow of DR Kiobel is currently suing Royal Dutch Shell in the Dutch courts for alleged complicity in his murder.  A panel of three Dutch judges has given approval for the case to proceed. Esther is the lead plaintiff in the action brought collectively by three Ogoni 9 widows whose husbands were all hanged by the Nigerian military regime allegedly in collaboration with Shell. 

Remembering (Hon) Dr. Barinem Nubari Kiobel

PH.D MCOM, MBA, BBA, DIPM DIPMGT-ABE MCIM MINSTT

Dr. Barinem Nubari Kiobel was born in Kpor Town, Gokana local Gov’t area of River State, Ogoni in Niger Delta into the family of Madam Vurage Kile Diiyor (mother) and chief Francis Kiobel Barika (father) on September 23^rd, 1959. read more

Sept 4, 2019

LONDON, Sept 4 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell, one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) suppliers, has asked U.S. regulators to extend the time by which it should complete an LNG export project in Louisiana by five years to 2025, regulatory filings showed.

The project, a 50-50 venture with U.S. midstream company Energy Transfer, envisaged converting an existing import and regasification facility in Lake Charles into a multi-train, 16.45 million tonnes per year (mtpa) facility. read more

Shell, Energy Transfer seek extension on Louisiana LNG project

Sep. 4, 2019 8:01 AM ET|About: Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDS.A)| By Carl Surran, SA News Editor

*Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A, RDS.B) asks U.S. regulators to extend the time required to complete the Lake Charles liquefied natural gas export project in Louisiana by five years to 2025.

*Shell says the delay is due to its takeover of the project after its 2016 acquisition of BG Group caused it to re-evaluate and strike new agreements, according to a letter dated last Friday to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

*The project, a 50-50 venture Energy Transfer (NYSE:ET), would convert an existing import and regasification facility in Lake Charles into a multi-train, 16.45M mt/year facility. read more

North Sea gains must be sustained, Shell official warns

Sep 3rd, 2019

Offshore staff

ABERDEEN, UK – Excessive complexity held back the North Sea industry for many years, said Shell Upstream Director Wael Sawan during the plenary session at SPE Offshore Europe 2019.

The sector had made progress since the oil price fall in 2014, he acknowledged, helped by improved co-operation with governments in the region. “But we need to continue to innovate if we are to achieve the Oil & Gas Authority’s 2035 vision for the UK.”

Shell has played its part by driving down the costs of its North Sea operations by 45% over the past five years, he said, “and that has fundamentally changed the attractiveness of the investment.” read more

S&P Global Platts: India CEO Series: Shell aims to expand retail oil, LNG footprint in India

• AuthorSambit Mohanty
• EditorDebiprasad Nayak
• LNG | NATURAL GAS | OIL
• 04 Sep 2019 | 06:33 UTC

HIGHLIGHTS

Doubles presence in retail oil segment in two years

Hazira LNG deal to help create integrated value chain

Investing in biofuels, solar in new energy push

New Delhi — Shell is pushing ahead with its ambitions to grow its retail oil network in India where growth prospects look promising, while working towards expanding its footprint in the fast-growing LNG market, country chairman Nitin Prasad told S&P Global Platts in an interview.

The country’s growing energy needs has given Shell a huge opportunity to grow its presence not only in the conventional energy space, but has also opened up a window of opportunity to explore new energy initiatives, he added. read more

By Timothy Abington and Kelly Gilblom: 4 September 2019, 07:00 BST: Updated on 4 September 2019, 11:11 BST

*European majors close many more deals than their U.S. rivals

*Digital and efficiency technologies become popular targets

Major oil companies are poised to do a record number of clean-energy deals this year, with Royal Dutch Shell Plc leading a group of European companies that are well ahead of their U.S. rivals.

The data compiled by BloombergNEF underscore the quickening pace of the transition to low-carbon energy among the world’s largest fossil fuel producers, and the scale of the trans-Atlantic divide. European majors closed seven times as many deals with renewable-electricity and storage companies as their U.S. counterparts since 2010. read more

Shortly before President Trump visited the Royal Dutch Shell plant in Pennsylvania on Aug. 13, thousands of workers received a memo from Shell about the company’s expectations of the event. The memo informed them that their attendance at the speech was “not mandatory,” but that if they did not scan in to work that morning, they would not receive their pay for the day. They also would lose eligibility to receive the 16 hours of overtime pay built into their workweek.

Although some workers chose not to attend, Trump spoke before a warehouse packed with Shell employees. At one point, the president turned to the union leaders and demanded that they support his reelection campaign. Trump told the workers that if the leaders refused to back him, they should “vote them the hell out of office because they’re not doing their job.” read more

From left, Shell workers Adam Harrison, Dakota Stormer and Natasha Qamar take a demo ride in an ElecTrip vehicle.Photo: Juan Figueroa, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Sergio Chapa Aug. 30, 2019

Royal Dutch Shell makes its money selling oil, gasoline and other petroleum products. But when it comes to its employees traveling between Houston and other major Texas cities, how does one of the world’s largest oil companies transport them?

Electric cars.

Earlier this week, Shell approved $40,000 in vouchers for employees to use ElecTrip, a Tesla-based ride-sharing service headquartered in Houston. The vouchers will pay for about 400 zero-emission rides to meetings in Austin, Dallas San Antonio and other Texas cities. read more

Shell India invests in $7.7 million in biomass firm

AUG 30, 2019

Shell India has made a $7.7 million (€6.9 million) investment in a local biomass firm. Punjab Renewable Energy, backed by Neev Fund and responsibility, will use the fresh investment to expand its business in the bioenergy sector.

The company was established in 2011 and is involved in the collection, processing, storage and supply of biomass including paddy straw, cotton stalk, soya husk, maize cob and mustard stalk, which it provides to clients for energy or conversion into biofuels, according to a report by VCCircle. read more

Shell, Equinor, SSE back new project to address offshore wind ‘barriers’

by David McPhee: 27/8/2019

Some of the world’s biggest energy firms are backing a new project aimed at addressing current barriers in the UK offshore wind market.

The second stage of the Offshore Renewable Joint Industry Project (ORJIP) programme, announced by the Carbon Trust, said it aims to reduce consenting risk, project maturation time, cost and the environmental impact of new and existing UK offshore wind farms.

The new four-year programme will be funded by public and private partners.

EDF Renewables, EDP Renewables, E.On, Equinor, Innogy, Marine Scotland, Red Rock Power, Shell, SSE Renewables and the Crown Estate and Crown Estate Scotland are all involved. read more

Matthew Stevens Columnist: 23 August 2019

Shell Australia’s $617 million pitch for electricity trader and generator ERM Powerstands as the most tangible expression yet of the transition mission that the local outpost of the petroleum super major set for itself more than three years ago.

Back in June 2017, in a move that foreshadowed co-ordinated global ambitions in electricity only recently fully enunciated by the legendary mother ship, Shell Australia revealed its strategic hand by establishing an energy trading business in Melbourne. read more

By Nick Toscano: August 22, 2019 

Global oil and gas giant Shell has launched a $617 million takeover offer for Australian energy retailer ERM Power as the multinational seeks to make a foray into the country’s energy retailing market.

Shell is proposing to buy ERM – Australia’s second-largest power retailer to commercial and industrial customers – for $2.465 a share, the two companies announced on Thursday morning.

The offer represents a 43 per cent premium to ERM’s last closing price of $1.72.

Shell’s proposal has gained the backing of ERM’s founder, Trevor St Baker, who holds 27 per cent of the company. Mr St Baker said he intended to vote in favour of the takeover bid “in the absence of a superior proposal”. read more

Shell debuts electric vehicle chargers in Singapore, first in Southeast Asia

By Reuters• last updated: 19/08/2019 – 08:13

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell <RDSa.L> is launching electric vehicle chargers at petrol stations in Singapore, its first such foray in Southeast Asia, the company said on Monday.

The electric vehicle charging service, ‘Shell Recharge’, will be available at 10 Shell petrol stations in Singapore by October, this year or about 20% of its retail network in the city-state, the company said in a statement.

It added that the chargers typically provide from 0% to 80% charge in about 30 minutes, and are compatible with most electric vehicles in Singapore. read more

By Maggie Haberman: Aug. 17, 2019

Thousands of union workers at a multibillion-dollar petrochemical plant being built outside Pittsburgh were given the choice of attending a speech by President Trump on Tuesday or staying away — and losing some of their pay for the week.

“Your attendance is not mandatory,” one of the construction site’s contractors wrote in rules for the speech that were shared with its employees, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which first reported on the matter. But the rules said that only those who arrived at 7 a.m., had their work IDs scanned and then stood waiting for the president for several hours would get paid for the time. read more

Nigeria: Govt Declines Renewal of Shell’s OML 11 Over National Security

By Alex Enumah: 16 August 2019

Abuja — The Federal Government Thursday told an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court that its decision not to renew the operating license of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) was in the interest of the nation’s security.

The oil giant in the legal action is seeking an order of the court to compel the Federal Government to grant or renew its Oil Mining Lease (OML)11.

At the resumed hearing on Thursday, counsel to Federal Government, Mohammed Diri, while objecting to the suit said the primary objective of any responsible government is to guarantee the safety of lives and properties, adding that the refusal to renew OML 11 was a pre-emptive measure to prevent the occurrence or escalation of security breach in Ogoni area. read more

Royal Dutch Shell’s New Plastic Plant Stirs Debate

AUGUST 13, 2019

Royal Dutch Shell has announced plans to open a huge new plastic plant in Pittsburgh’s Beaver County. Not everyone is pleased with this development. Plastic Passion As reported by The New York Times, oil company Royal Dutch Shell is building a $6 billion plastic factory near Pittsburgh that will create 3.5 billion “tiny pellets that can be turned into items like phone cases, auto parts and food packaging.” While the factory would be a boost for the local economy, environmental activists argue that there is already far too much plastic in the world as it is, as many towns in America struggle with recycling. Re: Recycling Shell argues that the problem is not plastic, but plastic that is not properly disposed of. It donated to extend the hours of a local recycling center near the plant, but like in much of the country, Pennsylvania’s Beaver County has to limit the type of plastic it can accept, because there aren’t many buyers who want to repurpose it. Gas It Up This investment in plastic is seen as a move by both Shell and Pennsylvania to diversify, as the prices have fallen for the natural gas the area was known for, and the energy industry is looking for ways to get ahead of the demand for clean energy, low fuel prices and the increasing popularity of fuel-efficient automobiles. Petrochemical giants like Exxon Mobil and Dow have also made similar moves in recent years. Still, investors and analysts continue to see plastic as a risky investment, as shareholders are increasingly voicing concerns about plastic waste. -Michael Tedder Photo: Arnd Wiegmann / REUTERS read more

AUGUST 12, 2019

HOUSTON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc is restarting the Gas Olefins Unit 1 (GO 1) at its Norco, Louisiana, chemical plant on Monday, sources familiar with plant operations said.

Shell plans to begin restarting the 25,000 barrels per day (bpd) coker in the adjoining 225,300 bpd Norco refinery this week, the sources said.

Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Tom Brown

SOURCE

NEW YORK — A 40 billion Canadian dollar ($30 billion) project in British Columbia led by Royal Dutch Shell is on track to start exporting liquefied natural gas to Asia as early as 2024, having received a significant financial boost from Canada’s federal government.

Ottawa will provide C$275 million in subsidies to help finance the LNG Canada export project, whose partners include Malaysian state-owned oil company Petronas, Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp. and two other Asian energy companies. read more

AUG 8, 2019

HOUSTON (Reuters) – Motiva Enterprises [MOTIV.UL] plans to shut the big crude distillation unit (CDU) at its 607,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Port Arthur, Texas, refinery, the nation’s largest, by Sept. 5 for a 60-day overhaul, said sources familiar with plant operations.

In addition to the 325,000-bpd VPS-5 CDU, Motiva plans to shut the naphtha processing complex, which includes the 115,000-bpd naphtha hydrotreating unit 2 (NHTU2), 85,000-bpd catalytic reformer 5 (CRU 5) and 50,000-bpd isomerization unit for the work, scheduled to finish by Nov. 5, the sources said. read more

An aerial view of the Shell ethylene cracker plant being built in Potter in June. (Andrew Rush/Post-Gazette)

JONAH S. BERGER: AUG 8, 2019

President Donald Trump has rescheduled a visit to a cracker plant in Beaver County to Tuesday after  postponing the trip — originally scheduled for this week — in the wake of two mass shootings in Texas and Ohio.

Mr. Trump will tour Royal Dutch Shell’s petrochemical complex in Potter Township and is expected to tout his efforts to boost employment in the manufacturing and energy sectors. read more

Pittsburg Post-Gazette: Trump to tour cracker plant in Beaver County next week

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: AUG 3, 2019

President Donald Trump next week will travel to Beaver County where he will tour the Shell Chemicals ethane cracker plant and tout his administration’s economic agenda for expanding the country’s domestic manufacturing and energy production.

Mr. Trump is scheduled to visit the $6 billion plant, which remains under construction in Potter Township, on Thursday. It will be his first trip to Pennsylvania since May. 

The president’s “economic policies, including tax cuts and aggressive deregulatory agenda, has enabled America to expand manufacturing, energy production, new capital and technology investments, and create jobs,” the White House said in a news release. “The policies make it possible for multibillion-dollar investments such as the Shell complex, which highlights the potential for the Appalachian region to become a second center of U.S. petrochemical manufacturing.” read more

Shell shares plunge after worst results since oil price crash

By Brian Donnelly @BrianDonnellyHT Business Correspondent: 2 Aug 2019

SHARES in Royal Dutch Shell were down five per cent after it posted its worst financial results since the 2016 oil price crash.

The energy giant said the figures were influenced by lower oil and gas prices while analysts said wider global factors including the US and China trade stand-off played a part, and the firm said it would not take any British-flagged tankers to the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions in the region. read more