Shell invests in LanzaJet in bid to produce more green jet fuel

• Author Eklavya Gupte
• Editor Richard Rubin
• 06 April 2021

London — Shell has invested in bio-jet producer LanzaJet as the energy major looks to increase its presence in the production of renewable fuels.

LanzaJet, which is a spin-off of US-based biotech company LanzaTech, said on April 6 said that Shell’s involvement will “further accelerate commercialization” of its “Alcohol-to-Jet” technology as the aviation sector takes steps to reduce its carbon footprint. read more

NAM disputes Groningen gas extraction earthquake damage claims

NAM, the Dutch gas concern responsible for gas extraction in Groningen, raised doubts about the level of damage claims and the home strengthening operation in the fracking earthquake zone in the province. In a statement, NAM said that a major part of the damages was wrongly attributed to earthquakes, and that the standards of the reinforcement project are far too strict, NOS reports.

According to NAM, the risks in the earthquake zone are grossly overestimated, and as a result, many homes will be reinforced with measures that far outweigh the risks, “for some buildings even by a factor of a thousand to ten thousand”. “This leads to unnecessary feelings of insecurity among residents and additional costs.” read more

Oil Giants Win Climate Suit as Judges Push For Political Fix

Chevron Corp., Royal Dutch Shell Plc and ConocoPhillips were also sued in the case.

The Friday ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals in New York is a setback for those trying to use the courts to hold the industry responsible for costs associated with rising seas and other consequences of a warming planet.

Chevron Corp., Royal Dutch Shell Plc and ConocoPhillips were also sued in the case.

The court said global warming “is a uniquely international concern” that requires the federal government to step in rather than judges. Only the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate domestic greenhouse gas emissions, the unanimous three-judge panel held. read more

ZeroAvia raises fresh cash for zero-emission hydrogen planes

Other existing investors, including Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures and energy giant Royal Dutch Shell also joined this funding round…

By Nick Carey: 2 MIN READ: MARCH 31, 2021 / 11:19 AM

LONDON (Reuters) – Hydrogen plane startup ZeroAvia said on Wednesday it had secured $24.3 million in a third funding round from investors, including British Airways, which it will use to develop a regional zero-emissions aircraft that can seat more than 50 people. read more

Shell To Tie Executive Bonus Pays With Energy Transition Goals

By Tsvetana Paraskova – Mar 29, 2021, 11:30 AM CDT

Oil and gas supermajor Shell is set to tie the bonuses for its top executive directors more closely to the group’s performance in reaching its net-zero goals, if shareholders approve the plan at the annual general meeting in May, Reuters reported on Monday.

Two years ago, Shell became the first supermajor to set short-term emission reduction targets and link these targets with executive pay, yielding to growing investor pressure about establishing short-term emission goals. read more

North Sea oil and gas minnow wins vote of confidence from Shell

By Mark Williamson  @MarkWHerald

Group Business Correspondent

NORTH Sea oil and gas minnow Deltic Energy has seen its shares rise around eight per cent after the company won a fresh vote of confidence from the mighty Royal Dutch Shell.

Shell has decided to go ahead with a plan to drill a well with Deltic, on a prospect that has generated lots of excitement.

The companies have confirmed to the North Sea regulator that they have made a firm commitment to drill a well on the Pensacola prospect, which is set for next year. read more

Malabu Deal: Italy Ruling Can’t Save Oil Giants From Trial, Group Writes Buhari

The Milan Tribunal ruled on March 17, 2021, that the 13 defendants in OPL 245 international corruption trial had no case to answer. But there are prospects of an appeal in Italy.

The partial freedom granted oil giants by Italian courts in the celebrated OPL 245 corruption case will not stop the prosecution of the accused in Nigeria, a foremost global anti-corruption coalition has said.

In a letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, the anti-corruption coalition said Nigeria should press on with the corruption charges and should not be cowed by any bully tactics of the oil giants who may see the Italy ruling as a shield. read more

Chevron eyes deal for Shell oil refinery in Pacific Northwest -sources

By Erwin Seba: 2 MIN READ: MARCH 26, 2021

HOUSTON, March 26 (Reuters) – Chevron Corp has emerged as a leading contender to buy a Royal Dutch Shell Plc refinery in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, three people familiar with the matter said on Friday.

Shell has been trying to sell its 145,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Puget Sound refinery in Anacortes, Washington, for at least a year. Reuters reported in January 2020 that the refinery was for sale. read more

Shell says green power shift will lift need for Australia’s LNG

By Nick Toscano: March 26, 2021

The Australian boss of global energy giant Shell sees demand for liquefied natural gas exports continuing to grow until at least the late 2030s even as COVID-19 hastens the shift away from planet-warming fossil fuels.

Shell, which believes its oil output may have hit a peak in 2019 and is now likely to gradually decline, has revealed a brighter outlook for its liquefied natural gas (LNG) assets including those in Queensland and off Western Australia. read more

OPL 245: Dan Etete says he has no case to answer in Nigeria after Italian court verdict

22 March 2021

Dan Etete, former minister of petroleum, says Nigerian courts must now strike out charges against him after an Italian court ruled that there was no corruption involved in the OPL 245 transaction.

He also said Malabu Oil and Gas lost over $10 billion to the corruption allegations tied to the oil block.

The OPL 245 deal involved the $1.3 billion purchase of an oil bloc by Royal Dutch Shell and Eni from Malabu, a company in which Etete held majority shares. read more

Nigeria Bribery Case Ends In Victory For Shell, Eni

By Julianne Geiger – Mar 17, 2021, 2:30 PM CDT

An Italian court has ruled that oil giants Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Eni SPA are not guilty in a bribery case involving a Nigerian oilfield that has spanned years, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Shell, Eni, and Eni’s CEO Claudio Descalzi, have been on trial for years in the infamous OPL 245 case. Shell, Eni, Descalzi, and others, were accused of knowing that more than $1.1 billion of the $1.3 billion deposited a decade ago into an escrow account controlled by the Nigerian government would eventually be used as bribes to secure oil drilling rights. read more

Timeline: Nigeria’s OPL 245 oilfield licence bribery cases

By Reuters Staff: 6 MIN READ: MARCH 17, 20214:30 PM 

LONDON (Reuters) – An Italian court acquitted Royal Dutch Shell and Italy’s Eni on Wednesday of corruption in one of the oil industry’s biggest court cases centred around the acquisition of a Nigerian oilfield in 2011.

Italian prosecutors alleged that most of the $1.3 billion purchase price for the licence for the offshore oilfield known as OPL 245 was siphoned off to politicians and middlemen. read more

Oil company on trial in $1.1bn corruption case given access to top EU officials to lobby for gas

Eni holds six European Parliament passes – more than any other oil and gas company, report finds

Ben Chapman: @b_c_chapman: 16 March 2021

An Italian energy giant on trial in a $1.1bn (£790m) bribery and corruption case has been granted privileged access to senior EU officials to lobby for fossil fuel investment, an investigation has found.

Eni and its chief executive Claudio Descalzi are on trial alongside Royal Dutch Shell in connection to a deal for one of Nigeria’s most promising oil blocks. read more

Shell: Pennsylvania ethane plant completion expected in 2022

MONACA, Pa. (AP) — Shell Chemicals officials say the planned multi-billion-dollar petrochemical, or ethane cracker, plant in western Pennsylvania is expected to be completed next year.

The company said in a statement Tuesday that the company is now in the early stages of commissioning and start-up activities, the Beaver County Times reported.

Shell CEO Ben Van Beurden said in an earnings call last month that the complex, now more than 70 percent complete, would likely be “fully operational” sometime in 2022. read more

Goldman Sachs board nominates Royal Dutch Shell CFO for director role

By Elizabeth Dilts Marshall: Mon, March 15, 2021, 2:30 PM·

NEW YORK, March 15 (Reuters) – Goldman Sachs Group Inc’s board of directors on Monday nominated the chief financial officer of Royal Dutch Shell plc to become its newest member.

If her appointment is approved by shareholders, Jessica Uhl will be the fifth woman director on Goldman’s board and its only member to come from the fossil fuel industry.

The bank has backed away from fossil fuel development in recent years. read more

Shell announces completion of sale of minority interest in QCLNG Common Facilities infrastructure to Global Infrastructure Partners

WEBWIRE – Monday, March 15, 2021

QGC Common Facilities Company Pty Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shell, today announced it has completed the sale of a 26.25% interest in the Queensland Curtis LNG (QCLNG) Common Facilities to Global Infrastructure Partners Australia for US$2.5 billion, following the receipt of regulatory approval.

The sale was announced on December 21, 2020, and is consistent with Shell’s strategy of selling non-core assets in order to further high-grade and simplify Shell’s portfolio. The transaction has an economic reference date of January 1, 2021. read more

Andrew Mackenzie selected as chairman of Shell

Former CEO of BHP will succeed Chad Holliday after six years in the position.

March 12, 2021

Royal Dutch Shell announced the appointment of Andrew Mackenzie as the new chairman with effect from the conclusion of Shell’s 2021 Annual General Meeting on May 18.

Mackencie will succeed Chad Holliday who will step down after six years as chairman and board director since September 2010.

Andrew Mackenzie, a British national, joined Shell’s Board in October 2020, after a distinguished career in the energy, petrochemicals and resources sector, latterly as Group CEO of BHP from 2013 to 2019. read more

Shell mulls sale of non-operated assets in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s Malaysia unit said it is considering selling its stakes in two production-sharing contracts it does not operate off the coast of Sarawak state.

In a statement on Friday, Shell Malaysia said the decision to consider divestment options is part of Shell Group’s strategy to focus and increase resilience and competitiveness in its upstream business.

The Baram Delta EOR and the SK307 production-sharing contracts are operated by Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd, a unit of state energy firm Petronas. Sarawak Shell Berhad owns a 40% equity interest in Baram Delta and 50% in SK307, with Petronas Carigali holding the remainder. read more

Shell sees 70%-complete Pennsylvania petchem project operational in 2022

Shell’s oil trading earnings double in 2020 to $2.6 bln

By Reuters Staff: 1 MIN READ: MARCH 12, 2021: 10:58 AM

LONDON, March 12 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell’s 2020 earnings from crude oil and refined products trading nearly doubled from the previous year to $2.6 billion, according to the company’s annual report.

Reporting by Ron Bousso; Editing by Edmund Blair

SOURCE

Shell to Charter 10 New Dual-Fuel Crude Tankers

March 11, 2021

Oil major Shell has signed agreements to charter ten new crude tankers powered by dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) engines, with the company planning to halve half of the long-term chartered crude tankers run on LNG in 2023.

Four of the very large crude carriers (VLCCs) have been chartered from Advantage Tankers, three from AET, and three from International Seaways. All 10 ships will be built in South Korea by DSME, the first operational from 2022, and be on charter to Shell for seven years. read more

EV subscription service Onto partners with Shell to expand access to charging

British electric vehicle subscription service Onto has partnered with Shell to give its users access to charging stations in preparation for a wave of new EVs coming to market over the next several years.

The partnership, which Shell announced Tuesday, will give Onto customers access to more than 3,400 Shell Recharge charge points in the UK, plus over 17 charging partners within Shell’s network.

“Buying an electric car is a big, scary switch for most drivers,” Onto CEO Rob Jolly told TechCrunch in a recent interview. “Charging anxiety is an issue for them, so we’re trying to make EVs as accessible and affordable as possible, and the Shell partnership is a step up from that.” read more

Shell (RDS.A) Receives Europe’s First Carbon-Neutral LNG Delivery

Zacks Equity Research

Royal Dutch Shell Plc RDS.A, through its subsidiary Shell Global LNG, accepted the delivery of the first carbon-neutral liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) in Europe from Gazprom.

Notably, Gazprom is a global energy company and is recognized as one of the largest producers and exporters of LNG in Russia.

The carbon-neutral gas had been delivered at the Dragon terminal in Wales, which is a LNG regasification terminal in the U.K., owned by Shell. Importantly, this will allow Shell to further supply it to the domestic energy markets in the U.K. read more

Court declines to unfreeze Shell’s bank accounts in alleged oil diversion case

The judge also summoned three of the banks’ secretaries and chief financial officers for allegedly disobeying the order made on January 25, 2021.

The court ordered the alleged contemnors to appear before it on the next adjourned date of March 29, 2021.

Justice Oguntoyinbo warned that their failure to appear would result in a warrant for their arrest.

The judge made the order in her ruling on three applications in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/52/2021, filed by Aiteo Eastern E&P Company Ltd against SPDC and four others. read more

Shell pushes back Deer Park, Texas, refinery restart to March 13 – sources

Mon, 8 March 2021

HOUSTON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc pushed back the restart of its 318,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) joint-venture Deer Park, Texas, refinery to March 13, said sources familiar with plant operations on Monday.

Shell spokesman Curtis Smith declined comment.

Shell had planned to restart the 270,000-bpd DU-2 crude distillation unit (CDU), the largest at the refinery, by early this week, the sources said. read more

Gazprom makes first delivery of carbon-neutral LNG to Europe

By Reuters Staff: 1 MIN READ

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian energy giant Gazprom said on Monday it had delivered its first carbon-neutral shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe.

Gazprom said its shipment of Russian LNG, which it said was made carbon neutral by offsetting emissions resulting from its production and transport, had been delivered to Royal Dutch Shell at the Dragon terminal in Wales.

Carbon-neutral LNG typically involves companies supporting nature-based projects that reduce emissions to offset those generated from the exploration and production of natural gas. read more

Shell Using Battery Power Storage for EV Use in Europe

By Thomas Mulloy | March 8, 2021: Facebook

Shell and Alfen have launched a pilot to trial an on-site battery-powered system to support ultra-fast electric vehicle charging at Shell’s Zaltbommel forecourt in the Netherlands.

A Shell first, the battery-powered system offers an alternative solution to costly and time-consuming public grid upgrades by storing electricity in an on-site battery. The increased supply of energy helps power ultra-fast chargers, allowing drivers to simultaneously use the site’s two 175kW charge points. read more

Big Oil Clashes Over Fossil Fuel Future

By Charles Kennedy – Mar 02, 2021, 9:00 AM CST

Executives from major oil companies clashed over the prospects of oil and gas for the future at the first virtual edition of the CERAWeek conference in Houston.

While BP’s Bernard Looney and Shell’s Ben van Beurden boasted about their shift away from their core business and into renewable energy, Baker Hughes, Hess Corp., and Spain’s Repsol were among those believing that fossil fuels have yet to leave the scene for good, the Houston Chronicle’s Paul Takahashi reports. read more

Shell Canada employing ‘agile teams’ to power energy transition and reduce emissions

CALGARY — The president and country head for Shell Canada says its transition into a provider of cleaner energy is being driven by a network of “agile teams” of employees who are examining between 30 and 40 project ideas at a time.

Michael Crothers says the teams formed from employees brought in from various parts of the company are looking at proposals that include the use of hydrogen, biofuels, and wind and solar energy to help the company reduce its environmental impact. read more

Shell Energy to take part in renewable, gas-based power value chain for grid stability

Shell, one of the largest oil and gas explorer and supplier, sees natural gas as the most suitable alternative to bundle with renewables to meet the grid intermittency challenge during night or when sun is not visible. Bundling natural gas with renewables will allow unhindered power generation for anytime of the day or night.

Ajay Shah, VP, Shell Energy Asia, told FE that Shell through its global pronouncements has expressed its aspirations to participate in the power or electricity value chain and form partnerships on the renewables and gas. read more

Shell plans bio power-to-liquids project at Rheinland refinery

• AuthorAndreas Franke 
• EditorAlisdair Bowles 
• 01 Mar 2021

London — Shell is planning to build the first commercial bio-PTL (power-to-liquid) at its Rheinland refinery in Germany, which will involve expanding its electrolyzer project at the site to 100 MW.

Construction of the PTL unit, which would produce 100,000 mt/year of synthetic kerosene and raw gasoline (naphtha) using green hydrogen generated in the electrolyzer as well as biomass (waste wood), could start in 2023, with a view to commercial operations beginning in 2025, Shell said in a statement Feb. 26. read more

EU should include ‘methane performance’ standard in emissions legislation: Shell

• AuthorStuart Elliott 
• EditorDaniel Lalor 
• COAL | NATURAL GAS
• 24 Feb 2021 | 15:50 UTC
• London

London — The EU should include a “methane performance” standard in its upcoming legislative proposals to tackle the issue of methane emissions to ensure it only imports gas from countries with similar policies, a senior official from Shell said Feb. 24.

Speaking during IP Week, Shell’s head of integrated gas, Maarten Wetselaar, said Europe has a major role to play in helping reduce methane emissions from upstream activity. read more

Shell delays US offshore production start ups

The first oil date for PowerNap has been delayed to early 2022, and the first oil date for Vito has been delayed to 2022, the company said. Both were expected to start up late this year to coincide with an expansion of the Mars offshore crude pipeline system.

“Covid-19-related delays, including reductions in personnel and the impacts of Covid-19 barriers on day-to-day working, have impacted project timelines,” Shell said.

Vito is expected to reach peak production of about 100,000 b/d of oil equivalent (boe/d) and PowerNap is expected to have a peak capacity of 35,000 boe/d. read more

By Ron Bousso and Shadia Nasralla

LONDON (Reuters) – Energy giant Royal Dutch Shell vowed to eliminate net carbon emissions by 2050, raising its ambition from previous targets, as its oil output declines from a 2019 peak.

The Anglo-Dutch company is in the midst of its largest overhaul yet as it prepares to expand its renewables and low-carbon business in the face of growing investor pressure on the oil and gas sector to battle climate change.

Shell last year laid out a plan to reach net zero by 2050, in line with the Paris climate agreement and European Union ambitions, but it said the goal depended on its customers. read more

Canada’s Crescent Point to buy Shell’s Kaybob assets for C$900 mln

By Reuters Staff: FEBRUARY 17, 2021

Nigerian court blocks Shell’s accounts over alleged oil theft

The Federal High Court in Lagos has granted an interim Mareva injunction directing commercial banks to block Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd accounts.

A Mareva injunction is a court order freezing a party’s assets, until the determination of a case they are involved in, to stop them from taking it abroad.

The order was in a bid to recover the cash equivalent of more than 16 million barrels of crude oil allegedly diverted by the oil giant from AITEO Eastern E & P Company Ltd. read more

Hydrogen Council members – including Royal Dutch Shell Plc, BMW, Microsoft Corp and Sinopec – plan to increase hydrogen investments six-fold through 2025, from 2019 levels.

Europe pulls ahead in race for hydrogen, as global project pipeline grows: report

FILE PHOTO: The new Febus hydrogen bus is seen before a presentation in Pau, France, January 14, 2020. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau/File Photo

By Kate Abnett: FEBRUARY 17, 2021

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Most of the world’s planned hydrogen projects and the biggest chunk of related investments this decade are expected to be in Europe, an industry report said on Wednesday, as the continent races to scale up the low-carbon fuel to meet climate goals. read more

Shell Deer Park, Texas, refinery and chemical plant shut – company

Reuters Staff: FEBRUARY 16, 2021

HOUSTON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc shut its 318,000 barrel-per-day joint-venture Deer Park, Texas, refinery because of severe cold weather, the company said on Tuesday

The company’s adjoining chemical plant was also shut.

“Shell’s Deer Park facility has shut down due to unprecedented weather in the region,” the company said in an email. “As a result, flaring is expected to increase in the near term. There is no threat to the surrounding community and we continue to contribute power to the regional grid by way of our cogeneration facilities.” read more

Shell Shuts Down 310,000 Bpd Deer Park Refinery

By Charles Kennedy – Feb 15, 2021, 9:30 AM CST

Shell has shut down the crude distillation units of its Deer Park refinery due to a malfunction, Reuters has reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

The two crude distillation units have a combined capacity of 310,000 barrels of oil daily. According to the Reuters sources, they were shut down after a seal failed on a pump that feeds crude to other units at the refinery. read more

U.K. High Court Says Nigerians Can Sue Shell in Britain Over Oil Spills

The Dutch energy company has a presence in Britain, and a judge ruled there was “a real issue to be tried.”

By Stanley Reed: Feb. 12, 2021

LONDON — Britain’s Supreme Court said Friday that a group of about 50,000 Nigerian farmers and fishermen could bring a case in London’s High Court against Royal Dutch Shell over years of oil spills in the Niger Delta that have polluted their land, wells and waterways.

The judges said there was the potential that a parent company like Shell, which has its headquarters in the Netherlands but a large British presence, has responsibility for the activities of subsidiaries like the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, which operates in the delta region. read more

Nigerians Can Sue Shell in U.K. Over Spills, Top Court Says

(Bloomberg) — Thousands of Nigerians can sue Royal Dutch Shell Plc in London over environmental damage in the West African nation, the U.K.’s top court said.

The Supreme Court on Friday reversed two earlier rulings that blocked the case from being heard in England. The decision could pave the way for similar claims from the developing world against British companies.

Force Rethink?

The decision may force other U.K. multinationals to rethink how they operate abroad, says lawyer Rick Munro. read more

Shell plans show steep curve ahead for carbon offset market

By Reuters: FEBRUARY 12, 2021

LONDON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell has set forth plans for nature-based carbon offsets, derived from forestry and soil stewardship projects, which outstrip the entire global market in its current form, as do its carbon capture and storage (CCS) capacity aims.

Graphic: Shell’s carbon offset ambition

Graphic: Big Oil’s 2019 greenhouse gas emissions Big Oil’s 2019 greenhouse gas emissions read more

Shell LNG Canada’s coronavirus restart plan approved

Fri, February 12, 2021, 1:40 PM·

Feb 12 (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell’s LNG Canada export project in British Columbia has won approval from health officials for construction to ramp back up with improved coronavirus protection measures.

Work at the site was curtailed last month by an order from the Provincial Health Officer which applied to five major industrial projects in British Columbia, including LNG Canada.

“Our approved restart and measured workforce increase at the project site will continue over the coming months,” LNG Canada and JGC I Fluor, the engineering joint venture building the project, said in a statement on Thursday. read more

Shell pays $191K fine for 2015 refinery incident

11 Feb 2021

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) — Shell Oil Products U.S. has paid a $191,000 fine for the release of pollutants from its Shell Puget Sound Refinery north of Seattle in Skagit County.

The fine comes via a legal settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to resolve federal Clean Air Act violations, The Skagit Valley Herald reported.

During refinery maintenance on Feb. 20, 2015, several operating procedures were violated, resulting in the release of about 700 pounds of pollutants. Hydrogen sulfide, dimethyl sulfide, mercaptans, pyrophoric iron and benzene were released over a period of more than three hours. read more

Jillian Ambrose: Thu 11 Feb 2021 09.40 GMT

Shell has set new carbon emissions goals to become a net zero carbon energy company by 2050, but will continue to grow its gas business by more than 20% in the next few years.

Shell’s goal is to be net zero carbon company within 30 years, including the emissions from burning its fossil fuels. But the plans have raised concerns among green campaigners that Shell may still increase its emissions in the coming decade, which is considered a crucial period to avoid a climate catastrophe. read more

EPA fines Shell Oil $191,000 over release of toxic vapors from Anacortes refinery

by KOMO News Staff: Wednesday, February 10th 2021

SEATTLE – The company that operates the Anacortes oil refinery will pay a $191,000 fine for violations of the Clean Air Act stemming from a 2015 release of toxic vapors that sickened dozens of local residents of the area.

The fine, part of a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency, is in addition to previous fines of over $420,000 levied by the Northwest Clean Air Agency and the Washington Safety and Health Agency against Shell Oil Products U.S. over the incident. read more

How Biden should meet his promise to cut fossil fuel emissions

It is clear, however, that the oil and gas sector’s concerns over methane emissions have reached a breaking point.

The industry’s shift follows decades of climate denial and obfuscation. The industry eventually turned to voluntary commitments such as the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, insisting they would suffice in place of the force of law. But under immense investor and public pressure, some of the oil majors, including BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Total, and Equinor, have now publicly announced support for government regulation of methane pollution read more

Hedge funds bet on oil’s ‘big comeback’ after pandemic hobbles producers

FILE PHOTO: A combination of file photos shows the logos of five of the largest publicly traded oil companies; BP, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, and Total. REUTERS/File Photo

By Maiya Keidan, Rod Nickel: 5 MIN READ: FEBRUARY 7, 20212:20 PM

TORONTO (Reuters) – Hedge funds are turning bullish on oil once again, betting the pandemic and investors’ environmental focus has severely damaged companies’ ability to ramp up production. read more

Nigeria negotiates terms with Big Oil to keep investments

By Libby George: FEBRUARY 5, 2021: 3 MIN READ

LAGOS (Reuters) – Nigeria’s state oil company is renegotiating commercial contract terms with major oil firms, its chief told Reuters, in a move that it hopes will keep investment flowing into a sector crucial for its economy at a time when spending is being slashed.

Africa’s largest oil exporter and biggest economy relies on the oil sector for half of its budget and 90% of its foreign exchange. It wants to raise revenue but also attract investment. read more

Shell May Re-evaluate Oil Operations Onshore Nigeria

By Charles Kennedy – Feb 05, 2021, 1:30 PM CST

Persistent issues with theft and sabotage in the Niger Delta could prompt Shell to take a hard look at its operations onshore Nigeria, the supermajor’s chief executive Ben van Beurden said this week.

“Our onshore oil position, despite all the efforts we put in against theft and sabotage, is under challenge,” van Beurden told reporters, as carried by Reuters, after Shell reported another set of weak Big Oil results affected by the pandemic. read more