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February 14th, 2007:

Daily Telegraph: Royal calls for tax on Total’s profits

Daily Telegaph

(Total’s new chief Christophe de Margerie)

By Paul Willis

Record profits from oil company Total have renewed calls from the French presidential candidate Ségolène Royal for a special windfall tax on “excess” oil profits. 
  

The oil giant today unveiled record 2006 figures, with adjusted net profit rising 5pc to €12.59bn (£8.2bn) and the company increasing its full-year dividend 15pc to €1.87 per share.

The rises came despite a dip in production, higher costs and exploration spending, and weaker oil prices in the final quarter. Total said adjusted net income fell 10 percent to €2.74bn in the final quarter of 2006 after €3.05bn in the same period of 2005. Annual sales were €153.8bn. read more

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

The Times: In the know: Director deals

February 15, 2007

Jeroen van der Veer, Shell’s chief executive, and Wim Kok, former Dutch Prime Minister, have both raised their stakes in the oil group. Mr Van der Veer bought 3,285 Shell “A” at €25.70 each, while Mr Kok, a nonexecutive director, paid €25.94 apiece for 1,250 issues.

Related article: Jeroen van der Veer’s holding is now 49,460 Royal Dutch Shell plc A shares

LONDON, February 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Royal Dutch Shell plc (NYSE:RDS.A – News; NYSE:RDS.B – News) received notice on 14th February 2007 from Jeroen van der Veer, a Director of the Company, that on 14th February 2007 he purchased 3,285 Royal Dutch Shell A shares of Euro 0.07 each at a price of EUR25.70 per share. His total current holding is now 49,460 Royal Dutch Shell plc A shares.
read more

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

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Oil News Roundup: February 14, 2007 4:56 p.m.

Crude-oil futures dropped to $58 a barrel after government data showed distillate stockpiles fell less than analysts had expected and after forecasts for warmer winter in the U.S. Northeast led to speculation that heating oil demand will fall.

Here is Wednesday’s roundup of oil and energy news:

* * *
•Total Profit Dips: France’s Total, the world’s fourth-largest privately-owned oil company by market value, said net profit for the fourth quarter dropped 5% on lower hydrocarbon output, weaker oil prices and rising exploration costs, but it expects solid production growth in the next few years and will invest more in 2007. read more

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

HuffingtonPost.com: Big Oil’s Hot Air Show On Global Warming

By Jamie Court

The CEOs of Big Oil gathered in Houston this week to proclaim that they finally get global warming and want to be part of the solution. The problem, of course, is when there’s so much money in black gold, it’s sure hard to go green.

The makeover is about image, not change in business practices.

Even Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson could not make it through the opening address without trashing the sustainability of alternative fuels and boasting about big oil’s beauty. Guess it’s hard to suspend your disbelief when your oil company is making $4.5 million per hour. read more

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

Bloomberg: Iran Plans to Start Liquefied Natural Gas Exports in 2009

By Renee Lawrence

Feb. 14 (Bloomberg) — Iran, which holds the world’s biggest reserves of natural gas after Russia, plans to start exporting the fuel in chilled form to China, India and Thailand from 2009.

The nation wants to start exporting 35 million cubic meters of liquefied natural gas a day, increasing to 180 million cubic meters a day by 2020, Hedayat Omidvar, head of research and technology at the National Iranian Gas Company, told delegates at a conference in London today.

“We have one or two years delay, no more, in developing our LNG projects, but we can meet our LNG export potential,” Omidvar said in a teleconference broadcast at the LNG 2007 conference. read more

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

Live Chat message to Guest 2630

Guest 2630: If you would like to find out how low Shell management is prepared to stoop, I would recommend a visit to the Wikipedia article focused on Shell’s reputation.

When reading it bear in mind that information in Wikipedia articles has to be verifiable and unbiased. 

As to buying us off, Shell has long given up on that score. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RoyalDutchShellreputation

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

Financial Times: BP blast probe calls for sackings

By Sheila McNulty in Houston
Published: February 14 2007 02:00 | Last updated: February 14 2007 02:00

BP’s internal investigation into management accountability for the oil company’s fatal Texas refinery explosion calls for the sacking of four senior executives, the Financial Times has learnt.

They include Mike Hoffman, who recently retired as the UK company’s group vice-president for refining and marketing; Pat Gower, US refining vice-president; Don Parus, the Texas City refinery manager who has been on leave since the accident; and Willie Willis, a plant employee who had apparently been in the process of being groomed to succeed Mr Parus. read more

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

bbj.hu: Yukos bidders would get stolen property, ex-CFO says

14 Feb 2007 bbj.hu: Chevron Corp. and other international oil producers that may be planning bids for assets of Russia’s OAO Yukos Oil Co. would be dealing in stolen property, the company’s former CFO said.

Yukos lost its largest production unit to state-owned OAO Rosneft after the government seized and sold it for $9.3 billion in December 2004 to pay back taxes. The remaining assets, valued at more than $22 billion, are expected to be sold starting this spring, with Chevron named as a possible bidder by Yukos’ bankruptcy manager. Much will depend on whether the European Court of Human Rights agrees to wider hearings on the Yukos bankruptcy later this year, former CFO Bruce Misamore said today in an interview in Houston. „If the European Court of Human Rights finds that Russia violated its own laws, which we believe will be the case, and that this led to this sham bankruptcy, this calls into question outside of Russia the legitimacy of everything,” Misamore said. „If it’s illegal, the purchasers of these assets will be purchasing stolen assets.” Misamore made his comments outside an energy conference sponsored by Cambridge Energy Research Associates. He ran Yukos’ finances from 2001 to 2005 and watched his company slip into bankruptcy last year following government claims for billions of dollars in back taxes.
Rosneft also may be interested in acquiring more of Yukos’ assets, with a focus on its refineries, said Peter O’Brien, vice president of finance and investments. Rosneft needs to expand its refining capabilities, and will be looking within Russia and in Asia and Eastern Europe, O’Brien told a panel at the conference. „Yukos has five refineries,” he said. „We’re definitely interested. We’ll see what valuations come out and what the process entails.” CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky was handed an eight-year prison sentence in 2005 for fraud and tax evasion, and Misamore has lashed out at new charges filed on February 5. Misamore also is under a Russian criminal investigation. State-run OAO Gazprom held talks with US Ambassador William Burns on February 8 on the possibility of US companies purchasing Yukos assets. San Ramon, California-based Chevron, the second-largest US oil company, has expressed interest, a spokesman for bankruptcy manager Eduard Rebgun said on February 9. read more

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

Bloomberg: Gazprom says profit climbs 52% on higher prices

By Lucian Kim and Torrey Clark Bloomberg News
Published: February 14, 2007
 
MOSCOW: Gazprom, the world’s largest producer of natural gas, on Tuesday reported a 52 percent jump in third-quarter profit because of higher prices charged to former Soviet neighbors and increased demand from Western Europe.

Net income climbed to 120.8 billion rubles, or $4.6 billion, from 79.3 billion rubles a year earlier. Sales soared 68 percent to 489.9 billion rubles. The results were calculated according to International Financial Reporting Standards. read more

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

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas: Big Oil joins the debate (*more Hofmeister BS)

Dan Piller,  – KRTBN
Published: Feb 14, 2007

HOUSTON — Major oil company executives made it clear Tuesday that they no longer intend to stand by idly while others set tax and environmental policies for their industry.

“It is important to share our understanding of our industry with the public and policymakers,” Exxon Mobil Corp. Chairman Rex Tillerson said at the industry’s most prestigious annual event, the Cambridge Energy Research Associates annual conference. More than 2,000 people from 44 countries are attending the conference. read more

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

BBC Monitoring Service: Nigeria: Militants Free Filipino Hostages; Governor Hands Over Captives to Envoy

Published: Feb 14, 2007

Text of report by Nigerian newspaper The Guardian website on 14 February

Report by Chido Okafor: “Militants Free 24 Filipino Hostages”

Twenty-four Filipino hostages breathed the air of freedom yesterday after over a month in the custody of militants claiming to be part of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

According to the militants, the hostages were released on “humanitarian ground” due to the intervention of Ijaw leaders and the Delta State government. read more

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

Houston Chronicle: Loren Steffy column: What exactly does a green Exxon Mobil look like?

Loren Steffy, Houston Chronicle – Texas – KRTBN
Published: Feb 14, 2007

Lee Raymond looked over the rose-tinted lenses of his John Lennon glasses and made an awkward “V” with his fingers.

“Peace, baby.”

Rex Tillerson could see Raymond’s toothy smile through the beard. Shoulder-length hair hung loosely around his predecessor’s face.

“Uh, hello, Lee. Nice, um, headband. We haven’t seen you around here in a while.”

“Not since that most righteous send-off last year,” Raymond replied. ” ‘Fattest Retirement Package Excluding Backdated Options.’ Quite an honor, man.” read more

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

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Iran: Shell Faces ‘Dilemma’ In South Pars Gas Project: Shell to go ahead regardless of risk

By Breffni O’Rourke
Wednesday, February 14, 2007

February 14, 2007 (RFE/RL) — Like all oil and gas majors, the Royal Dutch/Shell Group has its eyes open for new sources of supply as global demand for energy grows. Iran is just such a possible source, with the world’s second biggest reserves of natural gas.

The Anglo-Dutch group has made the first step toward a multibillion-dollar deal with Iran to help develop the vast South Pars natural-gas field, despite the political thunderclouds gathering around Iran. read more

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

RIA Novosti: Russia’s environmental watchdog will inspect the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in Russia’s Far

ST. PETERSBURG, February 14 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s environmental watchdog will inspect the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in Russia’s Far East this spring to check on its compliance with its licensing agreements, an agency official said Wednesday.

The project, which is operated under a production-sharing agreement (PSA) by Exxon Neftegas Limited, a subsidiary of U.S. oil major Exxon, is located on Sakhalin Island’s northeastern shelf and is expected to bring in around $52.2 billion to the Russian budget by 2054, when it is scheduled to end. read more

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

BBC News: Total reaps benefit of oil price

Record crude oil prices have helped French oil giant Total report a record 12.58bn euros ($16.4bn; £8.4bn) net profit in 2006.

The earnings, up 5% on the previous year, were buoyed by crude reaching more than $78 a barrel in mid-July.

However, oil prices have now fallen off to around $60 a barrel.

These lower prices, along with higher costs and spending on exploration, meant Total’s profits in the last three months of 2006 were down 10%.

Its fourth quarter results compare with an 11% rise in profits at Royal Dutch Shell, a 12% slump at BP and a 4.3% dip at Exxon Mobil. read more

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

Bloomberg: Total Lifts Output Target on Angolan, Canadian Fields (Update3)

By Tom Cahill and Tara Patel

Feb. 14 (Bloomberg) — Total SA, Europe’s biggest oil refiner, raised its annual production target through 2010 because of new fields in Angola and Canada.

Output growth will rise by an average 5 percent, compared with a previous forecast of 4 percent, Paris-based Total said today. Fourth-quarter profit, excluding the value of Total’s stake in drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis SA, fell 10 percent to 2.74 billion euros ($3.6 billion) from a year earlier. That beat the 2.65 billion-euro median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey. read more

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