EXTRACTS FROM TWO ARTICLES: There are plenty of multinationals, too, such as Shell – which has extensive interests in Bolivia’s lucrative gas fields. Morales nationalised a pipeline part-owned by the oil giant – not something the multinational took lightly. Enter Dwyer, infused with a sense of derring-do gleaned probably from the movies. He became associated with an unholy mix of right-wing nationalists and fascist ‘freedom fighters’. And, conspiracy theorists take note, he met some of these unsavoury characters while working as a security guard for Shell, through a security firm employed on Shell’s Corrib project in Mayo. Ironically, some of the media has been fretting lately about alleged republican paramilitary infiltration of the anti-Shell protests in Mayo, but a more serious issue appears to be right-wing paramilitary infiltration of Shell’s security operations (see The Phoenix 8/5/09). Coincidentally, Shell has also been having difficulties in Bolivia as a result of Morales’s decision last year to nationalise the country’s main gas pipeline company. As a result of the Dwyer affair, some light has been shone on the fact that there is now in Ireland a large number of private security operatives supplementing and, in cases such as the Shell operation in Mayo, working closely with the Gardai. Many of these security men are from eastern Europe and, worryingly, security checks on foreign security operators working in Ireland are lax to say the least. The Private Security Authority issues licenses to firms and individuals involved in security work, but a spokeswoman admitted last week that it merely seeks a criminal record certificate and does not follow this up with any background checks for up to one-third of the 22,000 security operatives it has licensed.
Posts from ‘May, 2009’
Shell wraps up last major gas well on Sakhalin II
Royal Dutch Shell is completing the last major offshore gas well at the Lunskoye platform in Russia’s sub-Arctic Sea of Okhotsk preparing the way for full production capacity of liquefied natural gas (LNG) at Sakhalin II, one of the world’s largest and most challenging integrated oil and gas projects.
Click to continue reading “Shell wraps up last major gas well on Sakhalin II”
Eight held after Mayo Shell protest
RTE News
Eight people have been arrested for public order and trespass offences during a protest at the Shell compound at Glengad, Co Mayo.
Gardaí said over 100 protestors took part in the demonstration and attempted to gain entry through security fencing.
Protestors said over 200 people from the local community and the Rossport Solidarity Camp Summer Gathering were involved.
They claim Shell does not have planning permission for the compound.
Royal Dutch Shell to compensate shareholders for reserves scandal
News that the oil giant had overstated reserves in submissions to the US regulator, the Securities & Exchange Commission, led to the departure of Sir Philip Watts, the chief executive, and Walter van de Vijver, Shell’s then exploration chief. It came as a serious shock to investors and left Shell’s reputation – and share price – in such tatters that there was speculation it would be taken over by a resurgent BP. The FSA subsequently fined Shell for committing market abuse and breaches of the listing rules after making misleading statements between 1998 and 2004.
Click to continue reading “Royal Dutch Shell to compensate shareholders for reserves scandal”
Shell Blog Posting by Iain Percival, Royal Dutch Shell retired Global Chief Petroleum Engineer
By Iain Percival
I have now caught up with the news / comments having returned from a most refreshing break at my home in Scotland – no internet connection which is good, for a while at least 
My two pence of observations are as follows.
1. I have written on several occasions that Shell upstream is populated by many, many seriously good and dedicated technical professionals who wish for nothing more than (i)an interesting and rewarding career coupled with recognition for good / original / innovative contribution , (ii) progression based not on WHO you know but on what you know (capability) and demonstrable delivery of technical and / or commercial contribution, (iii) courageous, knowledgeable & honest leadership, (iv) minimal burden of dealing with “stuff”, (v)association with a well respected company name (brand Paddy??).
2.The challenge for Voser et al (those left standing) is to deliver on these five wishes. My perspective is;
(i) “no brainer”; there is just so much to do for the technical community. However, the Company needs to bring back to the “coal face” the supervisors who busy themselves with non core activities – ref comment by Guest 1.
(ii) Take the company back to one which progresses real technical capability. It appears that PE now stands for Powerpoint & Excel rather than Petroleum Engineering. However, Guest 1, I can testify to the fact that there still are reservoir engineers doing reservoir engineering in Shell. I am fortunate to remain a mentor to some Shell staff. Good, capable, competent geoscientists, petroleum, well and facilities engineers do indeed create value!
(iii) This one will be a bit more of a challenge. Unfortunately, a generation of leadership has grown up believing Hype, Hyperbole, Hypocrisy, is accepted practice forgetting that what staff and indeed the outside world appreciate is Honesty, Humility and Hard work. There are of course numbers of honorable exceptions and let them be retained as the example and inspiration for the many who hunger for such leadership.
(iv) There is no problem with well constructed and rigorously enforced process (just look what such an approach has done for Exxon!). Unfortunately, my experience within Shell was to take what started off as a fit for purpose approach and grow in into a beast often by incorporating the opinions of numerous bogus stakeholders. Even worse, the process was elevated into an end in itself rather than a means to an end. The management of a plethora of inflated process has bred the growth of senior “apparatchiks” referred to by Guest 1. More amazingly, one can find untold examples of “local exceptions” to the application of global process. One can ask ligitimately just what have the apparatchiks been doing?
(v) Never underestimate the pride still felt by staff current and past in being associated with the Pecten. I remain active on university campus in the UK as an ambassador for Shell and can report the brand is held in high esteem by students. I revelled in the opportunity to talk about Shell at a SPE young professional event at OTC in Houston three weeks ago ago. In addition, my consulting activities since retiring from Shell have given me the opportunity to see the high regard with which the Pecten is still held in many parts of the global oil & gas business. There is a genuine opportunity for the company to build on this and to minimise further damage.
The dedicated, hard working staff in Shell deserve not only outstanding leadership but also the support of those of us who (think they still) know the company and wish it well.
I have written enough and it is a beautiful day outside.
Posting Ends
The following information, links and photograph of Iain Percival are all sourced from the Internet. They were not supplied or suggested by him.
Iain Recognised for Mentoring Work
Shell retiree and former Group Chief Petroleum Engineer, Iain Percival, took the award for Outstanding Individual Achievement at the Energy Industry (EI) Annual Awards, for his work mentoring a number of young professionals, both in Shell and other organisations.
Iain is currently spending time with students and staff at RGU and the University of Aberdeen, and visits schools in his home area of the north of Scotland. Iain retired from Shell in 2006 after 33 years of service.
Iain remarked, “It is an honour I appreciate but of course I do derive a great deal of personal satisfaction from my activities.”
Shell execs accused of ‘collaboration’ over hanging of Nigerian activist Ken Saro-Wiwa
Court documents allege that there was “a pattern of collaboration” between Shell and the military “to violently and ruthlessly suppress any opposition to its exploitation of oil and natural gas resources in the Niger Delta.”
The big name: Peter Voser
The need to adapt Shell to a lower oil price environment, partly through cutting thousands of jobs, is now Mr Voser’s agenda. “Too consensus- oriented,” he called a company whose culture he also hopes to change.
Shell ‘set to axe 10,000’
Jobwatch: Shell is braced for several thousand redundancies after new chief executive Peter Voser announced a big restructuring plan. It has been suggested that about 10,000 posts will be lost. Most of the cuts will hit middle and senior managers.
Amsterdam court sets $352.6m Shell pay-outs
An Amsterdam court on Friday paved the way for pay-outs to commence in a settlement of Royal Dutch Shell’s oil and gas reserves misreporting scandal.
Click to continue reading “Amsterdam court sets $352.6m Shell pay-outs”
Shell to cut 350-450 senior managers in overhaul – web site
05.30.09, 11:04 AM EDT
LONDON, May 30 (Reuters) -Royal Dutch Shell Plc plans to cut 350-450 senior management roles as it restructures to cut costs and improve operational performance, according to a website to which Shell employees post internal information.
The cuts represent almost 30 percent of Shell’s ‘Senior Executive Group’ layer of management, John Donovan, the operator of the Royaldutchshellplc.com website said.
Earlier this week Shell announced a major restructuring but gave no targets for job or cost cuts.
The Royaldutchshellplc.com website was the first to reveal news of the planned restructuring.
Shell declined to comment.
(Reporting by Tom Bergin, editing by Mike Peacock) Keywords: SHELL/
(tom.bergin@reuters.com; +44 207 542 1029; Reuters Messaging: tom.bergin.reuters.com@reuters.net)
Shell Blog RSS Feed
