From: John Donovan <john@shellnews.net>
Date: 28 November 2009 10:16:41 GMT
To: gavin.white@shell.com
Subject: Re: Data Protection Act 1998 – SAR

Dear Mr White.

Thank you for your email dated 27 November.

I note that you ignored my question about what, in Shell’s view, constitutes a “reasonable interval” between SAR applications from the same applicant. A response on that matter will be made after I receive the delivery of the promised information on or before 1st December i.e. by next Wednesday.

I note that you have added another Shell lawyer – Maria Bowden – to the circulation list. Logic suggests she must have some relevant expertise, perhaps Shell buried secrets (nuclear or otherwise), defamation law, the Data Protection Act, or something connected with the company endorsed intimidatory conduct of Shell security guards at Shell Centre.

Best Regards

John Donovan

EMAIL FROM GAVIN WHITE TO JOHN DONOVAN

From: Gavin.White@shell.com
Date: 27 November 2009 10:41:27 GMT
To: john@shellnews.net
Cc: michiel.brandjes@SHELL.com, richard.wiseman@SHELL.com, Maria.Bowden@SHELL.com
Subject: RE: Data Protection Act 1998 – SAR

Dear Mr Donovan,

We have received your email dated 19 November, which makes reference to your previous request dated 10 November.

Although we appreciate your flexibility with regard to the period within which Shell has to comply with your subject access request (SAR) submitted on 4 September 2009, we believe it is not in either party’s ability to extend the prescribed period for responding to a SAR, nor to alter the statutory rules governing its submission and the subsequent response to it.

Accordingly, we confirm that as per our letter dated 16 November  we will respond to your SAR not later than 1 December 2009, in accordance with sections 7(8) and 7(10) of the Data Protection Act 1998 (Act). Our response will include the information constituting your personal data as held by Shell at the time when we received your SAR , pursuant to section 8(6) of the Act , but not any information produced or received by Shell after that time, such as the information requested in your email dated 10 November.

With regard to the documentation referred to in your email dated 15 November, to the extent that such documentation exists and constitutes personal data relating to you, then it will be disclosed to you as part of our response to your SAR dated 4 September 2009, in accordance with the Act and subject to any applicable statutory exemption.

Yours faithfully

Gavin White SI-LC-SFL
Company Secretarial Adviser
Corporate Secretariat, London
—————————————————————–
Phone: + 44 (0) 20 7934 3342
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7934 5153
Email: gavin.white@shell.com
Postal address: 8th Floor, Shell Centre, London SE1 7NA, United Kingdom
Internet: http://www.shell.com

Shell International Limited is a company registered in England and
Wales. Its registered office address is Shell Centre, London, England,
SE1 7NA, United Kingdom. (Company number 3075807)

—–Original Message—–
From: John Donovan [mailto:john@shellnews.net]
Sent: 19 November 2009 21:16
To: White, Gavin SI-LC-SFL
Cc: Brandjes, Michiel CM RDS-LC; Wiseman, Richard RM SI-RDS-CCO
Subject: Data Protection Act 1998 – SAR

Dear Mr White

Thank you for your letter dated 16 November 2009.

My email dated 10 November requested any relevant documents/notes/ instructions relating to:

2. Shell statements about me issued recently to the Guardian newspaper  and the BBC.

You claim that seeking this information would involve significant disruption which could hamper efforts to meet the SAR deadline. This  conjures up an image of a team beavering away day and night gathering  the necessary information. I somehow doubt this is the case. Since  there has been no request for extra time to deal with what would amount to nothing more taxing than a few minutes work to avoid a  further SAR application, with all that apparently entails, it leaves a suspicion that Shell has something to hide and is trying to delay  disclosure. This impression is reinforced by the threat that you will  not respond to a further SAR application from me until an undefined “reasonable interval”. Is this months or years?

My email of 15 November relates solely to any relevant Shell correspondence concerning the supposedly decontaminated land at Earley  that Shell sold to a property developer for a housing estate. Any such correspondence took place before my SAR application. Consequently there is no possible excuse for it not being supplied. I know that it  exists.

You say that you won’t supply any addional documents and information produced after 22 October (whatever that means) but include with your letter two such items, thus acting in apparent breach of the rule you have just quoted.

I would like to make a constructive suggestion which would avoid the need for any further SAR application to Shell by me in the foreseeable future. The last gap was nearly three years and dependent on your response, I have no plans to shorten that interval. I am quite relaxed about waiting until say, 15 December for Shell to supply all of the requested information.

The ball is in your court.

Best Regards

John Donovan

Published: Saturday November 28, 2009 MYT 3:31:00 PM

By STEPHEN THEN

MIRI: Employees of oil-giant Sarawak Shell are seeking Government help to stop an impending large-scale retrenchment exercise to be carried out by the oil and gas producer throughout this state.

The Sarawak Shell Staff Union, which represents 2,700 workers, submitted a memorandum of appeal on Saturday to the state government through Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam, pleading with the Government to intervene to save their jobs.

Union secretary Solomon Nayup and a delegation of top union officials met with Dr Chan at the Sarawak United People’s Party Miri headquarters here and appealed to Dr Chan to forward their plight to the higher state and Federal authorities.

Nayup said the management of Sarawak Shell had already notified its staff of the impending retrenchment.

”We, the union, want the management of Shell to implement a scheme that will see redeployment of staff instead of embarking on the retrenchment exercise.

”We are of the view that there are still many places where Shell can accommodate Sarawak workers. If they insist on carrying out the retrenchment, we want the government to help ensure we get higher compensation.

”Shell has said the retrenchment will see foreign workers being asked to leave first, but Shell did not give any guarantee that locals will not be retrenched en-masse also.

”Shell has not given any figures of how many workers in Sarawak will be retrenched. We are worried a lot will be asked to leave,” he said when interviewed after meeting Dr Chan.

Nayup said Shell had not given any specific date on when the retrenchment will start, but the management had made it clear that the retrenchment exercise was imminent.

He said many Shell employees, especially the young ones, are worried that they might not be able to find proper jobs if they were retrenched.

Due to the current unsteady economic situation, it would be difficult to secure new jobs, he stressed.

Dr Chan, when asked for his comments, said he would speak to the Shell top management in the state and country and also at its regional headquarters in Singapore on the matter.

”From the information I have obtained, Shell is carrying out a downsizing exercise not only in Sarawak, but also throughout the world in order to cut operation costs.

”It would be a pity if the workers here in Sarawak are retrenched because they are highly-skilled. They can be re-deployed to other sectors within Shell,” he said, adding that he would bring the matter to the attention of the state and Federal Cabinet.

Dr Chan said Shell has been in Sarawak for 100 years and it would be a pity if they have to cut down on their operations here.

SOURCE ARTICLE

AMSTERDAM, Nov 27 (Reuters) – Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) (RDSb.L) expects next year to be difficult in terms of consumer demand though the worst may be past, its chief executive said at an investor conference.

By John Donovan

Just weeks ago, on 30 October, we published a leaked email from Andrew Manley, Shell Downsteam-One Programme Director, revealing the impact of the Vosification process, including delays on some important Shell IT projects. Manley acknowledged the consequential disappointment likely to flow from his announcement. Related Reuters article

Since then we have published articles from a Shell IT insider highly critical of some aspects of Shell IT operations…

GSAP/GPMR: THE MARCH OF THE DINOSAURS

IT OFFSHORING: AFTER THE GOLDRUSH

SHELL IT ‘IDENTITY CRISIS’

By coincidence or otherwise, another leaked email from Manley, this one sent yesterday, announced his departure from Shell after 30 years. Perhaps he was asked to reapply for his post?

HIS EMAIL

—–Original Message—–
From: DS One Andrew Manley SIPC
Sent: 26 November 2009 18:03
To: GX DS One All
Cc: GX SI DLT- Members
Subject: Downstream-One change in leadership

Dear colleagues,

Most of you will have already seen the announcement from Mark Williams today that I will be leaving Shell to take up a position in another company at the end of January 2010.

I will be standing down as Downstream-One Programme Director at the end of November, and Janette Beinart and Christophe Boulanger will take over joint leadership from 1 December.

I did, however, want this opportunity to say how hugely I’ve enjoyed the year and a half I’ve been with the Programme. When I joined, the Nordics was starting its recovery after a difficult Go-Live. Since then we have completed eleven Go-Lives, three major retrofits,  and the Nordics is now firmly back on track.

Without doubt, the Programme is past the tipping point. While there is still a big implementation agenda ahead, the focus is rapidly moving to look at how we can improve the installed base for the 22,000 plus users worldwide.

That journey, against the background of huge cost pressure, presents a renewed challenge right across the Downstream business and one that I know you will tackle with enthusiasm and commitment. I look forward to hearing about the great progress you make in the future.

While I have new and exciting challenges of my own to look forward to, my decision to leave Shell after 30 years is one I take with mixed feelings. It has been a great privilege to lead the Programme and the Programme Management Team, and I’m very grateful for all your hard work and support. As ever, I remain impressed by the sheer energy and dedication of everyone working for the Programme.

Unfortunately, I can’t share where I will be going at the moment so this will be the subject of a future announcement. I am, however, hugely grateful to the Company for agreeing that I can take up what is something of a unique opportunity.

I will be available during December as I work with Janette and Christophe to ensure a smooth transition and will be pleased to hear from you should you need my help during that time.

Regards,

Andrew Manley

Programme Director

SHANGHAI (Dow Jones)–China has started its first joint development project in shale gas, in a bid to find alternative resources for the cleaner-burning fuel to meet the nation’s rising demand.

Voser says more redundancies next year…
Total farce of Shell MOR
SHELL SPIN ON PEARL GTL BUDGET
Union warns Essar of dispute with Shell
Shell jobs restructuring mess
Letter from Shell to John Donovan
Stanlow: Sadly Shell reveals its true colours
How much longer will Shell CIO Alan Matula last?
al-Yamamah corruption scandal: taboo subject for Shell
IT OFFSHORING: AFTER THE GOLDRUSH
Shell jobs restructuring:You cannot believe how total the mess is

Shell is in exclusive talks to sell the Stanlow refinery in the UK, as well as the Hamburg and Heide refineries in Germany, to Essar Oil Ltd. ”These are ongoing negotiations and I think I can say I am pleased with the progress,” Voser said. ”Let us continue to finish those discussions.” The exclusivity of the negotiations ends Nov. 30, though Voser declined to say whether a deal would be agreed by then.

Todd was apparently trying to extract evidence of collusion between Shell, which has 48% of the Pohokura field, and OMV, which has 26%, the same share as Todd.

Shell said last month that a quick recovery in energy demand and prices was unlikely and that it would cut 5,000 jobs. Even so, Chadwick said “Australia is a growth area for us.” The headcount in Perth has more than quadrupled to about 260 people in the past four years, he said. “Operating Prelude will have implications we need to staff up for.” Shell employs about 2,500 people in Australia, according to its Web site.

It is one thing to own the right to mine the gas, but it is a different issue to actually get it to the market and, as far as Arrow’s gas, it would seem Shell is in the ideal position to dictate terms, given it is the logical party to commercialise the project.