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May, 2013:

Ship towing drilling rig had ‘slime’ in fuel, main engineer says

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Published: May 24, 2013 at 3:58 PM

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, May 24 (UPI) — A U.S. Coast Guard panel investigating the grounding of a drilling rig in Alaska heard testimony from an engineer who blamed a tow ship’s diesel fuel supply.

The inquiry concerns the towing of the drilling rig Kulluk, owned by Royal Dutch Shell, which ran aground Dec. 31, 2012, when the 365-foot towing ship Aiviq experienced an engine failure, the (Anchorage, Alaska) Daily News reported Friday.

Carl Broekhuis, the ship’s main engineer, said Thursday, the fourth day of an anticipated 10-day hearing, the ship’s four engines failed because of a problem with the fuel that materialized in the form of “slime.” 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.

As Shell faces price-rig probe, its UK boss Ed Daniels backs an overhaul

Shell UK chairman Ed Daniels was away on business when investigators from the European Commission came calling at his London office this month over sensational allegations of price-rigging in the oil market. ‘But I heard about it pretty quickly,’ he says wryly. Unsurprisingly, it is not a subject he is eager to discuss:

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Targeted: Ed Daniels said Shell is co-operating with an EC investigation

By Helen Loveless: PUBLISHED: 22:02, 25 May 2013 | UPDATED: 22:02, 25 May 2013

Shell UK chairman Ed Daniels was away on business when investigators from the European Commission came calling at his London office this month over sensational allegations of price-rigging in the oil market.

‘But I heard about it pretty quickly,’ he says wryly.

Unsurprisingly, it is not a subject he is eager to discuss: ‘We are fully co-operating with the investigation with the EC. We will continue to co-operate. More than that I can’t say.’ 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.

Shell says Kulluk left Dutch Harbor to avoid taxes

Screen Shot 2012-12-07 at 01.26.25A Royal Dutch Shell official testified Saturday that tax avoidance was the main reason for having the Kulluk oil drilling rig leave Dutch Harbor in December — 10 days before its grounding off a remote Alaska island.

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Saturday May 25, 2013

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A Royal Dutch Shell official testified Saturday that tax avoidance was the main reason for having the Kulluk oil drilling rig leave Dutch Harbor in December — 10 days before its grounding off a remote Alaska island.

“Our preference for the timing was to be gone before the end of the year, driven by the economic factors,” Sean Churchfield, operations manager for Royal Dutch Shell in Alaska, told a Coast Guard panel that’s investigating the incident. 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.

First online publication of oil price fixing US lawsuit against Shell, BP & Statoil

Screen Shot 2013-05-17 at 01.06.41This action arises from Defendants’ unlawful combination, agreement and conspiracy to fix and restrain trade in, and intentional manipulation of North Sea Brent Crude Oil (“Brent Crude oil”) and the prices of Brent Crude oil futures contracts…: Defendants deliberately reported inaccurate, misleading and false information regarding Brent Crude oil prices to Platts…

By John Donovan

You may have seen reference on this website to the class action lawsuit launched in the USA by Prime International Trading, Ltd against Royal Dutch Shell, BP and Statoil, for alleged oil price-fixing.

We are the first to provide free access to the relevant CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT – ALL 53 pages

Searchable version can be supplied by email on request to [email protected]

The proceedings were issued on 22 May 2013.

Some extracts:

1. This action arises from Defendants’ unlawful combination, agreement and conspiracy to fix and restrain trade in, and intentional manipulation of North Sea Brent Crude Oil (“Brent Crude oil”) and the prices of Brent Crude oil futures contracts traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (“NYMEX”) and the Intercontinental Exchange (“‘ICE”) during the period of at least 2002 through the present (the “Class Period”), in violation of the Commodity Exchange Act….2. Defendants deliberately reported inaccurate, misleading and false information regarding Brent Crude oil prices to Platts, a unit of McGraw Hill Financial Inc.,and the leading global provider of spot and contract pricing for the physical and financially settled derivatives Brent Crude oil markets. Platts’ Brent Crude oil prices are used to price and settle physical floating Brent Crude oil deals under long-term contracts on a physical (spot) basis, and to settle Brent Crude oil derivatives contracts, including NYMEX and ICE Brent Crude oil futures contracts. False reporting of Brent Crude oil prices to Platts thereby undermines the entire ‘pricing structure for the Brent Crude oil market.

6. On May 17,2013, the U.K. Serious Fraud Office announced that it was “urgently reviewing” the European Commission’s allegations of price-fixing in the oil markets and determining whether to accept the case for “criminal investigation.” That same day, the United States Senate called for the U.S. Department of Justice to join the European Commission investigation. 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.

Ruthless and bad behaviour at the top of Royal Dutch Shell

Screen Shot 2013-01-13 at 00.04.46The foot soldiers, of whom I was one in Shell, often took their leads from what they saw as ruthless and bad behaviour at the top – and, unsurprisingly, sometimes behaved badly themselves.

(Disgraced Shell Chairman Sir Philip Watts shown right)

Article by retired Royal Dutch Shell executive Paddy Briggs.

I received my first monthly pay check from a Shell company back in October 1964. It was for £200 and I was probably a bit overpaid in truth. I started work at seventeen so the not infrequent visits to pubs and wine bars with my new colleagues during those first couple of months before my 18th Birthday were on reflection a bit dodgy. Paddy 1963067The colleagues paid of course understanding that my lowly status as a dogsbody was matched by an appropriately low wage. They were jolly times and though everyone seemed to play hard, especially at long liquid lunches, they worked together quite effectively as well. The team that played together stayed together – and there was a high level of integrity around. At no point during my “induction” months did anyone read out rules to me – and if you had used the term “Mission Statement” people would have thought that you were a Jehovah’s Witness. The rules that mattered were mostly informal – the dress code was fairly tight – dark suits and ties de rigueur.  But the idea that you needed to be told what to do with some “code of behaviour” booklet would not have occurred. And if you were uncertain someone would put you right – the informal organisation was far more important than the formal. 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.

Corrib gas field in Ireland, the scandalous project

The Corrib gas field in Ireland has become almost three times more expensive than planned and evoked local hatred against the company. The scandalous project is forgotten in Norway, however. Statoil is aware that the Corrib project has been controversial, but point out that Shell is operator for the development.

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ARTICLES ABOUT STATOIL, SHELL & THE CORRIB GAS PROJECT, PUBLISHED TODAY IN NORWAY

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1st ARTICLE

Statoil in Ireland money quagmire

The Corrib gas field in Ireland has become almost three times more expensive than planned and evoked local hatred against the company. The scandalous project is forgotten in Norway, however.

Erlend Skarsaune: Publisert: Oppdatert:

Statoil was part of a rare gas discovery off the northwestern coast of Ireland in 1996. With its 36.5 percent share in Corrib, the company saw a green future in Ireland. The plan was to start gas production in 2003. It did not work. The scandalous Corrib project disappeared from the annual reports after Statoil referred to Ireland as a focus area in the early 2000’s.

Read the response from Statoil and Shell here:
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.

BP, Shell, Statoil Face U.S. Lawsuit After EU Oil Price Probe

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By Brian Swint; May 24, 2013

The three oil producers under investigation by the European Commission for manipulating oil prices are being sued in a class-action lawsuit in the U.S.

BP Plc, Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) and Statoil ASA (STL) “deliberately reported inaccurate, misleading and false information regarding Brent crude oil prices to Platts,” Prime International Trading Ltd., said in a complaint filed May 22 in federal court in New York.

Platts, a unit of McGraw Hill Financial Inc. (MHFI), was raided this month along with the three oil companies by EU officials looking for evidence of price manipulation. Platts calculates benchmarks that are used in transactions worldwide based on reports from oil companies that buy and sell crude. 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.

Commodities trader sues BP, Shell and Statoil for alleged price fixing

(Reuters) – A commodities trader has filed suit against BP Plc, Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Statoil in a U.S. federal court, accusing the companies of colluding to fix prices in North Sea Brent crude oil.

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Thu May 23, 2013 4:33pm EDT

(Reuters) – A commodities trader filed suit against BP Plc (BP.L), Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L) and Statoil (STL.OL) in a U.S. federal court, accusing the companies of colluding to fix prices in North Sea Brent crude oil.

Prime International Trading Ltd, in a proposed class-action lawsuit filed in the courthouse in White Plains, New York on Wednesday, accused the oil companies of misreporting prices of trades in the North Sea benchmark, which sets the price of about 70 percent of the world’s oil. 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.

Collusion in reference prices for oil?

EXTRACTS: Oil market participants have called into question the accuracy of Platts’s benchmarks. In an August letter to the International Organization of Securities Commissions, Total Oil Trading, an arm of French oil company Total, said Platts’s prices are “out of line with our experience” several times a year. Spokesmen for BP, Shell, and Statoil declined to comment.

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Europe’s Oil Market Gets Its Own Price Benchmarks Scandal

By , , and : May 23 2013

Statoil (STO) sold a tanker of Norwegian crude valued at about $63 million to BP (BP) on May 9. That transaction, which wasn’t subject to any oversight by financial authorities, would help set the price of more than half the world’s oil. The deal was reported to Platts, a unit of McGraw Hill Financial (MHFI), which uses information from traders and others involved in the market to set benchmarks for oil and related products. Platts’s figures help determine the price refiners pay for crude, which in turn affects what consumers pay for gasoline and diesel fuel. 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.

Petrol retailers to hand allegations of manipulation to European investigators

Allegations of “malpractice” in the oil market that could have cost drivers hundreds of pounds will be handed over to European investigators by a group representing 5,000 independent garages.

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Screen Shot 2013-05-17 at 01.06.41By Rowena Mason, Political Correspondent: 12:01AM BST 23 May 2013

The Petrol Retailers’ Association said it has turned to the European Commission after British authorities failed to act on its “formal and detailed complaint” alleging “anti-competitive practices” in the oil and petrol markets.

The European Commission last week raided the offices of BP and Shell in London over suspicions oil companies have “colluded” to distort fuel prices. The companies have confirmed they are fully co-operating with the investigation but cannot comment further while the investigation is underway. 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.

A slap for Shell

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By Rob Davies: PUBLISHED 22 May 2013

Screen Shot 2013-05-22 at 23.42.42Investors joined environmental protesters in giving Royal Dutch Shell a slap on the wrists, as a tenth of them failed to back the oil giant’s pay arrangements.

In what is likely to be chief executive Peter Voser’s last annual meeting before he retires, some 10 per cent of shareholders snubbed the remuneration report.

The vote comes just days after Shell’s London offices were raided in a European Commission investigation into oil price fixing. 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.

Women in Shell

Screen Shot 2013-05-22 at 09.27.03Shell is a very macho culture. There is some tokenism with weasel words spoken about the need for diversity – but little action. Voser’s claim that there are not enough talented women available is absurd given Shell’s financial and international strengths. The reality is that Shell was always run by British accountants and Dutch engineers – and it still is. And they wear suits.

FROM A SHELL RELATED SOURCE

The only Executive Director of Shell (as opposed to non Execs) was Linda Cook. Some saw her as a possible CEO but the reality is that as an American she was disconnected from the vast core of the Shell World about which she knew nothing and learned less. She was tough and had some credibility but when her failings became all too apparent it was often her gender that was blamed. Another more talented American woman who nearly made it was Lynn Elsenhams but again her prospects were not helped by her career history which was mostly in Shell Oil. 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.

Shell says hunt for new CEO is underway

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By Andrew Callus

THE HAGUE | Tue May 21, 2013 9:35am EDT

(Reuters) – The hunt for Royal Dutch Shell’s (RDSa.L) next chief executive is underway, its chairman said on Tuesday, after CEO Peter Voser made what could be his last appearance at the oil group’s annual shareholder meeting.

Voser announced his surprise decision three weeks ago to step down in the first half of 2014, before his 56th birthday, and less than five years into the role.

“The process has started,” Shell chairman Jorma Ollila told Reuters after the meeting when asked about the succession plan. 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.

Shell Environmental and Human Rights Crimes in Brazil

EMAIL RECEIVED BY JOHN DONOVAN

Hello John and good-afternoon from Brazil!

I don’t know whether you have been told or not but Shell and Basf have come to a judicial agreement and has paid for our rights along with medical assistance for direct former employees and its children for a lifetime.

Thank you so much for your help.

Truly yours,
Manoel Miguel

Extract

The factory was built in 1977 by Shell. Dozens of former employees of the plant have been diagnosed with prostate, thyroid and other types of cancer, circulatory, liver and intestinal illnesses, as well as infertility and sexual impotence. 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.

We can’t find capable women, says Shell

Royal Dutch Shell has admitted it needs more women on its board but pleaded for “patience” as it tried to find suitable candidates.

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Shell chief Peter Voser told the AGM that it would be “inappropriate” to speculate on the outcome of a European Commission investigation into oil price rigging. Photo: AFP/Getty

By 7:13PM BST 21 May 2013

The energy giant on Tuesday saw the number of women on its top table dwindle to one after non-executive director Christine Morin-Postel stepped down at its annual general meeting. Linda G. Stuntz, another non-executive, will now be the sole woman alongside 10 men.

Challenged by a shareholder on the issue, Shell’s chairman Jorma Ollila indicated the company planned to appoint more women over the next year but said it was still searching for “females who really have the ability to contribute” to the board. “We need a little bit more time,” he told shareholders, asking for “patience”. 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.

Shell suffers embarrassing shareholder rebellion over executive pay

Bonus awarded to outgoing chief executive Peter Voser prompts 8% of shareholders to vote against remuneration policy

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Bumper £8m pay package for Shell boss Peter Voser (Daily Mail Article)

Shell suffered an embarrassing 10% shareholder rebellion against its executive pay report on Tuesday.

Almost 8% of the investor base voted against the company’s remuneration policy, which handed its outgoing chief executive Peter Voser a €3.3m (£2.8m) cash bonus in a year when profits dropped by $1.6bn (£1.05bn) to $27bn.

A further 2% of investors abstained from the vote at Shell’s annual meeting in The Hague.

The bonus took Voser’s total salary package to €5.1m, down from €5.2m the previous year, although this is still more than double the $2.7m package given to BP boss Bob Dudley last year. Dudley received no bonus as the company continues to deal with the consequences of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. 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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