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Royal Dutch Shell Motiva Blues

Over the next few days, we will be posting some outspoken insider comments made several years ago in relation to Motiva, kicking off with the exchange below between “Jim Hartsock” and “Motivasux.”

The comments reveal the low esteem, to put it mildly, in which Shell Oil executives were held at that time.

Comments are welcome from current employees about worker morale these days bearing in mind the dramatic consequences of the Shell/Saudi Aramco divorce. Comments can be posted on our Shell Blog under an alias, thus preserving confidentiality. Or send them to me for publication on the same confidential basis: [email protected]

Generally positive reviews on this website?

Jim Hartsock on Jun 4th, 2009 at 02:47

I have worked for Shell a long time and have always upheld this company as one of utmost regard and high ethics; one that is willing to do what is right and serve its people. Unfortunately, I no longer see this company. The leaders currently in place are only worried about themselves, especially now that many of our esteemed SE colleagues will get the boot. One in particular that needs to be watched as he is singlehandedly ruining the reputation of leadership in Shell is Tom Purves. I wonder if anyone sees the behind the scene employee moves he has made of late in Motiva ville. Many of these moves were advertised as needed changes when in fact it was to take care of his friends, some of which were on the bubble of being released once they didn’t manage the expansion project appropriately and let it balloon from $7B to north of $10B. This same guy is now the plant manager of the site. How does that make sense? Stay tuned for other moves he has made that smacks of cronyism. Right now, it looks like Shell leadership is about taking care of friends instead of results as Mr Vozer states we should.

motivasux on Jun 5th, 2009 at 23:31

Jim, it is more than Purves that is the problem. Most of the leadership is in a fantasy world that someone else has to pay for. It is a shame what happened over in Port Arthur and it is a shame what is happening right now in Convent. Shell has little regard for the people that work for them and the management is horrible. You have a human resources department that does nothing but spread rumors. If you call them for help they tell you to call fedelity or tell you to bad so sad. Convent has a plant manager that claims to be the savior and says he has integrity yet he can’t tell the truth. Shell claims to be losing all kind of money yet every report that comes out to the employees boast about the profits. Shell is about to send some good people who did what they were asked out of the gate because they are not “buddies” with the new management team.

I agree with you that Purves is a problem. He is a joke. He couldn’t spell it if you spot him the i. The project in PA, one guy got the blame for that. The guy that got the blame, he wasn’t at fault. He did what he was told to do. His only mistake, in the shell world, was that he actually cared for the people that worked for him. The lies that were spread around Convent and Norco by human resources and upper management were wrong and should not have come from them.

There are so many things that I could share but it makes no difference. I have called OSHA and been to the labor board and both agencies have done nothing. The “life saving rules” will have the same end result as the fallen “cardinal rules” because shell will not fire a manager for breaking them. This is a fact with me as a witness on two counts. Human resources said it was an oversight. They sure don’t have any oversights when it is not one of their own.

I can’t stand shell motiva as they have ruined everything that we had in Convent. From the less than par management to the bass ackwards hiring process they have, shell motiva has put the employees and the community at risk. We are another BP waiting to happen. We have gotten lucky but we all know that sooner or later luck runs out. I just hope nobody loses their life or a loved ones life due to the unsafe practices in the refineries. I do what I can everyday to make things right but I am losing the battle. Nobody wants to listen until it is to late. People are selfish and care about nobody except for themselves.

Scuzzy Operator at motiva

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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