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Alfred Donovan

Shell’s Secret Spy Saga: Like a Bad Spy Movie, But With More Oil and Less Charm

Posted 22 December 2023

Oh, the irony! Shell, the ever-so-discreet and not-at-all-nefarious oil giant has been doing its darnedest to keep a lid on some rather unflattering information. But, like a leaky old barrel of their finest crude, the details just keep seeping out, much to their chagrin and our amusement.

Enter the protagonist of our story, John Donovan, and his website royaldutchshellplc.com – Shell’s least favorite bookmark. Despite Shell’s best efforts, Donovan has been quite the busy bee, collecting a swarm of Shell-related secrets. The list of names he’s disclosed reads like a who’s who of corporate espionage, featuring the likes of James J.D. Hall (Shell’s very own top spy), Crockett Oaks III, Mike Oliveri, and Walied Shater. It’s like a spy convention, but with fewer martinis. 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.

What a hopelessly mismanaged mess Shell is in

By John Donovan: 1st November 2021

Below are screenshots from the webpage generated this morning when performing a search for Royal Dutch Shell on Microsoft Bing.

The map section shows the Shell Centre HQ in London.

The contact section displays the address and telephone number.

The website address displayed is royaldutchshellplc.com and the various Shell images, including the main top left one (with the Nazi theme), all come from the royaldutchsellplc.com website.

Royaldutchshellplc.com is the top-level domain name for Royal Dutch Shell Plc which Shell failed to seize in legal proceedings many years ago. Shell now has to live with the consequences of losing the action. 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.

DONOVAN vs. SHELL : A 30 Years Epic battle against a corporate giant

Image Credit: KICKBACK NEWS

By John Donovan

KickBack.news, the anti-corruption website recently founded by Javier Ferrandis has published a remarkable article under the headline:

DONOVAN vs. SHELL: A 30 Years Epic battle against a corporate giant.

Extract

Disgruntled employees, interested in learning about or airing the dirty laundry of the Shell Group, or journalists, who want to find out what’s up at one of the largest corporations in the world, know that you have to start your search by simply typing royaldutchshellplc.com on your browser. 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.

Donovan Libel Actions Against Shell

ALFRED DONOVAN LIBEL ACTION AGAINST SHELL IN APRIL 1995 ACTION No. 1995 D328

Marketing Week: Shell faces libel threat from Don: 31 March 1994

Sales Promotion agency Don Marketing is threatening to sue Shell UK for libel while at the same time circulating the results of a poll it claims to have carried out among Shell retailers.

The two companies are due to meet in court over Don’s accusation that Shell used its ideas in a series of promotions without permission or payment.

Don has sent a letter to Shell from solicitors acting for Don claiming a press release the company issued two weeks ago was defamatory and untrue (MW March 24) and is demanding a retraction. 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.

Wikipedia’s Reputation in Meltdown

By John Donovan

Unfortunately, the integrity of Wikipedia is corrupted by a policy allowing the anonymous editing of articles.

This fundamental flaw allows articles to be potentially sanitized of any facts embarrassing to a featured subject e.g. an evil oil giant

Larry Sanger, the co-creator of Wikipedia, has recently expressed similar misgivings about how Wikipedia has changed for the worse in recent years. He claims that it has been ruined.

Sanger identifies “anonymous contribution” as being detrimental to the accuracy of online information, which he rightly says is open to corruption by governments, corporations, spies and criminal organisations. He goes on to say that they know how to play the Wikipedian game. Sanger is now embarrassed by Wikipedia and has become its most prominent critic. 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.

For decades Shell has tried to suppress online criticism

1995

Shell first took issue with my Shell-focused Internet activity in March 1995. Shell’s rabid false allegations about my late father and me resulted in a libel action and other litigation (IP theft) all subsequently settled in our favour by Shell.

2000

In November 2000, DJ Freeman, solicitors acting for Shell, sent a threatening letter to a server hosting company for www.nuclear-crimes.com AKA Shell’s Nuclear Crimes. DJ Freeman boasted in their letter that the website in question had already been removed from the Internet by a previous hosting company, Easyspace after DJ Freeman sent a threatening letter on behalf of Shell. 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.

Exclusive: Shell plans to exit California joint venture with Exxon Mobil – sources

REUTERS

Exclusive: Shell plans to exit California joint venture with Exxon Mobil – sources

By : JULY 1, 2021 

(Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc plans to leave Aera, its California-based oil and gas-producing joint venture with Exxon Mobil Corp, four people familiar with the talks told Reuters.

Shell has divested numerous carbon intensive assets this year, selling its refinery in Washington state to Holly Frontier Corp and its stake in a Houston-area refining joint venture to Petroleos Mexicanos as it shifts new investments to renewables and power. 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.

Wikipedia: Royaldutchshellplc.com 1 June 2021

Replica of the Wikipedia article: royaldutchshellplc.com

As Wikipedia editors are aware, my father Alfred Donovan passed away in 2013. Since there are a number of references to him in the above Wikipedia article, I provided proof in the form of a Guardian newspaper article about Shell that mentioned his death, hoping the information would be updated. 

Strange tale of Shell’s pipeline battle, the Gardaí and £30,000 of booze

However, the several years out of date information remains and the supply of the information politely supplied triggered a negative response within 20 minutes. 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’s climate poll on Twitter backfires spectacularly

Shell’s climate poll on Twitter backfires spectacularly

Oil giant accused of gaslighting after asking users: ‘What are you willing to change?’

Damian Carrington Environment editor: @dpcarrington: Tue 3 Nov 2020 13.09 GMT

A climate poll on Twitter posted by Shell has backfired spectacularly, with the oil company accused of gaslighting the public.

The survey, posted on Tuesday morning, asked: “What are you willing to change to help reduce emissions?”

Though it received a modest 199 votes the tweet still went viral – but not for the reasons the company would have hoped. The US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was one high-profile respondent, posting a tweet that was liked 350,000 times. 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.

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive

SELECTION OF YEARLY SCREENSHOTS FROM royaldutchshellplc.com  WEBSITE: 2005 to 2020, SAMPLED FROM WEBPAGES STORED ON THE INTERNET ARCHIVE

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot Oct 31, 2005

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2006

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2007

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2008

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2009

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2010

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2011

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2012

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2013

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2014

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2015

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2016

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2017

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2018

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2019

royaldutchshellplc.com on the Internet Archive: Screenshot 2020

About the Internet Archive

The Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artefacts in digital form. Like a paper library, we provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, the print disabled, and the general public. Our mission is to provide Universal Access to All Knowledge.

We began in 1996 by archiving the Internet itself, a medium that was just beginning to grow in use. Like newspapers, the content published on the web was ephemeral – but unlike newspapers, no one was saving it. Today we have 20+ years of web history accessible through the Wayback Machine and we work with 625+ library and other partners through our Archive-It program to identify important web pages. 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.

McMillions$, McLibel and McShell

Despite McMillion$, McDonald’s is a saintly global business compared with Shell

By John Donovan

Shell has over 44,000 service stations worldwide and operates in over 70 countries. McDonald’s has almost 38,000 outlets worldwide and operates in over 100 countries. Both multinational giants operate with an ethical question mark hovering over their business activities. Both have run well-known hugely popular promotional games such as McDonald’s Monopoly and Shell Make Money.

McMillion$ is the name of a hit true-crime TV documentary series about fraudulent promotional games conducted by McDonald’s for many years. McDonald’s was an innocent party until the last of the rigged promotions. The story is being made into a movie starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Shell also has a track record of running a flawed multimillion£ game in which all major prizes could be identified and removed by dishonest staff before they reached the public. 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.

Wikipedia: royaldutchshellplc.com 23 March 2020

Replica of the Wikipedia article: royaldutchshellplc.com

23 March 2020 Version

The article text for the Wikipedia article royaldutchshellplc.com is displayed below for the above-indicated date – the content of which may be confirmed by Wikipedia records

Royaldutchshellplc.com
Type of site
Gripe site
Available in Originates in English; translation available
Owner Alfred and John Donovan
Created by John Donovan
Revenue None
URL https://royaldutchshellplc.com/
Commercial No
Registration Not required
Launched October 29, 2004[1]
Current status Active

royaldutchshellplc.com is a Royal Dutch Shell gripe site and blog operated by Alfred and John Donovan, who engaged in several marketing campaigns with Shell during the 1980s and early 1990s. The father and son duo believe Shell violated intellectual property agreements and filed several lawsuits against Shell prior to starting several websites critical of Shell, including royaldutchshellplc.com. The site has been oft quoted in news sources and is known for its activities as an Internet leak and forum for Shell whistleblowers. 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 Guardian: Greenpeace blocks BP HQ with solar panels on new CEO’s first day

Greenpeace members have blocked BP’s headquarters with solar panels and oil barrels to mark Bernard Looney’s first day as chief executive.

About 100 environmental activists took 500 solar panels to the central London building at 3am on Wednesday as Looney prepared to take up his new role. Some protesters sat underneath the solar panels after they were prevented from installing them on the pavements and roads near the office. 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.

Wikipedia: royaldutchshellplc.com 28 September 2019

Replica of the Wikipedia article: royaldutchshellplc.com

28 September 2019 Version

The article text for the Wikipedia article royaldutchshellplc.com is displayed below for the above-indicated date – the content of which may be confirmed by Wikipedia records

Royaldutchshellplc.com
Type of site
Gripe site
Available in Originates in English; translation available
Owner Alfred and John Donovan
Created by John Donovan
Revenue None
URL http://royaldutchshellplc.com/
Commercial No
Registration Not required

royaldutchshellplc.com is a Royal Dutch Shell gripe site and blog operated by Alfred and John Donovan, who engaged in several marketing campaigns with Shell during the 1980s and early 1990s. The father and son duo believe Shell violated intellectual property agreements and filed several lawsuits against Shell prior to starting several websites critical of Shell, including royaldutchshellplc.com. The site has been oft quoted in news sources and is known for its activities as an Internet leak and forum for Shell whistleblowers. 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’s efforts to kill negative newspaper coverage

In February 2007, someone at Shell stated an intention in an internal email dated 2 February 2007, to put pressure on The Sunday Times to “kill” an article about our intervention in the Sakhalin 2 project (which according to The Sunday Times article cost Shell £11 BILLION).

Extracts from the ebook “John Donovan, Shell’s Nightmare” (now available on Amazon websites globally)

Extracts from pages 168 to 170 inclusive

We also discovered that from 2006 onwards Shell secretly kept and regularly updated “Focal Point” information about our activities. Some of the information in the reports is inaccurate.

We have copies of reports updated in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. I have supplied one example from each year.

The “Focal Point” seems to be a person rather than the title of the document. I believe the person was Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx.

It is plain from the reports that there was anxiety at Shell about the possibility that I would ask a question at the AGM. A list of possible questions and rehearsals of responses are listed in the Focal Point reports. 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.

Royal Dutch Shell at War with a Family

John Donovan in 1999

Extracts from the ebook “John Donovan, Shell’s Nightmare” (now available on Amazon websites globally)

Extracts from pages 150, 151 & 152

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF OPERATING UNDER THE ROYALDUTCHSHELLPLC.COM DOMAIN NAME

You would have thought that any visitor to the website would quickly realize that the site was not operated by Shell. There has always been a disclaimer pointing this out on every webpage. It should also be obvious from other content on the home page.

Nonetheless, it seems that some people still form the impression that it is the official Shell website. We receive all manner of email meant for Shell. It includes hundreds of job applications, business proposals, Shell pension enquiries, shareholder enquiries, complaints, invitations to speak at conferences, and correspondence from the Dutch Defence Ministry and the UK National Maritime Museum. 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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