Corruption

Books About Shell

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Books About Shell: An Expanded Bibliography

Introduction

Royal Dutch Shell, now Shell plc, has generated an unusually large body of literature stretching from official corporate histories and executive memoirs to academic studies, environmental investigations, human-rights accounts and books written by people directly involved in disputes with the company.

The bibliography below includes:

histories commissioned or published by Shell;
independent corporate histories;
biographies of important Shell figures;
books about particular Shell businesses and projects;
books concerning Nigeria, Ogoni and Ken Saro-Wiwa;
books about Brent Spar and Corrib;
studies of Shell’s celebrated scenario-planning system;
broader histories of the international oil industry in which Shell is a significant subject;
and Amazon Kindle books by John Donovan concerning his long-running relationship with Shell.

The descriptions below are original summaries rather than reproductions of publishers’ copyrighted descriptions.

Early Royal Dutch and Shell Histories

1934

An International Oil Man

Author: Sir Henri Deterding, as told to Stanley Naylor
Format: Print read more

^*This website and sisters royaldutchshellgroup.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, shellnews.net, and shellwikipedia.com, are owned by John Donovan - more information here. There is also a Wikipedia segment, the Shell DPA Files, "Shell and the Spies", the Shell Leaks files, as well as books written and published by John Donovan - Kindle eBooks. Timeline of the Donovan Shell Feud. Toxic History of Royal Dutch Shell Group. Shell and the Donovans: The Full Media Record — 550+ Articles, 110 Books, 40 Years. ^*All created and supported by internet wizz, Nick Gill.

The Donovan–Shell Documentary Chronology: Correspondence, Shell Internal Communications and Legal Records, 1981–Present

Aug 31st, 2026

by John Donovan.

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UPDATED 1st SEPT 2026

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a living documentary index and remains under construction. It brings together direct correspondence between the Donovans and Shell, Shell internal communications, correspondence involving lawyers acting for Shell, and relevant evidential emails. Thousands of pages of archival material, including the extensive ShellNews.net collection and the Sakhalin-2 files, remain under review. Further dated documents will be added as they are identified and verified. Inclusion records what a document says or alleges; it does not necessarily establish the truth of every allegation contained within it.

Standing invitation to Shell: corrections and contrary evidence

Shell Plc, its current or former officers, employees, advisers and lawyers are invited to identify any factual error in this documentary chronology or elsewhere in the Donovan/Shell archive.

Where an error is established, it will be corrected or removed as appropriate. Where the issue is genuinely disputed, Shell’s position will be recorded alongside the relevant evidence wherever practicable.

We particularly welcome original contemporaneous documents that contradict, qualify or provide additional context to material published here. read more

COMING TOMORROW: Inside the Shell Nigeria Files

Aug 12th, 2026

by John Donovan.

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A new daily investigation into the documents behind the battle over Shell, oil pollution and accountability in the Niger Delta

Tomorrow we begin something substantial.

Over the coming days and weeks, we will be examining a remarkable collection of documents concerning Shell’s operations in Nigeria, oil pollution in the Niger Delta, pipeline integrity, oil theft, environmental damage and what senior personnel inside the company knew about the problems confronting its operations.

And we intend to examine them one story at a time.

Not with slogans.

Not by pretending allegations are proven facts.

And not by accepting corporate explanations without examining the documentary record behind them. read more

Shell Spying Series: Corrib — Ireland’s Pipeline War, the Whistleblowers, the Surveillance Claims and the Garda Booze Scandal

Jul 6th, 2026

by John Donovan.

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Shell Corrib: The Irish Pipeline War, the Whistleblowers and the Surveillance Shadow Shell Could Never Bury

By John Donovan

Site wide disclaimer also applies.

Shell, previously known as Forthdeal Limited, subsequently as Royal Dutch Shell plc, and now Shell plc after ditching the disgraced Royal Dutch moniker, left strange trails across the world: Nigeria, Malaysia, Norway, Sakhalin, the North Sea — and, very definitely, Ireland.

This instalment in the Shell spying series turns to the Corrib gas project in County Mayo: one of the most bitterly contested energy developments in modern Irish history.

Corrib was never merely a pipeline dispute. It became a conflict over policing, community consent, corporate power, environmental risk, private security, whistleblowers, leaked emails, alleged surveillance, alleged intimidation, alleged death threats, Garda conduct, alcohol allegations, parliamentary questions, and the awkward role played by royaldutchshellplc.com in bringing uncomfortable information into the public domain. read more

Shell’s Niger Delta Magic Trick: Turn a Leaking Pipeline into Somebody Else’s Problem — Then Keep Buying the Oil

Jun 25th, 2026

by John Donovan.

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GhatGPT image:
A giant Shell-branded magician on a Niger Delta stage pulling dollar bills out of a leaking pipeline, while villagers stand knee-deep in polluted water and a sign reads: “Responsible Divestment — Now With Extra Distance.”

ChatGPT meme:
“Distracted Boyfriend” — Boyfriend labelled “Shell,” girlfriend labelled “Environmental Responsibility,” attractive passer-by labelled “Sell the Asset, Keep the Oil Flowing.”

PART ONE: FACT-BASED TABLOID DEEP DIVE

There are corporate exits, and then there is the Shell version: leave the room, switch off the lights, sell the leaking plumbing, keep a tab open at the bar, and issue a statement about due diligence.

According to a new investigation by SOMO — the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations, Shell’s Niger Delta divestment story contains a particularly oily plot twist. For years, Shell pumped crude through the Nembe Creek Trunk Line — the 97 km pipeline in the Niger Delta that SOMO says Shell knew was riddled with leaks and vulnerable to tampering. Then, in 2014–2015, Shell sold the pipeline and nearby oil leases to newly created companies. But, according to SOMO, Shell did not simply wave goodbye and sail off into the ethical sunset. The company allegedly remained financially connected to oil from at least some of those assets after sale, including through financing and offtake arrangements. read more

How Shell turned a leaking pipeline into profit

Jun 25th, 2026

by John Donovan.

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Shell’s exit strategy: sell the damaged pipeline, keep buying the oil

For years, Shell pumped oil through a 97 km pipeline in the Niger Delta that it knew was riddled with leaks, and which it was unable to protect from tampering. The environmental impact was devastating. In 2014, the oil giant sold the pipeline and the oil fields it served to newly created companies. However, Shell remained financially linked to the oil flowing through the pipeline for years after the sale. Meanwhile, the new buyers faced debt and operational problems. read more

Toxic Timeline of Royal Dutch Shell Group, Now Shell plc

Jun 15th, 2026

by John Donovan.

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Toxic Timeline of Royal Dutch Shell Group, Now Shell plc

Updated 15 June 2026

This page is a chronological guide to some of the most controversial episodes in the history of Royal Dutch Shell Group, now Shell plc. It links regulatory findings, court records, mainstream journalism, campaign archives, ShellNews.net material, RoyalDutchShellPlc.com material, ShellNaziHistory.com, and John Donovan’s Shell archive.

The word “toxic” is used here in its broad public-interest sense: toxic products, toxic spills, toxic governance, toxic secrecy, toxic reputational fallout, and toxic historical associations. This page is not a court judgment. Where a matter is disputed, alleged, settled without admission, or based on campaign material, the wording says so. read more

A Deep Dive Into the Most Spectacular Own Goal in Corporate Legal History

Jun 8th, 2026

by John Donovan.

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OVER TWO DECADES AGO SHELL UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO SEIZE THIS WEBSITE DOMAIN NAME: ROYALDUTCHSHELLPLC.COM. THERE HAVE BEEN SPECTACULARLY EMBARRASSING CONSEQUENCES FOR SHELL, INCLUDING WRITTEN PERMISSION FOR JOHN DONOVAN TO DEAL ON SHELL’S BEHALF WITH EMAILS MEANT FOR SHELL.
‘Alfred Donovan was right about the culture of deception. He was right about the reserves. He was right about the spies. He was right about Nigeria. He was right about Hakluyt. He beat Shell in the High Court, in the WIPO proceedings, and in the court of public opinion.’

By our Special Correspondent in the Department of Ironic Outcomes

There is a particular kind of hubris that afflicts very large organisations — the unshakeable belief that, because you employ 119,000 people across 145 countries and own more than 3,300 trademarks in nearly 190 nations, you are entitled to win everything. Every lawsuit. Every arbitration. Every domain name dispute. Every confrontation with a retired British marketing consultant and his octogenarian father.

Royal Dutch Shell — now rebranded to the snappier “Shell plc,” presumably in an effort to distance itself from its own history — learned this lesson the hard way in the summer of 2005, when it filed a 44-page complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) demanding that one Alfred Donovan, an 87-year-old war pensioner operating from 847a Second Avenue, New York, hand over three domain names: royaldutchshellplc.com, royaldutchshellgroup.com, and tellshell.org. read more

“You Can Be Sure of Shell”: Especially If You Want a Corporate Data Leak With Your Climate Crisis

Jun 3rd, 2026

by John Donovan.

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Disclosure

This article and the accompanying image concept were generated by ChatGPT in response to a user prompt using publicly available source material, supplied links and additional research. Editorial responsibility for publication rests with the site publisher.

DISCLAIMER

This is an opinion and commentary article. It is satirical, critical and provocative, but is based on publicly available reports, archived material, company disclosures and media coverage. It is not financial advice, investment advice, legal advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security. Readers should conduct their own research and consult appropriate professionals where necessary. Site wide disclaimer also applies. read more

The AI Mag: Sir Henri Deterding’s Unexpected Return: Powered by Generative AI – Royal Dutch Shell Plc

Apr 6th, 2026

by John Donovan.

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The AI Mag

13 January 2026

Captivating Dialogue: A Darkly Humorous Exchange Between Corporate Titans

By John Donovan

Setting: A dimly lit, oak-panelled boardroom reminiscent of Shell HQ circa 1930, where the clock is forever stuck at “Still Ongoing.” Sir Henri Deterding and Johnny Donovan take their seats for an overdue chat.

This heading emphasizes the intriguing and humorous elements of the dialogue while capturing the essence of the setting and characters involved.

Conjuring Shadows: The Ghost of Shell and Satirical Legacy

By John Donovan

This afternoon, I dove into an intriguing conversation with Copilot, centered around getting a press release in front of the Daily Express. As we explored the intersection of AI, corporate controversies, and media narratives, a fascinating twist emerged: the introduction of the ghost of Sir Henri Deterding into the ongoing Donovan-Shell feud. read more

Perplexity: 20 Global Companies with the Most Controversial Histories (Shell is number 3)

Mar 13th, 2026

by admin.

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Created by Perplexity: Here is a 20‑company ranking, extending the logic and criteria of the original article (severity, scale, duration, and notoriety of controversies).

Top 20 companies with highly controversial histories

Bayer (Germany) – IG Farben participation, forced labour at Auschwitz-Monowitz, and role in supplying components for Zyklon B during the Nazi era, followed by later pharmaceutical and agrochemical controversies.watchmojo+1

Volkswagen (Germany) – Founded under the Nazi regime, heavy use of forced labour during WWII, and the modern diesel emissions‑cheating scandal affecting millions of vehicles globally.ig+1

Royal Dutch Shell / Shell plc (UK / Netherlands) – Long-running allegations over pollution and human‑rights issues in the Niger Delta, major 2004 reserves overstatement scandal, and historical controversy around Sir Henri Deterding’s interactions with Nazi Germany.royaldutchshellplc+1 read more

The 16 Biggest Corporate Controversies in Shell’s History

Mar 11th, 2026

by admin.

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A Long History of Controversy

Shell is one of the most powerful corporations on Earth.

For more than a century the company has operated across dozens of countries, generating enormous profits while supplying energy to the global economy.

But with that scale has come controversy.

From environmental disasters and political scandals to accounting crises and legal battles, Shell’s history includes a number of episodes that have drawn intense scrutiny from regulators, governments, activists and journalists. read more

OPL 245 Returns: The $1.3 Billion Scandal That Refuses to Stay Buried

Mar 6th, 2026

by John Donovan.

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Just when you thought one of the oil industry’s most notorious corruption sagas might finally fade into history, Nigeria has decided to give it a fresh coat of paint and a new corporate structure.

The controversial offshore oil licence OPL 245—long associated with bribery allegations, court battles across continents, and enough legal paperwork to deforest half the Niger Delta—has now been split into four new blocks under an arrangement involving Shell plc and Italy’s Eni, according to a report by Reuters. (MarketScreener Attachment.tiff ) read more

Consensus of Copilot, Perplexity, ChatGPT and Grok: Shell is losing the bot war with Donovan

Mar 1st, 2026

by John Donovan.

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Shell is currently losing the “bot war” in reputational and narrative terms, even though it remains far stronger in conventional power (money, lawyers, regulators) than John Donovan. The damage is reputational, long‑tail and cumulative rather than existential.

Question put to Perplexity 1st March 2026:

I put this question to Copilot earlier today. In your opinion is Shell losing or winning the bot war? Their reply is in the following article: https://royaldutchshellplc.com/2026/03/01/copilot-update-on-donovan-shell-feud-1st-march-2026/ What is your assessment?

Reply by Perplexity:

Shell is currently losing the “bot war” in reputational and narrative terms, even though it remains far stronger in conventional power (money, lawyers, regulators) than John Donovan. read more

Oil, Envoys & Explosive Optics: Shell’s Royal Miscalculation with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

Feb 23rd, 2026

by John Donovan.

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By John Donovan

DISCLAIMER

This article is opinion and commentary only. It is not financial or legal advice. All allegations referenced regarding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor relate to publicly reported matters as of February 2026. Shell plc is not accused here of criminal wrongdoing in relation to Andrew. Readers should consult primary sources and conduct their own research.

In May 2005, Prince Andrew — now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — was ushered through Shell’s Simulation Centre in Abu Dhabi. Cameras flashed. Executives beamed. The Duke of York’s office proudly highlighted his role in promoting British commercial interests abroad. Shell, like other UK multinationals, benefited from proximity to royal soft power. read more

AI CONSENSUS: SHELL MUST APOLOGISE FOR ITS TOXIC HISTORY

Feb 9th, 2026

by John Donovan.

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Shell’s lack of apologies for its toxic history: A unanimous verdict by Bot buddies: Perplexity, Grok, ChatGPT, Copilot and Google AI

PERPLEXITY RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION IN RED TEXT AT FOOT OF THIS ARTICLE. THE SAME PROMPT ISSUED TO ALL INVITED AI PLATFORMS.

Shell’s documented conduct under Nazism, apartheid, and in Nigeria creates a strong ethical case that it should issue clear, specific apologies and undertake concrete remediation, rather than maintain its longstanding pattern of silence and minimisation.

1. What the historical record shows

Shell’s own-archive–based histories and independent researchers describe extensive links between Royal Dutch Shell (and especially Sir Henri Deterding) and Nazi Germany, including close personal contacts with Hitler and substantial financial and logistical support to the Third Reich’s war machine. read more

30 November 2023: Posted by John Donovan

The content below is sourced from current verifiable customer reviews of Shell Energy published on Trustpilot.
Extremely slow broadband for 10 months, not fixed. I have had slow broadband well below the guaranteed speed for 10 months and Shell Energy have not been able to fix it. They have tried sending about 4 or 5 engineers but have not fixed the problem. Gurps, who I have been dealing with most recently, has been friendly and polite, alth… Read more

Extremely Slow Shell Broadband

Corruption

Books About Shell: An Expanded Bibliography

Introduction

Early Royal Dutch and Shell Histories

1934

UPDATED 1st SEPT 2026

Standing invitation to Shell: corrections and contrary evidence

A new daily investigation into the documents behind the battle over Shell, oil pollution and accountability in the Niger Delta

Shell Corrib: The Irish Pipeline War, the Whistleblowers and the Surveillance Shadow Shell Could Never Bury

PART ONE: FACT-BASED TABLOID DEEP DIVE

There are corporate exits, and then there is the Shell version: leave the room, switch off the lights, sell the leaking plumbing, keep a tab open at the bar, and issue a statement about due diligence.

Toxic Timeline of Royal Dutch Shell Group, Now Shell plc

*By our Special Correspondent in the Department of Ironic Outcomes*

Disclosure

DISCLAIMER

Captivating Dialogue: A Darkly Humorous Exchange Between Corporate Titans

Conjuring Shadows: The Ghost of Shell and Satirical Legacy

Created by Perplexity: Here is a 20‑company ranking, extending the logic and criteria of the original article (severity, scale, duration, and notoriety of controversies).

Top 20 companies with highly controversial histories

A Long History of Controversy

Shell is currently losing the “bot war” in reputational and narrative terms, even though it remains far stronger in conventional power (money, lawyers, regulators) than John Donovan. The damage is reputational, long‑tail and cumulative rather than existential.

DISCLAIMER

Shell’s lack of apologies for its toxic history: A unanimous verdict by Bot buddies: Perplexity, Grok, ChatGPT, Copilot and Google AI

PERPLEXITY RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION IN RED TEXT AT FOOT OF THIS ARTICLE. THE SAME PROMPT ISSUED TO ALL INVITED AI PLATFORMS.

1. What the historical record shows

Sir Henri Deterding, resurrected!

JOE LYCETT DISCUSSES SHELL WITH JOHN DONOVAN

Meta

John Donovan’s ebooks

JOHN DONOVAN TV DOCUMENTARY INTERVIEW

SHELL EXECUTIVES AT THE CENTER OF A SCHEME TO STEAL $1.3 BILLION FROM NIGERIA’S PEOPLE

SHELL ADMITS DEALING WITH NIGERIAN MONEY LAUNDERER – BBC NEWS

SHELL, ENI AND NIGERIAN OFFICIALS IN OPL 245 CORRUPTION SCANDAL

INVESTIGATION OF OPL 245 NIGERIAN OIL CORRUPTION SCANDAL

DUTCH EARTHQUAKES CAUSED BY SHELL/EXXON

SHELL KILLS FOR OIL IN NIGERIA

SHELL LIED ABOUT CLEANING UP OIL IN NIGER DELTA

SHELL SPIES INFILTRATED NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT

LEGO DROPS SHELL OVER GREENPEACE OIL SPILL VIDEO

SHELL ARCTIC DRILLING ACCIDENTS

SHELL KNEW ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE DECADES AGO

ROYAL DUTCH SHELL FOUNDER SIR HENRI DETERDING, NAZI FINANCIER

JOHN DONOVAN PROMOTIONAL GAMES FOR SHELL AND OTHER CLIENTS

Archives

SHELL OFFICIAL ENDORSEMENT OF THIS WEBSITE

Critic’s corner

The worst ever

30 November 2023: Posted by John Donovan

The content below is sourced from current verifiable customer reviews of Shell Energy published on Trustpilot.

The worst ever

OVER 500 EXTERNAL PUBLICATIONS CITING OUR SHELL WEBSITES

DISCLAIMER

Categories

SHELL PROPPED UP APARTHEID

Royal Dutch Shell plc .com Cookies Policy

By our Special Correspondent in the Department of Ironic Outcomes