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Gas-to-liquids

Shell’s Floating Marvel, Prelude LNG, Set to Make a Splashy Comeback Amidst Winter Demand Surge

There was talk of shutting down Prelude for a year to fix issues, but Shell opted for a shorter maintenance stint. There was a fire, a trade union dispute, a shutdown, a cyclone season – it’s like Mother Nature herself was questioning the wisdom of this floating giant.

Posted by John Donovan: 27 November 2023

Ah, the ever-so-grandiose Shell is at it again with their floating behemoth, the Prelude LNG facility. After what feels like an eternity of tinkering, adjusting, and possibly duct-taping, Shell is almost ready to flaunt this colossal floaty once more. Set adrift 300 miles off the West Coast of Australia (probably to keep it away from any prying eyes), Prelude is more than just a giant on the waves; it’s a floating testament to Shell’s love for big, expensive toys. 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 Prelude Extended Vacation

Floating off the coast of Western Australia like a lost whale, the UK-based behemoth initially planned a few months of spa time for the FLNG starting in August. But, as with all things Shell, it’s not that simple.

Posted by John Donovan: 14 November 2023

Shell, the ever-so-efficient energy giant, has extended the maintenance of its colossal Prelude floating LNG producer. Why, you ask? Because they’ve just now noticed some extra work that needs doing. Talk about being late to the party.

A Shell spokesperson, likely spinning a globe to find where the Prelude is, commented, “Prelude is a complex facility in a remote offshore location.” Ah, the old ‘it’s complex and far away’ line – a classic! They added, “We continue to work through the process methodically taking as much time as required to ensure safe execution of all activities.” Translation: We’re taking our sweet time. 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.

Prelude FLNG: a potential disaster waiting to happen? 

Is Prelude FLNG a Ship or an Upstream Production Facility? Or Both? And how such a definition may affect people and the environment.

Insider information from an anonymous expert who sees Shell International Trading and Shipping Co Ltd as an organisation run by managers who like to portray themselves as ‘simple sailors’, but who actually operate like a cult with scant respect for the health and safety of employees and their own policies.

In May 2015 Mr I.C. Blayney, MLA (a Western Australia lawmaker) laid his Report No. 5 on the Table of the Parliament of Western Australia Legislative Assembly relating to ‘FLNG Safety Matters’ 1. For those who do not know FLNG stands for ‘Floating Liquified Natural Gas’ which is normally defined as an ‘upstream production facility’ and/or a ‘ship’. Mr Blayney issued his report as part of the enquiry by the Economics and Industry Standing Committee ‘into the economic impact of projects such as Prelude’ during which ‘considerable concern was raised in relation to the safety of FLNG facilities1. These concerns have been taken very seriously by the Australian Government as the oil and gas industry is inherently dangerous, and accidents do happen at the non-reimbursable expense to life and/or damage to the environment. 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 PRELUDE TOXIC HEADLINES OVER THE LAST DECADE TELL AN OMINOUS STORY 

SHELL PRELUDE FLNG OFTEN TOXIC HEADLINES OVER THE LAST DECADE TELL AN OMINOUS STORY 

Posted by John Donovan 9 Sept 2023

The links below are to a series of articles stretching back a decade, some triggered by a well-placed whistleblower directly involved in the  Prelude project. Includes articles by Mr Bill Campbell, the former distinguished HSE Group Auditor of Shell International (now sadly deceased). A good loyal friend, and regular long-term contributor to this website, who I never actually met.

ARTICLE: Voser wisely abandons an unstable ship: 28 December 2013

ARTICLE: Royal Dutch Shell Prelude to disaster?: 10 Jan 2014 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 Ingenious Shortcut: Prioritizing Profits Over Prelude’s Persistent Problems

SHELL CANNOT SAY IT WAS NOT WARNED TIME AND AGAIN ABOUT PRELUDE SAFETY ISSUES

Posted by John Donovan

7 Sept 2023

In an act that can only be described as a masterclass in cutting corners, Shell decided against shutting down its prodigious Prelude liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility off Australia for a whole year to rectify the myriad issues plaguing its operations. Why bother with such trivial matters as design flaws and safety when there’s money to be made, am I right?

Instead, Shell opted for a shorter, two-month maintenance plan because apparently “strong gas demand” is a suitable reason to ignore the ever-persistent problems. 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 exposes its Prelude workers to the exhilarating risk of fire and explosion

POSTED BY JOHN DONOVAN: July 24, 2023

Bravo, Shell! Your daredevil attitude towards safety is truly awe-inspiring.

Summary: Oh, isn’t it delightful to hear about Shell’s latest adventures in offshore safety? The audacious oil and gas giant, Shell, has yet again dazzled us with its impressive handling of workplace risk at the Prelude offshore LNG platform in Australia. Who needs safety standards, right? It’s much more thrilling to expose workers to the exhilarating possibility of fire or explosion! 

Article: Prepare to be amazed by Shell’s thrilling antics at the Prelude offshore LNG platform in Australia! In a daring display of audacity, Shell has managed to expose its workers to the exhilarating risk of fire and explosion. 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 $21 Billion Prelude Floating LNG Plant Debacle

This extraordinary project was meant to revolutionize the industry and solidify Shell’s position as a visionary leader. Little did the world know that it was about to witness the pinnacle of human achievement in the realm of catastrophic failures…The Prelude fiasco perfectly encapsulates Shell’s unparalleled ability to disappoint. It is a masterclass in how not to execute a project…

Posted by John Donovan 18 June 2023

Off the coast of Western Australia’s Kimberley region, lies a testament to Shell’s flawless decision-making and unrivalled business acumen. The usually tranquil waters of the northeastern Indian Ocean serve as a backdrop to this remarkable tale of grandiosity and unparalleled brilliance.

Shell, the benevolent oil giant, embarked on an audacious endeavour in 2011 – the construction of the monumental Prelude floating gas factory. This extraordinary project was meant to revolutionize the industry and solidify Shell’s position as a visionary leader. Little did the world know that it was about to witness the pinnacle of human achievement in the realm of catastrophic failures. 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 agrees to buy Shell’s stake in Australian Browse gas project

BP agrees to buy Shell’s stake in Australian Browse gas project

By Samuel Mckeith: REUTERS

SYDNEY, April 29 (Reuters) – BP (BP.L) has agreed to buy rival giant Shell’s (SHEL.L) 27% stake in the Browse joint venture, expanding its holding in Australia’s largest untapped gas resource in a move that could improve the development prospects for the long-stalled project.

The Browse project, estimated to cost $20.5 billion, has been stuck on the drawing board for years but is now being considered as a replacement for ageing gas fields to supply the North West Shelf LNG (liquefied natural gas) plant. 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 Prelude FLNG Restarts First Cargo Since Fire

The most recent incident happened only a year after a similar fire forced the vessel to go down for nearly five months.

Shell’s Prelude FLNG Restarts First Cargo Since Fire

Shell SHEL recently announced the restart of liquefied natural gas LNG cargoes from its Prelude floating LNG FLNG facility offshore Australia, following a temporary fire-related technical outage in December.

According to Shell, the fire was promptly put out and the area was declared safe; it also stated that no one was hurt and all of the facility’s workers were safe and well.

Following a small fire at the 3.6M metric tons/year facility, Prelude, the largest floating plant for natural gas liquefaction in the world, had paused its gas production last month due to an ongoing 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.

Shell Prelude Fires

RIGZONE

Prelude FLNG Loads Out First Cargo Since Fire

by Bojan Lepic| Rigzone Staff| Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Even though Shell has not confirmed any restart on its massive Prelude FLNG, Reuters reported that the Methane Becki Anne LNG tanker has begun loading.

The Methane Becki Anne was the first LNG tanker to berth at Shell’s Prelude floating LNG site off Western Australia since it was shut down after a fire.

According to Reuters, the LNG carrier vessel berthed at the Prelude plant on January 17, Refinitiv ship-tracking data showed. Refinitiv’s data also showed that LNG has already begun loading. 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 suspends production at Prelude FLNG after fire breaks out

Report: Output from Shell’s Prelude FLNG Shut Again

BY Bartolomej Tomic, managing editor of Offshore Engineer.

December 22, 2022

Shell has stopped production at its Prelude floating LNG plant off Western Australia after a fire.

A Shell spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday that the fire at the giant FLNG unit “was rapidly extinguished.”

The 488-meter-long, Shell-operated, Prelude FLNG unit forms part of an offshore development that produces natural gas from the remote namesake field, located approximately 475 km north-northeast of Broome in Western Australia. The Prelude is the world’s largest FLNG unit. 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.

Hellish working conditions on board world’s biggest offshore gas site, Prelude

Hellish working conditions on board the world’s biggest offshore gas site, Prelude

The Sydney Morning Herald

‘Forensic, fair and fascinating’: WAtoday wins at media awards

By Daile Cross

Using information gathered through his unrivalled industry contact list, WAtoday business journalist Peter Milne exposed the hellish working conditions on board the world’s biggest offshore gas site, Prelude.

On Saturday night his exclusive reporting saw him win best Business, Economics or Finance report at the annual WA Media Awards, the state’s pre-eminent journalism awards. 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 Flagship LNG Trading Division Made Big Loss In Q3

OILPRICE.COM

Shell’s Flagship LNG Trading Division Made Big Loss In Q3

  • Reuters: Shell’s giant LNG trading division made $1 billion loss in Q3.

  • Gas trading divisions by Shell’s peers performed much better.

  • Nevertheless, Shell was still able to post its largest quarterly profit at $9.45B from $4.13B during last year’s corresponding period.

Shell Plc’s (NYSE: SHEL) flagship LNG trading division reported a loss of nearly $1B, sources have revealed to Reuters. The loss is attributed to serious whiplash after the company’s LNG traders were caught flat-footed by the surge in natural gas prices following Russia’s gas supply cuts to Europe. The latest revelation is, however, hardly surprising given that Shell has issued a weak update issued earlier in October. 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’s Flagship LNG Trading Made Nearly $1 Billion Loss in Q3 -Sources

REUTERS

Exclusive-Shell’s Flagship LNG Trading Made Nearly $1 Billion Loss in Q3 -Sources

By Nov. 3, 2022, at 8:57 a.m.

By Ron Bousso, Marwa Rashad and Dmitry Zhdannikov

LONDON (Reuters) – Shell’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) trading division recorded a loss of nearly $1 billion in the third quarter of the year, three industry sources told Reuters, after traders were caught out by a sharp rally in European gas prices when Russia halted supplies.

Shell, the world’s top LNG trader, last week reported its second largest quarterly profit of $9.45 billion, but said it was impacted by weaker gas trading results.

Shell does not disclose its trading results and often uses general terms to describe trading conditions. 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 set to plough £1.3bn in Qatari natural gas project as it looks to bolster energy security and transition to net zero

This is MONEY.co.uk.

Shell set to plough £1.3bn in Qatari natural gas project as it looks to bolster energy security and transition to net zero

Shell is ploughing £1.3bn into a Qatari gas project in a huge boost to supplies. The oil giant will take a 9.4pc stake in North Field South, which will expand Qatar’s liquified natural gas output by 16m tons a year.

Qatar is trying to consolidate its position as the world’s biggest natural gas exporter by ramping up capacity from 77m tons per year to 126m tons per year by 2027.

There has been a surge in demand for natural gas, which is seen as a key pillar of the world’s transition to net zero CO2 emissions. Shell boss Ben Van Beurden said its investment in the gas field, run by stateowned QatarEnergy, will help bolster energy security and the transition to net zero. 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, unions reach agreement in Prelude gas facility industrial dispute

abc.net.au

Shell, unions reach agreement in Prelude gas facility industrial dispute

ABC Kimberley / By Taylor Thompson-Fuller

Key points:

The industrial action began in early June

It resulted in Shell stopping shipments and suspending activity aboard

Shell and unions say they are happy to have finally reached an agreement

Industrial action aboard Shell’s floating LNG facility Prelude is set to come to an end after unions and the company reached an in-principle enterprise agreement for workers. 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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