Over 530 yards long, 80 yards wide, more than 300 feet tall, and 660,000 tones heavy. The largest floating structure the world has ever put out to see is the Prelude offshore natural gas facility. Completed in under five years, the colossal ship-looking titan is made to work a quarter of a century in rough South Pacific waters.read more
Aug 12th, 2022
by John Donovan.
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…it is the World’s most expensive and at the same time, the most unreliable Offshore installation ever built…
COMMENT SENT TO JOHN DONOVAN ABOUT THE ILL-FATED SHELL PRELUDE PROJECT BY BILL CAMPBELL, RETIRED HSE GROUP AUDITOR, SHELL INTERNATIONAL
Seems such a long time ago since we watched the Hollywood quality videos of a happy bunch of comrades in arms assembled in a circle on the helideck. Halcyon days indeed.
The future then was so hopefull, and filled with promise.
Almost hidden in the article re the industrial dispute was the report of a loss of LNG during transfer operations, I have stressed and explained many times why this simply cannot be allowed to happen and as you publish repeatedly, in your Prelude banner against my name, I predicted many moons ago that loss of hydrocarbons from Prelude was almost inevitable.read more
Shell has delayed major maintenance on its troubled Prelude floating gas facility after negotiations over the weekend failed to end two months of industrial action.
The delay is another setback for Shell, which spent about $US17 billion ($24 billion) to build the world’s largest vessel that has suffered a multitude of production outages and serious safety issues since it arrived in West Australian waters five years ago.read more
The company blamed a lack of assurance from unions that safety functions would be carried out
Union representatives said the claims were a “red herring” and they would not endanger safety of workers at the rig
Industrial negotiations proposed via mediation ground to a halt
Shell has scrapped plans to lock workers out of its multi-billion dollar offshore gas facility, Prelude, citing safety concerns.
Workers onboard the facility 400 kilometres off Western Australia’s Kimberley coast are engaged in protected industrial action in a bid to push for better wages.
The Anglo-Dutch energy giant shut down the facility and suspended production in response to strikes earlier this month.read more
Jul 20th, 2022
by John Donovan.
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Shell to enforce lockout on Prelude as industrial dispute escalates
Sean Smith: The West Australian: Wed, 20 July 2022 9:57AM
The dispute over a new pay deal on Shell’s Prelude floating LNG plant off north-west WA has escalated again, with the energy giant flagging it will lock out workers from Monday.
The decision means those workers who are not on Prelude but support the protected industrial action by the Offshore Alliance will not be paid.
Those still on Prelude will only be paid for the time they work outside industrial stoppages.read more
The energy giant is locked in an increasingly bitter industrial dispute with its workforce, which has disrupted production in recent weeks
A proposed enterprise agreement was rejected by 95 per cent of workers last week
Even though Prelude only supplies the export market, an energy expert says the move could drive gas prices even higher
Agreement ‘substandard’, union says
The disagreement over wages has seen union members ban the performance of certain tasks onboard, including a stoppage on unloading cargo onto ships for delivery at certain times.
A Shell spokesperson said production at the facility had been suspended due to the “work bans currently in force under Protected Industrial Action … that prohibit offtake activities”.
“Until the bans on the offtake of cargoes are lifted and the plant can be safely restarted, staff required to perform safety-critical functions will remain on board while all other workers will be demobilised,” the spokesperson said.read more
Shell will completely shut down its Prelude floating LNG vessel within days in response to unions escalating industrial action over pay, threatening further disruption of the global gas market.read more
MELBOURNE, July 8 (Reuters) – Shell SHEL.L said on Friday it had loaded and shipped a cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) this week at its Prelude floating LNG facility after workers scaled down industrial action at the site off northwestern Australia.
The oil and gas giant slowed output at the 3.6-million tonne per year facility last week during a series of work stoppages by unions fighting for better pay and had warned that shipments would be disrupted for at least two weeks.read more
Prolonged labor strikes at Shell’s Prelude LNG facility will disrupt shipments from it for the next two weeks, the supermajor warned this week.
“We have issued a notice to customers that cargoes will be impacted until at least mid-July due to the industrial action,” Shell said, as quoted by Reuters.
The floating LNG production facility in northwestern Australia has an annual capacity of 3.6 million tons. The news of a halt to operations adds to an already difficult situation for gas importers after Russia reduced the flow along the Nord Stream 1 pipeline by 60 percent, and an explosion took Freeport LNG out of commission for at least three months.
This latest disruption comes just three months after an outage that shut Prelude down for four months. The strike is a response to Shell’s refusal to concede to some of the demands made by the Australian Workers’ Union.read more
Jun 29th, 2022
by John Donovan.
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FINANCIAL POST
Shell says Prelude LNG shipments disrupted until at least mid-July
REUTERS: Jun 28, 2022
SYDNEY/MELBOURNE — Shell Plc said on Wednesday liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments from its Prelude floating LNG facility off northwest Australia will be disrupted until at least mid-July due to work bans by unions fighting for better pay.
“We have issued a notice to customers that cargoes will be impacted until at least mid-July due to the industrial action,” a Shell spokesperson said in an emailed comment.
The loading disruption at the 3.6 million tonnes-a-year Prelude floating LNG facility comes just three months after Prelude resumed shipping LNG following a four-month shutdown due to a major power failure.
Workers on Prelude began 12 days of industrial action on June 10 over a pay dispute. They are set to vote on a new offer from Shell on July 7.read more
Dispute stops cargoes at Shell’s huge floating LNG plant
Angela Macdonald-Smith: Senior resources writer
Updated Jun 28, 2022 – 10.36pm, first published at 9.22pm
Shell’s monster floating LNG project off the north-west coast has cancelled cargoes until at least mid-July amid an escalating industrial dispute, tightening the supply of gas in the already-stretched global market.
Trade unions represented through the Offshore Alliance say Shell has threatened union negotiators with its intention to shut down the facility amid the deteriorating situation.
Australian Workers’ Union national secretary Daniel Walton described the threat as “insane” given the national gas crisis, and said the energy major was trying to bully the nation into agreeing to its “hardline” demands.
However the energy multinational insists it is union bans that are behind the likely shutdown, restricting its ability to operate the complex facility and offload cargoes. Prelude supplies LNG to the export market, not to Australian energy users.
A Shell spokeswoman said the group has notified customers that it is cancelling cargoes until at least the middle of next month due to the impact of the industrial action.
The dispute centres around a new collective agreement under negotiation between Shell and the unions, for workers that industry sources say are paid an average of $250,000-$280,000, and in some cases more through bonuses, allowances and overtime.read more
Shell is running its $23 billion Prelude floating LNG plant with critical positions filled by crew who are not fully qualified, and more than 200 safety alarms out of action, ahead of industrial action due to start on Friday.
Gas exports recommenced from the world’s largest floating vessel just two months ago after it was shut down for four months following a complete power failure in December that the offshore safety regulator said could have led to a “catastrophic failure”.read more
SHELL could be close to losing large sums of money from a protected industrial action onboard its Prelude floating LNG vessel from 7am tomorrow when all non-essential staff down tools and refuse to load cargoes.
Australia’s Fair Work Commission has approved the action as unions hammer out a new enterprise bargaining agreement with Shell. The protected industrial action runs until June 21.
The 3.6 million tonne vessel sold four cargoes through May and has varied contracts including with Korea’s Kogas. Other cargoes go into Shell’s wider LNG portfolio. This comes as the global gas market tightens amid far higher demand for LNG from Europe as it tries to swiftly pivot from Russian pipe gas.read more
Paul Hunt: Senior Journalist: Energy & Commodities: 08 June 2022
THE union representing offshore oil and gas workers at Shell Australia’s Prelude FLNG facility have outlined serious safety concerns to the safety regulator, warning employees’ lives are at stake because fire suppression systems are not working.
The Offshore Alliance – part of the Australian Workers Union and Maritime Union of Australia – lodged the complaint yesterday which revealed that over 200 smoke detectors on the facility were not relaying to the control room and workers would not be aware of an explosion or fire at the giant floating gas project.read more
Jun 2nd, 2022
by John Donovan.
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ENERGY VOICE
Shell sends ‘thug’ to stop industrial strike action on Prelude FLNG, says labor union
Production at Shell’s (LON:SHEL) Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility offshore Western Australia may soon be affected by industrial strike action after the Offshore Alliance issued the supermajor with a notice of protected industrial action starting 10 June.
Production at Shell’s (LON:SHEL) Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility offshore Western Australia may soon be affected by industrial strike action after the Offshore Alliance issued the supermajor with a notice of protected industrial action starting 10 June.
In response to the formal notice served by lawyers representing the Offshore Alliance, a labor union, as well as the Electrical Trades Union (ETU), issued on 30 May, Shell has “now resorted to industrial thuggery in a desperate effort to try and stop protected industrial action on Prelude,” the Offshore Alliance claimed in a post on Facebook today.
“One of the Shell leads, who has been parachuted onto Prelude, is throwing his weight around like he’s some sort of big king dick…this self-styled hero tough guy has been doing his best to intimidate some of the younger female tech’s by demanding they tell him whether they are in the Union and whether they intend to take Protected Industrial Action,” claimed the Offshore Alliance.
“Shell’s senior management need to pull this idiot into line as the Offshore Alliance will bang both him and Shell into the Federal Court for breach of Freedom of Association provisions if he doesn’t pull his head in. Pull off your management thugs, Shell,” added the union.read more
May 30th, 2022
by John Donovan.
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Shell to develop Crux project in Western Australia
May 30, 2022
Shell Australia Pty Ltd (Shell Australia) and its joint venture partner, SGH Energy, have taken a final investment decision to approve the development of the Crux natural gas field, off the coast of Western Australia. Crux will provide further supplies of natural gas to the existing Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility.
“This project forms an important part of Shell’s integrated gas portfolio,” said Wael Sawan, Integrated Gas, Renewables and Energy Solutions Director at Shell. “Natural gas from Crux will play a key role in helping Asian customers move from coal to gas as a cleaner-burning fuel. The project will help us to meet the increasing demand for LNG as the energy market transitions to a lower carbon future.
“The project will also boost our customers’ security of supply, which is becoming an ever more significant consideration for global consumers.”
“Developing the Crux project reinforces our commitment to Australia, including boosting the regional economy, creating jobs and providing training opportunities,” said Shell Australia Chair Tony Nunan. “The use of Prelude’s existing infrastructure enables significantly reduced development costs, making Crux competitive and commercially attractive.”
The Crux field is in Commonwealth marine waters in the northern Browse Basin, 620 kilometres north-east of Broome. The development will consist of a platform operated remotely from Prelude,. Five wells will be drilled initially, and an export pipeline will connect the platform to Prelude, which is around 160 kilometres to the south-west of Crux.read more
on hold for over an hour!: Been on hold for over an hour now.
No idea what the customer service is like because I can't get through to anyone.
Why did you take over Post Office Broadband customers as you clearly don't have enough staff to cope?
Uncaring, horrible, hassling, profiteering bunch.: Uncaring, horrible, hassling, profiteering bunch.
I'm 80 with bipolar disorder
I am an 80 year old with multiple health issues and diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
These people at shell energy are disgusting.
I've been unable to log into my account for months. I live in a one bedroom flat and they are taking £250 per month from me, that's before the increases in October. Despite contacting them, I still can't log into my account. I've now been told my (not so) smart meter can't be reached and I have to provide monthly meter readings, when I can barely get down stairs from my flat to the meter because of mobility issues.
Worse than that, when I put my email address in to change my password and access the account, I was suddenly logged into an account in the name of Mr Knox, at an address I don't know, who they claim owes them £4,800 and hasn't made a payment in months. It's neither my name nor address.
This isn't my account, but it has my personal email address registered against it. Despite advising them of this, I received the standard 'we are receiving a high volume of messages' garbage. They have since emailed me another bill for the imaginary Mr Knox.
They are hassling me by sending me someone elses bills and bringing me to the verge of a mental breakdown. According to my son, £250, which they have taken from my bank EVERY month, is way too much for a one bedroom flat too, but I have no idea what I have used because my email logs me into another account in another area.
IF THEY DON'T SORT THIS OUT, I'M GOING TO HAVE A MENTAL BREAKDOWN. ASK MY DOCTOR.
Uncaring, horrible, hassling, profiteering bunch.
Useless broadband and company:
Useless broadband and company,40 minutes on hold on phone about my internet dropping all the time,told openreach would come on the Monday, NOTHING no call message or openreach. Sent email wanting to know how long I've left on contract as I want to leave them and get another provider NOTHING. I hate ringing up having to wait almost 40 minutes on hold only to talk to someone who don't have any idea what they talking about.
-By Zik Gbemre: SHELL'S NOTICE TO VACATE NIGERIA OVER UNENDING OIL THEFT: NOT GOOD FOR THE NATION
The rampant oil theft that is forcing Shell out of the Niger Delta, indeed out of Nigeria is one critical embarrassment that has overwhelmed a Federal Government that has failed in all sectors of the country.
The petroleum sector remains the only sector footing the entire bills of the country, yet attention is not being given to protecting it from ceaseless sabotage.
Against law-abiding citizens engaged in legitimate peaceful protests, trigger-happy security operatives will swing into action to crush any peaceful protest.
The common man is driving his car on the road, Police will act to intimidate him, with all manner of contorted allegations and threats, to extort him.
But then assign security operatives to check oil theft, they get so connected in no time and begin to aid and abet the oil theft they are mobilised at an outrageous cost to the nation. So, the Military and Nigeria Security & Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) are as much connected to oil theft as the oil theft is connected to the host communities' leaders, oil company workers and contractors responsible for welding/clamping/clean-up/remediation contracts induced by vandalism.
They vandalise pipes and valves to steal crude oil and condensate and the more these occur the more contracts are awarded for repairs/clamping of pipelines and clean-up/remediation activities. So, a lot of people are connected to oil theft beyond those who sell and buy the stolen condensate and crude oil.
The fight against oil theft has become a lost battle as they sabotage with a huge economic toll on the commonwealth will continue to thrive, hence Shell has decided to quit her Niger Delta operations to concentrate on the 'deep sea offshore' of the Niger Delta that illegal bunkering syndicates can't access easily.
In other shades of oil theft, you have DPR staff that are supposed to keep records of production and volume exported also involved in under declaration of figures. A lot is happening behind the scene at the points of exports, in the terminals.
Even among key stakeholders like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NNPC and Accountant General of the Federation, it's an annual drama of conflicting figures when they are subjected to probe and accountability on the revenue generated from oil, condensate and gas, given a particular time frame.
Again, the violent youths, also known as restive youths, created by Niger-Delta politicians are also there to disrupt the operations of Shell (SPDC) and other oil companies. Because politicians are not accessible immediately after they win elections and can only engage a few as personal aides thereafter, the rest are going about wreaking havoc on oil companies which they look up to as alternative governments.
What's more, politicians and Public officeholders in the Niger Delta are only interested in the monthly allocations from Abuja from which they allocate outrageous portions into security votes that are never accounted for, contracts are inflated to syphon kickbacks into private vaults.
All of these stakeholders' knaveries are making onshore operations so unattractive to Shell and other International Oil Companies(IOCs). And it's not a good one if they have to leave.
By Zik Gbemre
July 13, 2022
Impossible to move home with them: I recently moved from a home where I was a Shell Energy customer, to a home that is also supplied by Shell Energy. After 5+ calls and emails promising me my account and most importantly, my tariff, would be carried over, they have failed to do so and they are now ignoring my emails. Their customer service is absolutely diabolical.
Truly awful cancellation experience: Firstly i have no problem with the broadband quality and general customer service but i have just had a horrendous experience trying to cancel my contract in favour of virgin. i made it very very very clear i just wanted to cancel but the bloke insisted endlessly on try to persuade me otherwise to the point where i was getting proper stressed out. i won't ever go back to Shell
Rubbish Company: Where do I start ... AGAIN! Just received ANOTHER message from you regarding my account! Advising me to contact debt management company!. I am, as I keep TRYING to tell you, I'm on Universal Credit but, at the moment I've been sanctioned until the end of July, and also have a hardship fund payment of £*** which I have to pay back until next February! I have no money for all my usual bills off-line this one, so maybe YOU can tell me how I'm supposed to pay this bill with no money! I can't even afford to buy food to last me a month. I have NO MONEY! If Green Star Energy I ad sorted out this problem in the 1st place, I wouldn't be in this mess! Unfortunately I don't have a money tree in my garden, not do I have a money making machine. I'm as poor as a church mouse! I haven't had enough money for 3 years now!
Is anyone else having problems with this company?
I'll say no more!
Sylvia Holmes: Was with the Post Office broadband until Shell took over.
Was emailed to activate my account which I did , WiFi went off.
Called several times was kept waiting for someone to answer, must now total 4 hours +.
Eventually Ayisha answered must be a fault on the line from the exchange. Then router not recognised! Engineer appointment was made for 31/5/22 — 8am till 1 pm
No show.
Rang again why no show..Naeem says I’ll transfw you to the technical team ..was cut off.
Emailed customer help, reply line is ok , reset your router with a pin, check your wires are fully in the plug.
Pat, said she will contact outreach either Tuesday or Wednesday.
Meanwhile I’m without WiFi?
What’s occurring Shell?
Bogus Group: The Offshore Alliance and the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) have both served Shell with formal notice that industrial action will commence on the Prelude FLNG facility on 10 June.
Awful company who don't listen or care about customers!: I've had an utter nightmare with Shell. After I inherited my fathers house in Jan they have been nothing but trouble.
I called them within a week of the house being put in my name and told them I do not live near the house and to put the account in my name and send any bills to my address. I made it very clear that I would be paying any bills, was happy to do so, and where to send them. Fast forward to early April, we visit the house to find bill after bill addressed "to the occupier".
Again I got in touch right away and told them the NEED to put the account in my name as I won't be visiting the house again as it was set to sell at the end of April. I spoke to a representative who said "No worries, just call us when the house sells and we will settle the account". I did just that and paid them. However I've checked my credit score and have multiple negatives which are now preventing me getting a mortgage. As if dealing with the death of a parent isn't difficult enough Shell have now prevented me getting a mortgage for the next 7 years!!
Listen and read proof in audio and transcript form of Shell CEO Ben van Beurden’s cover-up tactics in the OPL 245 Nigerian corruption scandal. The instruction given by him in the covertly recorded call to CFO Simon Henry was at odds with Shell’s claimed core business principles. Cover-up and obstruction, instead of transparency and integrity, says Shell critic John Donovan
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
ESTHER KIOBEL SUES SHELL FOR COMPLICITY IN HUSBANDS MURDER
ESTHER KIOBEL: EVIL OIL GIANT SHELL COLLUDED IN THE EXECUTION OF MY INNOCENT HUSBAND
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
ABANDONED BY SHELL: KEITH MACDONALD & FAMILY, VICTIMS OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION AT WORK
ROYAL DUTCH SHELL FOUNDER SIR HENRI DETERDING, NAZI FINANCIER
JOHN DONOVAN PROMOTIONAL GAMES FOR SHELL AND OTHER CLIENTS
EBOOK TITLE: “SIR HENRI DETERDING AND THE NAZI HISTORY OF ROYAL DUTCH SHELL” – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON EBOOK TITLE: “JOHN DONOVAN, SHELL’S NIGHTMARE: MY EPIC FEUD WITH THE UNSCRUPULOUS OIL GIANT ROYAL DUTCH SHELL” – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON. EBOOK TITLE: “TOXIC FACTS ABOUT SHELL REMOVED FROM WIKIPEDIA: HOW SHELL BECAME THE MOST HATED BRAND IN THE WORLD” – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.
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See our link list of over 500 articles by the FT, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Bloomberg, Forbes, Dow Jones Newswires, New York Times, CNBC etc, plus UK House of Commons Select Committee Hansard records, information on U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission websiteetc. all containing references to our Shell focussed websites, or our website founders Alfred and John Donovan. Includes TV documentary features in English and German, newspaper and magazine articles, radio interviews, newsletters etc. Plus academic papers, Stratfor intelligence reports and UK, U.S. and Australian state/parliamentary publications, also citing our Shell websites. Click on this link to see the entire list, all in date order with a link to an index of over 100 books also containing references to our non-profit websites and/or our activities.
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