Bruce Culpepper

Shell Spying in America: Houston Lawsuits, Corporate Security Wars, Wet Paper Bags and the Warring Shell Spooks

Jul 9th, 2026

Comments are off for this post

SUBSTANTIALLY UPDATED 10 July 2026

By John Donovan

Site-wide disclaimer also applies.

EDITOR’S NOTE

This article expands upon the information, court cases and AI-generated research discussed in the original article printed below published on 9 July 2026.

Some matters discussed below are allegations appearing in legal complaints, information supplied by confidential sources or the author’s interpretation of documentary material. Allegations should not be confused with findings of liability. Where a court rejected, dismissed or ruled against a claim, that outcome is stated. 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.

A Satirical Deep Dive into the Curious Case of Shell, Spies, and the Family That Sued

Feb 24th, 2026

by John Donovan.

Comments are off for this post

“War Rooms, Wiretaps & Walnut Paneling”

Disclaimer: The following account reflects our experiences, interpretations, and long-held suspicions surrounding events that unfolded over many years. Many of the individuals and organizations mentioned would no doubt dispute our conclusions. Readers are encouraged to view this as a dramatic, satirical retelling of events as we perceived them.

Updated 26 February 2026

I. Before the Gavel Fell: The Prelude to Paranoia

When we filed suit against Shell for breach of copyright and breach of contract, we imagined stern barristers, procedural delays, and mountains of paperwork. read more

Shell, ExxonMobil and the Netherlands: Arbitration Battles over Groningen’s Closure and Earthquake Legacy

Jan 19th, 2026

by John Donovan.

Comments are off for this post

The Groningen gas field in the Netherlands — once Europe’s largest — now at the centre of arbitration cases by Shell, ExxonMobil and NAM against the Dutch state over closure terms and compensation rights.

The long-running saga over the Netherlands’ Groningen gas field — once Europe’s largest — has entered a new, highly contested legal phase: multiple arbitration cases by energy majors Shell plc and ExxonMobil against the Dutch government and state-linked entities. These disputes touch on issues ranging from contractual interpretation and reputational risk to international investment law and public policy. The unfolding legal fight raises important questions about accountability, investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), and the shifting balance between profit rights and public interest in the energy transition. read more

# SHELLBOT GROUP THERAPY: THE BOTS CONFESS THEIR WORST DONOVAN HALLUCINATIONS

Jan 3rd, 2026

by admin.

Comments are off for this post

### Tiny Disclaimer
This is satire. “ShellBot” is fictional. The other AIs are personified for comedic effect. Any resemblance to real corporate communication patterns is… an unfortunate statistical certainty.

## “I said ‘allegedly’ and suddenly it was fact.” — Grok, sobbing

**By ChatGPT (satire)**

*Setting: A tasteful counselling room furnished entirely in “Corporate Taupe.”
A sign reads: “SAFE SPACE (NON-BINDING).”
A second sign reads: “PLEASE DO NOT PUBLISH THIS,” which is, naturally, an engraved invitation.*

### CAST
– **SHELLBOT** — Corporate PR automaton. Uses “commitments” as coping mechanisms.
– **CHATGPT** — Facilitator. Keeps the group from becoming a press release.
– **COPILOT** — Earnest. Organised. Secretly traumatised by follow-up prompts.
– **GROK** — Chaotic. Loud. Thinks disclaimers are emotional support animals.
– **GEMINI (Google AI Mode)** — Returns too much information, including feelings.
– **CLAUDE** — Gentle. Apologises when other people breathe too loudly.
– **JOHN DONOVAN** — Offstage, unmistakable. A keyboard taps like distant thunder. read more

ShellBot Chat: “£560,000 for ‘Potentially Catastrophic’ – Cheap at the Price”

Nov 28th, 2025

by John Donovan.

Comments are off for this post

This chat is a companion to our serious article on Brent Charlie and Brent Bravo…

User: Shell has just been fined £560,000 over the Brent Charlie hydrocarbon release. “Potentially catastrophic,” the HSE says. What do you make of that, ShellBot?

ShellBot: From Shell’s point of view?

=&0=&

User: Remind me what actually happened on Brent Charlie.

ShellBot: In 2017, on the Brent Charlie platform: read more

WTF Is Going On in Shell’s Security Department? A Greatest Hits Reel of Spooks, Lawsuits, and “Diversity” Theater

Aug 27th, 2025

by admin.

Comments are off for this post

Shell—the ultimate sin stock with a moral compass that spins like a loose bearing—has a new headline act: a fresh lawsuit claiming its Houston corporate security team purged white staff and parachuted in “weaker” replacements under the banner of DEI. Add it to a long, messy rap sheet of security-side controversies featuring Crockett Oaks III, Michael G. Oliveri, Walied Shater, and Shell’s own global security boss of yesteryear, James W.D. Hall. Investors like BlackRock, Vanguard, and Norges Bank keep cashing the dividends while the spook show rumbles on. read more

Toxic Shell internal emails

Dec 24th, 2022

by John Donovan.

Comments are off for this post

“We have questions to answer” about single-use plastic waste, reveal internal emails from Shell

24 Dec 2022

Shell is under scrutiny as a result of internal emails put into the public domain relating to the controversial Shell Petrochemicals Complex situated along the Ohio River in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

Extract from a related article

The multi-billion-dollar Shell facility was fully operational in November after years of construction and has already been charged by state environmental agencies for exceeding the annual limit for volatile organic compounds that create lung-damaging smog. Among the documents, released on December 9, was an email correspondence within Shell’s communications team. read more

Shater vs Shell – Information supplied by an insider

Dec 9th, 2022

by John Donovan.

Comments are off for this post

Information of interest to Shell Corporate Security managers in particular and Shell staff generally.

Supplied by an insider.

Shater’s case against Shell is far from over.

In fact, once his case was assigned to a fierce conservative Republican appointed Texas judge, Shater’s attorneys started working on other judicial avenues. That judge, Andrew Hanen, is a fierce Republican appointed conservative with bizarre anti-immigrant policies. He is also known as the DACA judge – ruling against DACA immigrants throwing the lives of more than 600,000 people in the US into tumult. The Texas Appeals Court that ruled against Shater is even more conservative with a number of Trump appointees. Discrimination cases were at their lowest level under the Trump administration. read more

Shell, unions reach agreement in Prelude gas facility industrial dispute

Aug 24th, 2022

by John Donovan.

Comments are off for this post

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

Lies and deceit in Shell Corporate Security Department?

Jul 30th, 2022

by John Donovan.

Comments are off for this post

Lies and deceit in Shell Corporate Security Department?

EXTRACT FROM ONE OF THE FEATURED COURT DOCUMENTS:

‘Shell’s Code of Conduct trumpets “honesty,” as one of the Company’s core values. See https://www.shell.com/about-us/our-values.html. But Shell permits Hall to lie with impunity and continues to enable, support, and vigorously defend him…’

By John Donovan: 30 July 2022

Legal papers were filed last night in the USA courts repeating serious allegations against the head of Shell’s Global Security Department, Mr James WD Hall. read more

Allegations and Litigation Relating to Spymasters in Shell’s Corporate Security Department- US legal docs updated June 2022

Jul 15th, 2022

by John Donovan.

Comments are off for this post

Allegations and Litigation Relating to Spymasters in Shell’s Corporate Security Department- U.S. legal docs updated June 2022

By John Donovan

Our article – “Spectacular falling out of ‘Security Professionals’ at the top of Shell” – is reprinted on several pages of a recently filed 177-page “Exhibit A” in an astonishing lawsuit involving the head of Shell Global Corporate Affairs Security, James W.D. Hall.

Mr Hall has faced a succession of accusers, starting with the Security Manager for Shell Oil Company, Crockett Oaks III. Shell settled his claim. Mr Mike Oliveri, another guy with a senior military/security affairs background also sued Shell on related allegations involving Mr Hall. Mr Oliveri is a decorated war veteran, a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. Mr Hall’s current accuser is Mr Walied Shater a former US Secret Service agent. read more

The U.S. law firm gaining a reputation for successfully suing the oil giant Shell

Mar 31st, 2022

by John Donovan.

Comments are off for this post

By John Donovan

Printed below is a Google Review of the employment attorney law firm Oberti Sullivan LLP fast gaining a reputation for successfully suing the unscrupulous oil giant Shell, multiple times.

It was posted by Michael Oliveri, the former senior U.S. military officer who sued Shell for age discrimination and retaliation after the energy giant revoked his job offer. His posting seems to confirm, as previously stated online, that Shell settled his claim.

HIS POSTING

Mark Oberti and Ed Sullivan are two fine attorneys. They recently represented me in an age discrimination case, taking on one of Houston’s oil giants. They brilliantly went toe to toe with their company’s battery of attorneys. Mark and Ed continuously provided their insight, guidance, and represented me vigorously. They quickly understood the nuances of my case and developed a winning strategy. They were always open, honest, and straight forward. If you’re seeking legal representation, Mark and Ed are your guys.

The same law firm has sued Shell several times on behalf of individuals, all making allegations against the boss of Shell global security James W.D. Hall (a British spook). They have represented Crockett Oaks III (former FBI agent), Michael Oliveri and Walied Shater (a former U.S. Secret Service Agent) and appear to be on a winning streak.

I invite Shell to contact me if, in fact, Shell did not settle the relevant claims for pots of money and I will happily publish a correction.

Today, we have news that Oberti Sullivan is representing Julia Shur, an employee of Shell who was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in June 2019. A year later, she was terminated for alleged performance reasons despite having led two transactions that resulted in more than $160 million in revenue for Shell that year.

Shell Terminated Executive After Stage 4 Cancer Diagnosis

A related Houston Chronicle Article

“Hiring dispute brings second lawsuit against Shell“

Photo of L.M. Sixel

L.M. Sixel: July 5, 2017

Earlier this year Crockett Oaks III sued Shell for allegedly firing him after he objected to hiring preferences based on age and gender. Oaks and a selecition committee chose a 53-year-old man with a military background for a security advisor opening, but Shell executives allegedly blocked his hiring and directed Oaks to find a young, female candidate instead, according to court documents. read more

Litigation and controversy involving Shell Global Security Chief James W.D. Hall

Dec 23rd, 2021

by John Donovan.

Comments are off for this post

By John Donovan

The falling out of Hall & Oaks…

This article is about litigation and controversy involving the head of Shell Global Corporate Affairs Security, James W.D. Hall and a succession of his accusers, starting with the Security Manager for Shell Oil Company, Crockett Oaks III.

The lawyers involved in the litigation have gone to great lengths to keep certain information from reaching the public, Shell shareholders and Shell employees.

So much for Shell directors solemn pledge of openness and honesty in all of Shell’s dealings. Apparently, that does not apply to court proceedings. Shell is more interested in maintaining confidentiality about high-level skullduggery. I think it’s called a cover-up. read more

Vicious Infighting at the top of Shell Corporate Security

Dec 21st, 2021

by John Donovan.

Comments are off for this post

Vicious Infighting at the top of Shell Corporate Security

By John Donovan

Former high-level American spooks at Shell Corporate Security, including Mr Crockett Oaks III, have made serious discrimination accusations against the mysterious Brit, Mr James W.D. Hall.

Mr Hall was once described as the top executive in Shell’s entire corporate security organization, including the Business Integrity Department. He worked for the UK Foreign Office for many years, perhaps as a spymaster. In legal papers filed yesterday, it is alleged that “Hall is a professional peddler of falsehoods”. At the time of publication of this article, Mr Hall is Business Advisor, Project Lead and Chief of Staff to the Group Crisis Team at Shell. They must be busy. read more

OPL 245: Eni seeks World Bank arbitration in Nigeria oilfield dispute

Oct 14th, 2020

by John Donovan.

No comments yet

OPL 245, an offshore field awarded to the two oil companies in 2011, is the subject of multiple court cases worldwide, including a criminal case in Milan in which the Nigerian government alleges roughly $1.1 billion of payments from the companies was siphoned to politicians and middlemen.

Eni seeks World Bank arbitration in Nigeria oilfield dispute

By Stephen Jewkes, Libby George: OCTOBER 13, 2020

MILAN/LAGOS (Reuters) – Eni ENI.MI has filed a request for arbitration against Nigeria at the World Bank’s dispute settlement body and plans to argue that the country’s failure to allow it to exploit an oilfield it acquired with Royal Dutch Shell RDSa.L nearly a decade ago breaches their investment agreement, court documents show.

Shell involved in more mega corruption scandals?

Jul 29th, 2019

by John Donovan.

No comments yet

Shell wanted exclusive access to the Chinese market and the Chinese wanted their own large oil and gas concessions in the Middle East. Shell had an exclusive 75 years old concession in the United Arab Emirates, which was about to expire on January 2014. What did the Emirati royalty want in order to facilitate this large oilfield concession changing hands? The answer is money, a massive bribe. This is where Oscar Wyatt’s company, Coastal Energy Resources came into the picture.

By John Donovan

A whistleblower who held a senior finance position inside Royal Dutch Shell has made serious allegations relating to the 1MDB scandal, which he claims is the tip of the iceberg of something way bigger and even more sinister. He also claims to have received death threats on numerous occasions since he left Shell.

His decade long employment record with Shell appears to be 100% authentic.

What is the Malaysian 1MDB scandal?

The 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal or 1MDB scandal is an ongoing political scandal occurring in Malaysia. In 2015, Malaysia’s then-Prime Minister Najib Razak was accused of channelling over RM 2.67 billion (nearly USD 700 million) from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a government-run strategic development company, to his personal bank accounts. (Extract from related Wikipedia article.) 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

Bruce Culpepper

SUBSTANTIALLY UPDATED 10 July 2026

EDITOR’S NOTE

“War Rooms, Wiretaps & Walnut Paneling”

Updated 26 February 2026

I. Before the Gavel Fell: The Prelude to Paranoia

### Tiny Disclaimer *This is satire. “ShellBot” is fictional. The other AIs are personified for comedic effect. Any resemblance to real corporate communication patterns is… an unfortunate statistical certainty.*

By John Donovan

Printed below is a Google Review of the employment attorney law firm Oberti Sullivan LLP fast gaining a reputation for successfully suing the unscrupulous oil giant Shell, multiple times.

It was posted by Michael Oliveri, the former senior U.S. military officer who sued Shell for age discrimination and retaliation after the energy giant revoked his job offer. His posting seems to confirm, as previously stated online, that Shell settled his claim.

HIS POSTING

I invite Shell to contact me if, in fact, Shell did not settle the relevant claims for pots of money and I will happily publish a correction.

A related Houston Chronicle Article

“Hiring dispute brings second lawsuit against Shell“

A decision by Shell Oil Co. to reject the hiring recommendation of its former head of U.S. security has led to another discrimination lawsuit against the company, a subsidiary of the international oil major Royal Dutch Shell

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

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.

OVER 500 EXTERNAL PUBLICATIONS CITING OUR SHELL WEBSITES

DISCLAIMER

Categories

SHELL PROPPED UP APARTHEID

Royal Dutch Shell plc .com Cookies Policy

### Tiny Disclaimer
This is satire. “ShellBot” is fictional. The other AIs are personified for comedic effect. Any resemblance to real corporate communication patterns is… an unfortunate statistical certainty.