Posts under ‘Bruce Culpepper’

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

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, 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

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. Shell and Eni have denied any wrongdoing. read more

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

Oaks refused to countenance a policy of illegal discrimination insisted upon by his boss James W.D. Hall, Vice President of Corporate Security, located at Royal Dutch Shell plc’s Global Headquarters in the Netherlands. Hall, a mysterious British Citizen, is the alleged Mr Nasty in this matter. He is described in the Complaint as “the top executive in Shell’s entire Corporate Security Organization…”

Doc 1- Michael Oliveri Complaint against Shell Oil Company dated 27 June 2017. 72 pages with lots of revealing high-level Shell internal emails as exhibits.

Court Order on Oliveri Case 15 Jan 2019

By John Donovan

Former FBI Special Agent Crockett Oaks III joined Shell in 2003 and until two years ago was paid over $325,000 per year as head of Shell Security in the Americas. He has a military background currently holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Oaks was for some time involved in Shell’s murky Nigerian operations as Shell Head of Business Integrity in Nigeria. A little matter called OPL 245, along with other Shell sponsored corruption, was also going on at the time.

He was wrongfully dismissed on an unrelated matter. Oaks refused to countenance a policy of illegal discrimination insisted upon by his boss James W.D. Hall, Vice President of Corporate Security, located at Royal Dutch Shell plc’s Global Headquarters in the Netherlands.

Hall, a mysterious British Citizen, is the alleged Mr Nasty in this matter. He is described in the Complaint as “the top executive in Shell’s entire Corporate Security Organization…”

The Complaint states:

Shell had many opportunities to intervene in this matter and correct the illegal and wrongful actions of James W.D. Hall, that were in violation of Shell’s Code of Conduct and the laws of the United States. Instead, Shell leadership at the highest levels of the Company chose to rally behind the discriminatory actions of Mr. Hall, and erect a facade designed to try to cover up Mr. Hall’s illegal discrimination.

Crockett Oaks III was accused of allegedly hiding a Conflict of Interest by hiring a friend, Mike Oliveri – another senior officer from the same U.S. Army Reserve Unit. Oaks supplied copious evidence proving the allegation was unfounded.

The heated dispute ended up in the U.S. courts. (The link to my article 12 April 2017 from which part of the above text is taken.

I published a further article on 17 August 2017

Extracts

The falling out was over the hiring of another recruit to Shell’s corporate security Mike Oliveri, another guy with a senior military/security affairs background.

Shell picked on the wrong guys to upset, Crockett Oaks III and Mike Oliveri.

Crockett Oaks III sued Shell for a “systemic pattern and practice of intended discrimination at Shell and its parent company, Royal Dutch Shell plc”.  Basically, discrimination and retaliation.

He had the goods on Shell, which quickly settled for big bucks. The secret details, juicy quotes and revealing Shell internal emails were sealed into a confidentiality agreement. Fortunately, I have an excellent US source.

Now Mike Oliveri is suing Shell on pretty much the same grounds, perhaps salivating at the prospect of a similar big bucks settlement to buy his silence. He knows all about Shell’s wrong-headed support for James W.D. Hall despite the blatant disregard by Mr Hall of Shell’s claimed business principles and his underhanded retaliation against Oaks and Oliveri when they stood up against his ill-treatment of them.

The Court Order issued a few days ago dismisses Shell’s attempt to seek a Summary Judgment rejecting the claim of alleged discrimination.

“For the foregoing reasons, the court concludes that there is a genuine issue of material fact such that a reasonable jury could find the actions taken by Shell against the Plaintiff constituted discrimination…”

Although Michael Oliveri’s battle against Shell continues, the back history is so embarrassing for Shell that it is unlikely Shell will want the witnesses and related toxic testimony and evidence paraded in open court.

Shell is therefore likely to settle out-of-court with Mr Oliveri as it wisely did with Mr Crockett Oaks III and with me on several occasions.

CURRENT/FORMER SHELL PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE CASE, AS INDICATED IN COURT DOCS

Bruce Culpepper, Shell’s then US Country Chairman and Shell Oil Company President

James W.D. Hall, Vice President of Corporate Security, located at Royal Dutch Shell plc’s Global Headquarters in the Netherlands. read more

Ron Bousso: MARCH 27, 2018

LONDON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell’s (RDSa.L) U.S. boss, Bruce Culpepper, will step down at the end of the year and be replaced by former Maersk Oil Chief Executive Gretchen Watkins, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. Shell’s head of unconventionals, Greg Guidry, who oversees the Anglo-Dutch company’s shale production in North America and Argentina, will step down on June 31, when he will be replaced by Gretchen. FULL ARTICLE

HOUSTON, March 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Royal Dutch Shell (Shell) today announced a series of changes to the makeup of its U.S. leadership team.

Following a 36-year career with the company, EVP Unconventionals, Greg Guidry, will leave his role on June 31, 2018.

Guidry will be succeeded by Gretchen Watkins, former CEO of Maersk Oil. Watkins will officially join Shell on May 1, 2018, and will be appointed EVP Unconventionals effective July 1, 2018. She will report to the Upstream Director and be based in Houston. read more

“Our roots run extremely deep in Houston and we are committed to doing our part to help the city move on in the aftermath of Harvey,” said Bruce Culpepper, Shell U.S. President.

“Shell employs nearly 20,000 people in the U.S. and nearly half of them are being directly impacted by Harvey,” said Culpepper. “Despite the hardships associated with this event, countless employees have reached out to understand how they can contribute to the relief effort. Ours is a resilient family and I’m proud of the effort employees are making to look after their neighbors and fellow citizens.” read more

By John Donovan

Earlier this year we published an article about a spectacular falling out of ‘Security Professionals’ at the top of Shell.

Readers may recall the Mooch like comments attributed to Shell’s US boss Bruce Culpepper about Shell’s Business Integrity Department. He said that they “could not investigate their way out of a wet paper bag;” “they cannot investigate worth a shit;” and that he “did not want those fuckers involved…” If Bruce Culpepper denies that he made these memorable comments, then he is free to sue me for defamation. read more

Comment by retired Shell executive *Paddy Briggs on the recent article: Withering Assessments of Shell’s Business Integrity by Bill Campbell and Bruce Culpepper

“I think Mr Campbell’s comment regarding “Business Principles” is entirely valid. I worked for a time in Shell in the business sphere which developed the (then) Group’s approach to the demands for “Corporate Social Responsibility” (CSD). I took it seriously as did many of my colleagues. The “Business Principles” were a part of what we delivered. It was endorsed by the Committee of Managing Directors (CMD) and became Group policy. What was lacking, however, was consistency in application. All too often, when push came to shove, the Principles were bent to allow the pragmatic pursuit of commercial goals. Shell’s competitors generally did not feel the need to promote their CSD or did so in a more limited way. Shell in some instances wanted it both ways. They wanted to be seen as corporately responsible, but they also wanted commercial progress. The pursuit of profit. Nothing wrong with the latter of course, it’s what business is about. But to do this at the cost of corporate responsibility at the same time as promoting your unique commitment to CSD reeks of hypocrisy” read more

Comment on OPL 245 scandal by Bill Campbell, retired HSE Group Auditor, Royal Dutch Shell International

My experience after many years especially as an Auditor for the then SIEP and then RDS is that compliance with the aforestated principles diminishes exponentially the nearer you get to the Boardroom.

Cannot see why a prosecution could not go ahead and be successful, it appears abundantly clear from the correspondence that handouts to certain individuals would be required to secure a deal and many senior officers in the RDS organisation were aware of this and were complicit indirectly or directly. Their defence may be well that’s what it takes to operate with Nigeria but that is not a pertinent defence in international law and dare I state the obvious that this behaviour is a million miles from the intent of those wonderfully worded but completely ignored business principles that all in RDS from Chairman to office boy are supposed to hold as sacrosanct. My experience after many years especially as an Auditor for the then SIEP and then RDS is that compliance with the aforestated principles diminishes exponentially the nearer you get to the Boardroom. Time will tell. read more

U.S. Court Case 4:17-cv-01970

By John Donovan

Former FBI Special Agent Crockett Oaks III joined Shell in 2003 and until recently was paid over $325,000 per year as head of Shell Security in the Americas. He has a military background currently holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. Oaks had a Top Secret U.S. Government Security Clearance through the military connection that afforded him the opportunity to attend classified U.S. federal governmental security briefings for the private sector (his employer Shell). read more

Marvin Odum, unconventional resources director and U.S. country chair for Royal Dutch Shell, left the company. He joined Shell as an engineer in 1982. Concurrent with his departure, and in a move that will simplify Shell’s structure, the Athabasca Oil Sands Project and the Scotford Upgrader in Canada will join the global Downstream organization under Downstream Director John Abbott.

In addition, the Shale Resources business will join the global Upstream organization under Upstream Director Andy Brown. As a result of these changes, the unconventional resources director position is eliminated. read more