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

Jan 19th, 2026

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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

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.

Shell and the Shaking Ground: How a Fossil Fuel Empire Helped Create Earthquakes, Trauma, and a Generation of Unsettled Lives

Nov 7th, 2025

by John Donovan.

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Once upon a time — and not very long ago — certain corporate and government voices insisted that earthquakes in places without natural fault lines simply couldn’t happen. The Netherlands was solid. Groningen was safe. The ground beneath families, schools, and lives was reliable. Except it turns out none of that was true — because some earthquakes can be manufactured, engineered, or to put it bluntly, provoked.

And the culprit was not tectonics.

It was extraction.

Extraction at scale.

Extraction for profit. read more

Shell’s Shaky Payout: NAM Finally Offers Quake Stress Cash

Oct 16th, 2025

by John Donovan.

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Emotional Damages? Yes, But Only After 7 Years of Tremors: When the Ground Shakes: Shell’s Quaking Legacy in Groningen

In a move that feels more like a confession than generosity, NAM — the Shell–ExxonMobil joint venture behind the Groningen gas field — has agreed to pay out €5,000 to €222,000 to over 5,000 residents for emotional distress and “loss of enjoyment” tied to years of gas-induced earthquakes.

That’s on top of the yet-to-be-resolved claims for physical damages to houses (some 120,000 households), which remain in legal limbo.

As lawyer Pieter Huitema put it:

“It’s great to achieve such a result for such a large group. We spent about two years at the negotiating table, but the result is something to be proud of.” read more

THE MOST DAMAGING ARTICLE ABOUT SHELL EVER PUBLISHED?

Oct 11th, 2025

by John Donovan.

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“A persistent reputational risk.” — Shell internal memo, 2007

In the oil-stained annals of corporate history, few duels have burned as long — or as publicly — as that between Royal Dutch Shell and a retired British marketing man named John Donovan.

What began in the 1990s as a routine commercial dispute between Shell and Donovan’s family business, Don Marketing, would metastasize into one of the most sustained reputational headaches any multinational has ever faced.

Three decades later, Donovan’s website — RoyalDutchShellPLC.com — functions like a digital conscience for a company trying to forget its own. It is a trove of Shell’s internal embarrassments: whistleblower leaks, courtroom revelations, safety scandals, and corporate PR hypocrisy, preserved with forensic precision. read more

Shell Dodges Justice—Again: Groningen Quakes Leave Cracks in Homes, Trust, and the Law

Oct 8th, 2025

by John Donovan.

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Another Earthquake, Another Escape Clause

In a move that shocked precisely no one familiar with the Dutch gas saga, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) announced that NAM — the joint venture between Shell and ExxonMobil — will not be prosecuted for creating “life-threatening danger” in the Groningen gas field, despite years of earthquakes, crumbling houses, and shattered nerves.

👉 Read the NL Times coverage

The OM admitted that NAM had “consciously accepted the risk” that drilling would cause earthquakes and endanger residents — but claimed that wasn’t enough to secure a criminal conviction. In plain English: Yes, they knew people could be hurt. No, that’s not a crime. Next question. read more

Toxic Legacy: Shell, Exxon, and the Underground Waste Dump That Stinks of Corporate Arrogance

Sep 24th, 2025

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Move over Sakhalin, step aside Niger Delta—Shell and Exxon’s Dutch joint venture NAM (Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij) has managed to dump itself into yet another scandal. This time, prosecutors allege the company secretly injected hazardous waste into empty gas fields in Groningen for over a decade.

The Charges

Dutch prosecutors have recommended a €20 million fine against NAM for a long list of environmental breaches, including:

Secretly dumping hazardous wastewater laced with mercury into empty underground gas fields near Borgsweer, Groningen.
Handling hazardous substances without permits, at sites where they had no business storing them.
Profiting over €5 million by cutting corners on proper hazardous waste treatment.

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) said bluntly:

“The key question is not whether environmental damage occurred, but rather transparency.” (NL Times) read more

Equal misery, equal money: Groningen’s tenants can finally claim Shell-quake mental-health damages too

Sep 10th, 2025

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Groningen’s long-suffering renters, resident kids, and unmarried partners have just been upgraded from second-class victims to full members of the Earthquake Club. The Mining Damage Institute Groningen (IMG) now treats non-homeowners the same as homeowners when awarding compensation for mental anguish caused by the man-made quakes from gas extraction. Or, as IMG itself put it: “The rationale behind this expansion is that non-homeowners can experience the same degree of suffering and grief as homeowners.” read more

Shell-Shocked: How a Dutch Court Greenlit More Earthquakes for Gas Profits

Jun 5th, 2025

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In yet another dazzling display of fossil-fuel fanaticism, the Dutch Council of State has officially handed Shell and ExxonMobil’s joint venture—NAM (Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij)—a shiny new license to keep shaking the earth for gas in Groningen, because clearly, what’s a few collapsed homes when energy giants need to make their quarterly billions?

Let’s call this what it is: Earthquakes for profit. The most recent 2.1-magnitude quake in Warffum wasn’t enough to raise eyebrows in The Hague, where the judges decided that “the interests of NAM and the Minister of Climate and Green Growth… weigh heavier” than the basic human right not to have your house fall on your head. read more

Shell, the earthquake whisperer of the Netherlands

May 18th, 2025

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While most of us wince at a cracked window or a tremor underfoot, Shell—and its charmingly destructive joint venture with ExxonMobil, the Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM)—hears the sweet sound of shareholder dividends. Welcome to Groningen, where homes crumble, the earth groans, and Shell shrugs while polishing its halo of ESG nonsense.

In a rare act of temporary restraint (not to be confused with accountability), NAM has announced it won’t resume gas extraction in Warffum until the court rules on an appeal by the province of Groningen and the municipality of Het Hogeland. That’s right: Shell’s earthquake machine is pausing—not because they’ve realised that turning a region into a seismic mess might be morally questionable, but because they’re being legally forced to wait a few more days before continuing their extraction rampage. read more

Shell’s Climate Crimes: Because Nothing Says ‘Green Future’ Like 700 New Oil Fields

May 13th, 2025

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Where BlackRock backs black gold and Shell defends the indefensible

It’s hard not to marvel at the consistency of Shell—an oil giant so committed to profit that not even the planet’s impending collapse can distract it. Hot on the (carbon) heels of its courtroom wrangles, Shell is now facing yet another lawsuit from Dutch climate group Milieudefensie. Why? Because Shell’s idea of a “transition” plan looks suspiciously like business as usual—only with more oil, more gas, and a side of PR greenwash. read more

Shell and Exxon’s Gas Profits Shake Groningen—Literally

Feb 15th, 2025

by admin.

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Nothing Says “Sustainable Business” Like an Earthquake Every Few Months

It’s another day, another earthquake in Groningen, where decades of reckless gas extraction by Shell and ExxonMobil’s joint venture, NAM, have left the ground as unstable as their ethical standards. This time, a 2.2 magnitude quake hit the town of Usquert just after midnight, shaking homes, rattling windows, and waking residents with a hard, dull thud. Coincidentally, that’s also the sound of Shell executives ignoring accountability.

“Induced Earthquakes”: Just a Fancy Term for Corporate Destruction

The KNMI meteorological institute wasted no time in confirming what everyone already knew: this was an “induced earthquake,” meaning it wasn’t some random act of nature—it was a direct consequence of Shell and ExxonMobil sucking every last drop of gas from the earth, leaving behind a crumbling foundation. read more

Shell Pensioners Sold Out to BlackRock

Feb 10th, 2025

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Shell Pensioners Sold Out to BlackRock: Because Who Needs Security When There’s Profit to Be Made?

Posted by John Donovan: 10 Feb 25

Ah, Dutch pensioners, you thought your hard-earned savings were safe? That your lifetime of work would guarantee a comfortable retirement? Well, think again! Thanks to a perfect storm of corporate greed, government meddling, and good old-fashioned financial manoeuvring, Shell’s pension fund has now been handed over to none other than BlackRock, the ultimate Wall Street money machine. What could possibly go wrong?

For decades, Shell’s Dutch pension fund, managed by Shell Asset Management Company (SAMCo), was run efficiently by a small, competent team of professionals—just 80 people handling billions with remarkable skill. But why let success stand in the way of change when there’s an opportunity to funnel pensioners’ money into the pockets of the world’s largest asset manager? read more

Oil Giant Shell Wins Appeal, Loses All Remaining Scraps of Moral Integrity

Feb 6th, 2025

by John Donovan.

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A Masterclass in Dodging Climate Accountability

Posted by John Donovan: 6 Feb 25

In an absolutely shocking turn of events (read: completely expected corporate fuckery), Shell has successfully weaseled its way out of a court-ordered mandate to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030. Yes, you read that right—the Hague Court of Appeal just handed down a judgment on November 12, 2024, that reverses the original ruling, meaning Shell and its lovely band of polluters get to continue business as usual. Oh, and to rub salt into the wound, the claimants—led by Dutch environmental activist group Vereniging Milieudefensie—now have to pay Shell’s legal costs. Because why shouldn’t an oil behemoth worth hundreds of billions shake down environmentalists for cash? read more

Shell Dodges Climate Accountability Again

Dec 7th, 2024

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Posted by John Donovan: 7 Dec 24

In the latest jaw-dropping display of corporate dominance, the fossil fuel behemoth managed to wiggle out of a Dutch court ruling that once dared—dared!—to ask the company to clean up a fraction of its catastrophic mess. The court’s demand? A 45% reduction in emissions by 2030. Shell’s response? “Nah, we’ll pass, thanks.” And now, thanks to a Hague appeals court overturning that pesky ruling, they can keep on keeping on. Cue the applause from major shareholders like BlackRock, because who needs a livable planet when profits are this juicy? read more

Shell: The Courtroom Climate Circus Rolls On

Nov 29th, 2024

by John Donovan.

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Shell: The Courtroom Climate Circus Rolls On – Now Featuring Half-Hearted Accountability and Smug Oil Barons

Well, well, well. Shell, the corporate titan of greenhouse gas glory, has scored a sort-of win in its ongoing climate case. The Dutch Court of Appeal recently ruled that the oil giant doesn’t have to cut its CO₂ emissions by 45% by 2030. Why? Because apparently, it’s too hard to impose such a “burden” on a company whose entire business model is drilling us toward planetary doom. Congratulations, Shell! You’ve temporarily dodged responsibility while the Earth keeps simmering. Pop champagne—or, in your case, crude oil. read more

Oil Giants Shell and Exxon Dump Groningen Like a Bad Date

Nov 16th, 2024

by John Donovan.

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Posted by John Donovan: 16 November 2024

In yet another move that screams “corporate villainy,” Shell and its BFF ExxonMobil, under their joint venture NAM, have officially noped out of their responsibility to help Groningen recover from decades of destruction. You know, the region they gleefully exploited for gas, leaving behind a legacy of earthquakes, shattered homes, and residents who probably Google “how to stop tectonic betrayal” every other week.

The Dutch “Debt of Honour” They’d Rather Forget 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

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Emotional Damages? Yes, But Only After 7 Years of Tremors: When the Ground Shakes: Shell’s Quaking Legacy in Groningen

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“A persistent reputational risk.” — Shell internal memo, 2007

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Another Earthquake, Another Escape Clause

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The Charges

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Nothing Says “Sustainable Business” Like an Earthquake Every Few Months

“Induced Earthquakes”: Just a Fancy Term for Corporate Destruction

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Shell Pensioners Sold Out to BlackRock: Because Who Needs Security When There’s Profit to Be Made?

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A Masterclass in Dodging Climate Accountability

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30 November 2023: Posted by John Donovan

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