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SHELLGATE? Over €1 Trillion in Groningen Gas Revenue May Have Gone to Shell and Exxon — Not the Dutch State

Apr 14th, 2026

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This article contains unverified claims that diverge significantly from established historical and financial accounts of the Groningen gas field. Readers are strongly advised to review the full Editor’s Note and disclaimer at the end of this article before drawing conclusions. This article presents a contested financial reconstruction that has not been independently verified

By the Ministry for Historical Reprint (Ministerie voor Historische Herdruk), Netherlands Published with permission on RoyalDutchShellPlc.com 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.

SHAKEN, STRESSED… AND STILL WAITING: DUTCH GAS GIANTS LEAVE GRONINGEN CRACKING—LITERALLY AND MENTALLY

Apr 8th, 2026

by John Donovan.

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A surreal illustration of a quiet Dutch street in Groningen. The houses are visibly cracked and tilting, with fissures running through walls and roofs. In the background, a giant Shell logo and ExxonMobil logo loom like drilling rigs embedded in the earth, subtly causing tremors. From the cracks in the ground, ghostly figures representing stress and anxiety rise like smoke, wrapping around residents. In the foreground, a suited executive calmly holds a report titled: “Community Wellbeing: On Track” while standing on visibly shaking ground.

When your house is collapsing and your nerves go with it, but the profits remain rock solid.

Residents of Groningen have long suspected something was off. The walls were cracking, the floors shifting, and the ground itself seemed to be staging a slow-motion rebellion.

Now, in a revelation that will surprise absolutely no one except, perhaps, the boardrooms of multinational energy giants, a new study suggests the earthquakes linked to decades of gas extraction have also left residents battling depression and anxiety.

Yes—turns out repeatedly shaking people’s homes and sense of safety is bad for mental health. Who knew? read more

Earthquakes, Lawsuits, Liability… and Now a Convenient Exit Plan

Apr 1st, 2026

by John Donovan.

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If there were an Olympic event for corporate disappearing acts, Shell would be on the podium—gold medal, champagne in hand, and a press release explaining it was all part of a “long-term strategy.”

The latest act?

A slickly packaged “strategic shift” involving its Dutch gas business, NAM—the same operation linked to the Groningen gas field, where decades of extraction triggered earthquakes, wrecked homes, and left a political and human mess that refuses to quietly go away.

Now, suddenly, Shell has discovered the ancient art of restructuring. read more

claude.ai Part 2: SHELL’S SECRET WAR ON ONE MAN IN COLCHESTER

Mar 23rd, 2026

by John Donovan.

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PART TWO: THE MACHINES HAVE NOTICED

A Crystal Ball Special Investigation, Continued

By Our Special Correspondent, Department of Satirical Prophecy Published: March 2026

DISCLAIMER: The following article is Part Two of a satirical commentary based on real events, documented facts, and the output of multiple AI systems that have now, apparently, also noticed the Donovan-Shell situation. The crystal ball has been recharged. Its batteries were, appropriately, made in the Netherlands.

PART FIVE: THE ROBOTS HAVE READ THE FILE

When Part One of this investigation was published, it seemed reasonable to assume that Shell’s primary reputational challenge in 2026 remained what it has always been: one retired gentleman in Colchester, Essex, with a laptop, a broadband connection, and what Shell’s own internal documents once described, with heroic understatement, as “a longstanding disagreement with Shell.” read more

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

Jan 19th, 2026

by John Donovan.

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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

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 vs Donovan: Oil Giant vs Watchdog

Oct 10th, 2025

by John Donovan.

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How one man’s persistence exposed decades of corporate deceit — and forced an oil giant to live with its reflection.

Part 1: The Origins of a Corporate Nemesis

“There are two types of corporations: those that fear whistleblowers and those that wish they’d hired one.” — Industry proverb

In the late 1980s, John Donovan was not yet a thorn in Shell’s side. He was one of its trusted collaborators — a marketing innovator whose company, Don Marketing, created hugely successful sales promotions for Shell in the UK and around the globe.

But what began as a partnership ended in betrayal. A bitter dispute over intellectual property, allegedly stolen concepts, and corporate bullying gave birth to a feud that would last decades. 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

by admin.

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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

by admin.

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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

by admin.

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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

by admin.

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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

by admin.

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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

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

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When your house is collapsing and your nerves go with it, but the profits remain rock solid.

PART TWO: THE MACHINES HAVE NOTICED

A Crystal Ball Special Investigation, Continued

PART FIVE: THE ROBOTS HAVE READ THE FILE

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

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

How one man’s persistence exposed decades of corporate deceit — and forced an oil giant to live with its reflection.

Part 1: The Origins of a Corporate Nemesis

Another Earthquake, Another Escape Clause

The Charges

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

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

Sir Henri Deterding, resurrected!

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30 November 2023: Posted by John Donovan

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