Posts under ‘John Donovan’

Shell reveals latest year without paying UK corporation tax

Royal Dutch Shell paid no corporation tax in the UK last year even as it paid out billions of dollars in other jurisdictions.

Anjli Raval, Senior Energy Correspondent

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

The Anglo-Dutch oil major paid a total of $7.8bn in corporate income tax and $5.9bn in royalties last year on pre-tax profits of $25.5bn, according to an annual report published on Tuesday.

But the UK — along with France, South Africa and Indonesia — returned money to the company.

Shell received $116m from the UK government, following a similar return to the company in 2018, which it attributed to tax losses linked to investments in new North Sea fields and rebates tied to the decommissioning of ageing oil platforms. read more

“Terrible. Avoid. Terrible customer service (when you can actually get through), online doesn’t ever work, account issues constantly. Terrible”

Featured below are extracts from negative customer reviews about Shell Energy posted over the past 4 days on Trustpilot. Visit the Shell Energy page on Trustpilot to view all reviews in their entirety, positive and negative (and Shell Energy responses). Watch out for any fake reviews. Note the reoccurring themes in the negative reviews, including difficulty in communicating with the company. read more

REMEMBERING OGONI 9 HERO

DR. BARINEM NUBARI KIOBEL

By John Donovan

This year is the sad Silver Jubilee of a landmark human rights atrocity. 

Today is the 25th anniversary of the death of Dr Barinem Nubari Kiobel who is lovingly remembered every year by his widow Esther Kiobel.

Dr Kiobel was a member of the “Ogoni 9” (which included Ken Saro-Wiwa), all innocent people executed in  Nigeria on November 10, 1995, by the murderous Abacha military regime. The regime was closely associated with and actively supported by Shell. read more

Sneaky online censorship move by Shell Climate Change VP John MacArthur

When I revisited MacArthur’s Linkedin page yesterday, I discovered that all trace of his remarks and the adverse comments they had attracted have vanished.

By John Donovan

John MacArthur leads Shell’s Group Carbon strategy, climate change and energy policy and carbon innovation. See screenshot below downloaded on 06 Nov 2020 from here

John is not having a good week.

A few days ago he posted comments on his Linkedin page promoting Shell’s new climate change campaign on social media. read more

WHAT SHELL’S CLIMATE CHANGE VP POSTED ON LINKEDIN

By John Donovan

As is plain from recently published news articles, Shell’s use of social media to initiate a discussion about climate change has spectacularly backfired.

The fall out is not limited to Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

This morning, I spotted the following postings on linkedin.com by Shell’s Climate Change VP John MacArthur

ohn MacArthur• 3rd+Climate & Sustainability Leader ★ Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering ★ Chairman OGCI Climate Investments ★ Executive Coach1d • 1 day ago Even though the world is going through uncertain times, we know there is an urgent need to tackle climate change. That’s why, at Shell, our ambition is to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, or sooner. We aim to meet our customers’ demand for cleaner energy, keeping in pace with society. #MakeTheFuture#climatechange#netzero2050

GREENWASHING?

So Shell will get out of the primary energy business? Please explain how the world will solve the energy needs over the next 30 years. Eliminating about 12000 mtoe to zero in about 12000 days means 1 nuclear installation per day or 1500 windmills. We need to stop burning fossil and save it for useful stuff. But to reorganise the world in 10 or 30 years just is not possible. With a concerted effort by the world leaders (when was the last time this was achieved?) it will take 2-3 generations and great care is to be taken not to send the poorest 30% of the population into even more dire circumstances. Fortunately we have the time as there is sufficient fossil fuel around. In the meantime I vote your statement as a greenwashing marketing one. But I wish you a fine day and look forward to your explanation!

Wim der Kinderenout of network 3rd+Curator of private telecommunications museum (Self-employed) read more

Analysis: Will Nigeria yield in oil deal wrestling bout with Shell and Eni?

By Lionel Faull: 27 October 2020

High profile courtroom dramas involving multiple sides often have the feel of a WWE Smackdown wrestling match: titanic egos clashing with each other, trying to batter their foes into submission. The fighters forge alliances, and the argy-bargy can sometimes spill out of the ring and break out elsewhere in the auditorium.

An epic international corruption trial that is now drawing to a close under the glamourous lights of Milan is a case in point. read more

By John Donovan

Displayed below is a letter dated 16 October 2020 addressed to the Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell Plc. 

The letter is from attorneys representing specified Nigerian OML17 Host Communities and specified local government areas of Rivers State.

It contains extremely serious allegations against Shell, including systematic genocide and catastrophic damage to the environment. 

As can be seen, reasonable demands are made. 

I am aware that Shell CEO Ben van Beurden and Shell’s legal boss Donny Ching have copies of the letter. read more

By Julian Lee | Bloomberg: Oct. 11, 2020 at 1:54 p.m. GMT+1

Covid-19 may do for Big Oil what the Chicxulub asteroid did for the dinosaurs when it struck Earth 66 million years ago.

BP Plc plans to cut 10,000 jobs, equivalent to 14% of its workforce; Shell will shed 9,000 workers, or 11%; and Chevron will reduce its payroll by 6,000, a 13% reduction. 

Much like the “terrible lizards,” Big Oil was already in decline before the novel coronavirus hit. The world in which they thrived is changing around them and they face multiple threats to their future health. But the outbreak’s impact has accelerated the process. read more

Nigerian farmers take on Shell in landmark oil spill case

OCT 9, 2020 10:15 AM PHT: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS

Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell faces a case over 3 spills which occurred in the 2000s around the southeastern Nigerian villages of Goi, Oruma, and Ikot Ada Udo

Lawyers for 4 Nigerian farmers accused Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell on Thursday, October 8, of causing widespread pollution in a landmark court case filed in the Netherlands.

The farmers first filed suit in 2008, demanding Shell clean up devastating oil spills in 3 villages in the Niger Delta, prevent further pollution, and pay compensation. read more

Royal Dutch Shell: Energy Transition Woes

• Poor messaging from management, as well as an ill-prepared balance sheet caused in part by buybacks, has caused the European major a lot of pain.
• Arguably, senior executives deserve to be shown the door. But even if that happens, expect the pivot away from fossil fuels to continue.
• Is the move into Power and other “Green Energy” assets the right move? Maybe, maybe not.
• This idea was discussed in more depth with members of my private investing community, Energy Income Authority. Get started today »

I often get asked why I don’t cover the supermajors all that often on Seeking Alpha. The answer comes down to a rather simple reality: time invested versus potential gain. Anyone that has followed my long / short book knows that whatever I take a stake in, I know inside out. Quite frankly, the sprawling operations of most majors coupled with competing against institutionals that have enough research analysts on the payroll to pack a local gymnasium makes it a losing proposition – or at least in my view. read more

Nigerian farmers take on Shell in landmark oil spill case

Lawyers for four Nigerian farmers accused Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell on Thursday of causing widespread pollution in a landmark court case filed in the Netherlands.

The farmers first filed suit in 2008, demanding Shell clean up devastating oil spills in three villages in the Niger Delta, prevent further pollution and pay compensation.

Two of the farmers have since died, as Shell spent years arguing that the case, backed by Dutch environment group Milieudefensie, should not be heard in the Netherlands. read more

Bloomberg: Fossil Fuel Firms Not Doing Enough on Emissions, Funds Say

Laura Hurst: Wed., October 7, 2020, 8:55 a.m. GMT+1

(Bloomberg) — None of Europe’s largest oil, gas and coal companies are on track to limit global warming to within 2 degrees Celsius, according to a report by money managers overseeing more than $22 trillion.

Energy and mining companies have been under increasing pressure, from both environmental groups and their own investors, to demonstrate how their business models align with the Paris climate agreement and to show they’re taking action to curb their emissions. read more

Featured below are extracts from negative customer reviews about Shell Energy posted over the past 4 days on Trustpilot. Visit the Shell Energy page on Trustpilot to view all reviews in their entirety, positive and negative (and Shell Energy responses). Watch out for any fake reviews. Note the reoccurring themes in the negative reviews, including difficulty in communicating with the company. This article posted on 6 Oct 2020.

I think your services are absolutely…

I think your services are absolutely terrible!!!!

AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!! Absolute joke of a company. How do they get away with this ignorance?

After being with shellenergy for 2 years, everything seemed fine. Until I went to switch. All of a sudden I owed them £700, even though i provided readings every 3 months. Fair enough, they have obviously ignored my meter readings to get me into debt with them, so that when it comes to switching I can’t. Underhand tactics but I decided to set up a payment plan. read more

Op-ed: A $100 billion Big Oil divestiture plan is coming

• The largest oil and gas companies, including ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron and BP, are projected to sell a combined $100 billion in oil and gas assets around the world as they focus on top-performing regions, particularly the U.S. shale, according to a new analysis from consulting firm Rystad Energy.
• Climate change and renewable energy investments are forces that these Big Oil firms need to respond to strategically, but their own carbon divestiture campaigns will be motivated by factors distinct from the push from climate activists. 

Energy transition has climbed towards the top of the agenda in the boardrooms of the world’s largest oil and gas companies. With electrification and renewable energy on the rise, Big Oil is striving to adapt to a transformation that could eventually render their business obsolete if they don’t latch on to the opportunities it brings. The result could be a massive sell-off of assets as the biggest petroleum players concentrate their oil and gas production to the countries where oil and gas is cheapest and easiest to produce. read more

Shell on Wednesday announced a major reorganization that will see thousands of jobs lost. The last major reorganization dates back to 2016 when Shell cut 10,000 jobs after the acquisition of BG Group.

English translation of an article published by the Dutch equivalent of the Financial Times.

Thousands of jobs at stake in Shell reorganization, not spared

Bert van Dijk

IN BRIEF

Shell on Wednesday announced a major reorganization that will see thousands of jobs lost. The restructuring is also reportedly hitting the top layers of management. The restructuring is needed to reduce costs as oil prices have fallen sharply and the outlook has deteriorated. Shell is also working on it. a new strategy. This will be revealed early next year. read more

FINANCIAL TIMES

Shell slims down to shape up for the energy transition

Anjli Raval, Senior Energy Correspondent

…the Anglo-Dutch group has been forced into previously unthinkable moves, change and scrutiny of its capital allocation plans mount, is scrambling to come up with an updated plan. In the meantime, it is cutting costs and streamlining.

On Wednesday it offered a glimpse into Project Reshape, its organisational restructuring in which up to 9,000 jobs will be cut from its 83,000-strong workforce to save $2.5bn a year. read more