AMSTERDAM, April 1 (Reuters) – The Dutch government on Friday said it expected to compensate NAM, a joint venture between Shell RDSa.L and Exxon XOM.N, around 7.5 billion euros ($8.3 billion) for filling the Norg gas facility the past three years, with most of the costs coming this year due to the current high price of gas.
In a statement, the Economic Affairs Ministry cited “the current historic high gas prices” and the exact amount would be determined at the end of the gas year, which runs through to Sept. 30. In all NAM will have purchased 8.8 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas on the open market to fill the facility over the past three years.read more
Mar 11th, 2022
by John Donovan.
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Reuters
Dutch watchdog says gas production at Groningen remains unsafe
AMSTERDAM, March 8 (Reuters) – A Dutch watchdog said on Tuesday that gas production from Groningen field remained a safety threat, as Europe races to find other sources of the fuel to wean itself off Russian supplies in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Dutch government has been winding down Groningen for years because production triggers earthquakes in the area and it plans to cease output entirely by October. But the government has not ruled out a change course in an emergency.read more
Mar 7th, 2022
by John Donovan.
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NL TIMES
Despite earthquakes, Groningen residents open to gas mining to thwart Putin
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2022 – 09:06
A majority of Groningen residents expressed willingness to open the gas tap further in order to lessen dependence on Russian gas, Dagblad van het Noorden reports from results of a survey by Enigma Research among residents of the province this week. People who live in areas that experience earthquakes from gas extraction are even more willing than those who live outside the earthquake zone.
No less than 83 percent of those polled thought the Netherlands should stop importing Russian gas. More than six in 10 Groningen residents support further gas mining in their province, up to a maximum of 12 billion cubic meters per year.
The State Supervision of Mines (SodM) has always said that gas extraction can be relatively safe up to that maximum if all houses in Groningen are reinforced. However, SodM announced in February that it wanted to halt gas extraction in Groningen.
“From my perspective on the safety of the people in Groningen, raising gas production now is really a bad idea,” said Theodor Kockelkoren, inspector-general with the State Supervision of Mines (SodM), at the time.read more
Shell wants to buy off liability for the earthquakes in Groningen in one go. That is what president-director Marjan van Loon of Shell Netherlands says in an interview with the Financieele Dagblad (FD). Shell is a half shareholder of the Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM), the company that carries out the drilling in Groningen. The other half is owned by ExxonMobil.
By buying off the liability, the settlement of damage caused by the earthquakes can be accelerated, according to Van Loon. The parties have been disagreeing for years about who will pay for the damage, which means that the settlement process is slow.read more
Feb 8th, 2022
by John Donovan.
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NL TIMES
State mining supervisor wants to halt gas extraction in Groningen
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022 – 07:00
It is “really very undesirable” to extract more natural gas in Groningen, said Theodor Kockelkoren, inspector-general with the State Supervision of Mines…
Gas extraction in Groningen has been causing earthquakes for years, damaging houses. Kockelkoren said in the broadcast that two things are necessary to improve safety in the area: “Reduce gas production to zero as quickly as possible, and strengthen the houses that need it. From my perspective on the safety of the people in Groningen, raising gas production now is really a bad idea.”read more
Jan 16th, 2022
by John Donovan.
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NL TIMES
Thousands of Groningen gas opponents demand earthquake damage compensation
SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 2022
An estimated eight to ten thousand people in Groningen took part in a torchlight procession against gas extraction in the province. The municipality was satisfied with the protest, which drew attention to the people living in the earthquake area.
The protest was organized in response to the Cabinet’s decision to double gas production. Protesters were also upset at the poor organization of subsidies for homeowners to strengthen their homes and make them more sustainable.read more
Jan 15th, 2022
by John Donovan.
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DutchNews.nl
Dutch Cabinet increases funding for Groningen earthquake victims after chaos
January 15, 2022
The cabinet has agreed to allocate an extra €250m to improve homes in parts of Groningen affected by earthquakes after the initial €220m fund ran dry on the first day following a flood of applications.
Long queues formed in towns and villages in the northern province on Monday at council offices where people could claim up to €10,000 per household for renovations.
Hans Vijlbrief, the junior minister charged with sorting out the Groningen gas problems, told MPs on Friday that the new allocation of cash will allow everyone entitled to the grant to make a claim. read more
The Netherlands has sharply rebuked Germany for ordering extra gas from a vast Dutch field that was supposed to be shut down because extraction has caused a series of earthquakes.
Stef Blok, the outgoing Dutch economy minister, said he was “seriously concerned” about the unexpected additional strain on the Groningen field, which could further destabilise the region’s geology.
The local government has threatened to sue over the decision and one MP in the provincial parliament said the German order was a threat to the population’s safety.read more
Jan 11th, 2022
by John Donovan.
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DutchNews.nl
Funding pot for quake-hit Groningen houses emptied on first day
January 11, 2022
A €220m funding pot to strengthen homes weakened by gas production in Groningen ran dry on the first day following a flood of applications.
Long queues formed in towns and villages in the northern province on Monday at council offices where people could claim up to €10,000 per household for renovations.
The money is intended to help people in the northern province improve their homes, many of which have been damaged by earth movements caused by 50 years of gas extraction in the Slochteren gas field.read more
Dec 7th, 2021
by John Donovan.
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DutchNews. 27 Oct 2021: NL
The Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) set up in 1947 by Shell and Esso, is being dismantled, ending 75 years of Dutch gas extraction
The company, which is now 50% owned by Shell and 50% by ExxonMobil, is being chopped into four separate limited companies which will be sold off, including all its Dutch oil and gas interests, apart from the Groningen field which is being wound down.
Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij BV (NAM), a joint venture between Royal Dutch Shell and ExxonMobil each owning a 50% share in the company responsible for the earthquake blighted Groningen Gas Field and consequential potential bill for untold billions in damages to affected residences.read more
Oct 27th, 2021
by John Donovan.
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NAM to be broken up and sold off, as Dutch gas production ends
October 27, 2021
The Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) set up in 1947 by Shell and Esso, is being dismantled, ending 75 years of Dutch gas extraction
The company, which is now 50% owned by Shell and 50% by ExxonMobil, is being chopped into four separate limited companies which will be sold off, including all its Dutch oil and gas interests, apart from the Groningen field which is being wound down.
The Groningen field, which has generated hundreds of billions of euros for the treasury, will close next year and the other fields, on both land and sea, are being sold off – probably to foreign investors.read more
Oct 27th, 2021
by John Donovan.
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Groningen gas damage is a national crisis, says ombudsman in new report
The new government needs a minister with specific responsibility for sorting out compensation for people whose property has been damaged by the Groningen earthquakes, according to national ombudsman Reinier van Zutphen.
The situation in Groningen, where thousands of homes have been damaged by quakes caused by natural gas extraction, is so acute it can be described as a national crisis, Van Zutphen said in Trouw.
The ombudsman said too little had been done with his recommendations from 2017. Thousands of people, he said, are still waiting for compensation or help with making their houses safe. They have been sent from pillar to post and this ‘vicious circle’ needs to be broken.read more
Oct 5th, 2021
by John Donovan.
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Oct 5, 2021: Three minor earthquakes hit the province of Groningen on Monday, as the ground continues to settle following the extraction of billions of cubic metres of natural gas.
The production of Groningen gas is currently being wound down because of the problems… More than 1,000 quakes of up to 3.6 on the Richter scale have hit the province since 1986.
So far, 126,356 reports of damage caused by the quakes have been made to an official government institute set up to process claims. Up to now, €1.15bn has been allocated to home owners and others to pay for damage.read more
Jun 15th, 2021
by John Donovan.
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DutchNews.nl
Groningen gas: 80% of the homes in this village are being demolished
June 14, 2021 – By Pierre Felcenloben
In Groningen, work is continuing to clear up the damage caused by extracting millions of cubic metres of gas from under the province. For the residents of the village of Overschild, this means demolishing and rebuilding almost every building.
Thousands of people have been affected by damage to their homes due to subsidence in the region, which sits above Europe’s largest gas field and has been exploited by NAM, a joint venture set up by Shell and Esso, since 1963. read more
May 15th, 2021
by John Donovan.
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SATURDAY, MAY 15, 2021 – 13:05
NAM director apologizes for controversial statements on reinforcement project
Director of the Dutch gas concern (NAM), Jan Atema, said he regrets the statements he made about the reinforcement operation in the Groningen earthquake area. The operation was set to reinforce homes that were damaged due to fracking in the earthquake zone in Groningen.
NAM will also continue to pay for the reinforcement of homes, although a majority of the costs as covered by the state.
The Dutch gas concern claimed it has scaled down on its production in Groningen compared to previous years. “We only produce a fraction of what we used to. What happens then is that you get less risk, fewer earthquakes and, therefore, less risk of collapse”, the director said.read more
The company in charge of gas extraction in Groningen is disputing thousands of claims for damages by homeowners because it says the government’s criteria are too strict.
The NAM, a joint venture set up by Shell and Esso in 1947 to exploit the Netherlands’ natural resources, said the risk to safety had been exaggerated ‘by a factor of one to ten thousand’ in some cases.
It said the vibration limits used to assess if damage to homes was the result of earthquakes were too low and also queried the costs of processing the claims.read more
on hold for over an hour!: Been on hold for over an hour now.
No idea what the customer service is like because I can't get through to anyone.
Why did you take over Post Office Broadband customers as you clearly don't have enough staff to cope?
Uncaring, horrible, hassling, profiteering bunch.: Uncaring, horrible, hassling, profiteering bunch.
I'm 80 with bipolar disorder
I am an 80 year old with multiple health issues and diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
These people at shell energy are disgusting.
I've been unable to log into my account for months. I live in a one bedroom flat and they are taking £250 per month from me, that's before the increases in October. Despite contacting them, I still can't log into my account. I've now been told my (not so) smart meter can't be reached and I have to provide monthly meter readings, when I can barely get down stairs from my flat to the meter because of mobility issues.
Worse than that, when I put my email address in to change my password and access the account, I was suddenly logged into an account in the name of Mr Knox, at an address I don't know, who they claim owes them £4,800 and hasn't made a payment in months. It's neither my name nor address.
This isn't my account, but it has my personal email address registered against it. Despite advising them of this, I received the standard 'we are receiving a high volume of messages' garbage. They have since emailed me another bill for the imaginary Mr Knox.
They are hassling me by sending me someone elses bills and bringing me to the verge of a mental breakdown. According to my son, £250, which they have taken from my bank EVERY month, is way too much for a one bedroom flat too, but I have no idea what I have used because my email logs me into another account in another area.
IF THEY DON'T SORT THIS OUT, I'M GOING TO HAVE A MENTAL BREAKDOWN. ASK MY DOCTOR.
Uncaring, horrible, hassling, profiteering bunch.
Useless broadband and company:
Useless broadband and company,40 minutes on hold on phone about my internet dropping all the time,told openreach would come on the Monday, NOTHING no call message or openreach. Sent email wanting to know how long I've left on contract as I want to leave them and get another provider NOTHING. I hate ringing up having to wait almost 40 minutes on hold only to talk to someone who don't have any idea what they talking about.
-By Zik Gbemre: SHELL'S NOTICE TO VACATE NIGERIA OVER UNENDING OIL THEFT: NOT GOOD FOR THE NATION
The rampant oil theft that is forcing Shell out of the Niger Delta, indeed out of Nigeria is one critical embarrassment that has overwhelmed a Federal Government that has failed in all sectors of the country.
The petroleum sector remains the only sector footing the entire bills of the country, yet attention is not being given to protecting it from ceaseless sabotage.
Against law-abiding citizens engaged in legitimate peaceful protests, trigger-happy security operatives will swing into action to crush any peaceful protest.
The common man is driving his car on the road, Police will act to intimidate him, with all manner of contorted allegations and threats, to extort him.
But then assign security operatives to check oil theft, they get so connected in no time and begin to aid and abet the oil theft they are mobilised at an outrageous cost to the nation. So, the Military and Nigeria Security & Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) are as much connected to oil theft as the oil theft is connected to the host communities' leaders, oil company workers and contractors responsible for welding/clamping/clean-up/remediation contracts induced by vandalism.
They vandalise pipes and valves to steal crude oil and condensate and the more these occur the more contracts are awarded for repairs/clamping of pipelines and clean-up/remediation activities. So, a lot of people are connected to oil theft beyond those who sell and buy the stolen condensate and crude oil.
The fight against oil theft has become a lost battle as they sabotage with a huge economic toll on the commonwealth will continue to thrive, hence Shell has decided to quit her Niger Delta operations to concentrate on the 'deep sea offshore' of the Niger Delta that illegal bunkering syndicates can't access easily.
In other shades of oil theft, you have DPR staff that are supposed to keep records of production and volume exported also involved in under declaration of figures. A lot is happening behind the scene at the points of exports, in the terminals.
Even among key stakeholders like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NNPC and Accountant General of the Federation, it's an annual drama of conflicting figures when they are subjected to probe and accountability on the revenue generated from oil, condensate and gas, given a particular time frame.
Again, the violent youths, also known as restive youths, created by Niger-Delta politicians are also there to disrupt the operations of Shell (SPDC) and other oil companies. Because politicians are not accessible immediately after they win elections and can only engage a few as personal aides thereafter, the rest are going about wreaking havoc on oil companies which they look up to as alternative governments.
What's more, politicians and Public officeholders in the Niger Delta are only interested in the monthly allocations from Abuja from which they allocate outrageous portions into security votes that are never accounted for, contracts are inflated to syphon kickbacks into private vaults.
All of these stakeholders' knaveries are making onshore operations so unattractive to Shell and other International Oil Companies(IOCs). And it's not a good one if they have to leave.
By Zik Gbemre
July 13, 2022
Impossible to move home with them: I recently moved from a home where I was a Shell Energy customer, to a home that is also supplied by Shell Energy. After 5+ calls and emails promising me my account and most importantly, my tariff, would be carried over, they have failed to do so and they are now ignoring my emails. Their customer service is absolutely diabolical.
Truly awful cancellation experience: Firstly i have no problem with the broadband quality and general customer service but i have just had a horrendous experience trying to cancel my contract in favour of virgin. i made it very very very clear i just wanted to cancel but the bloke insisted endlessly on try to persuade me otherwise to the point where i was getting proper stressed out. i won't ever go back to Shell
Rubbish Company: Where do I start ... AGAIN! Just received ANOTHER message from you regarding my account! Advising me to contact debt management company!. I am, as I keep TRYING to tell you, I'm on Universal Credit but, at the moment I've been sanctioned until the end of July, and also have a hardship fund payment of £*** which I have to pay back until next February! I have no money for all my usual bills off-line this one, so maybe YOU can tell me how I'm supposed to pay this bill with no money! I can't even afford to buy food to last me a month. I have NO MONEY! If Green Star Energy I ad sorted out this problem in the 1st place, I wouldn't be in this mess! Unfortunately I don't have a money tree in my garden, not do I have a money making machine. I'm as poor as a church mouse! I haven't had enough money for 3 years now!
Is anyone else having problems with this company?
I'll say no more!
Sylvia Holmes: Was with the Post Office broadband until Shell took over.
Was emailed to activate my account which I did , WiFi went off.
Called several times was kept waiting for someone to answer, must now total 4 hours +.
Eventually Ayisha answered must be a fault on the line from the exchange. Then router not recognised! Engineer appointment was made for 31/5/22 — 8am till 1 pm
No show.
Rang again why no show..Naeem says I’ll transfw you to the technical team ..was cut off.
Emailed customer help, reply line is ok , reset your router with a pin, check your wires are fully in the plug.
Pat, said she will contact outreach either Tuesday or Wednesday.
Meanwhile I’m without WiFi?
What’s occurring Shell?
Bogus Group: The Offshore Alliance and the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) have both served Shell with formal notice that industrial action will commence on the Prelude FLNG facility on 10 June.
Awful company who don't listen or care about customers!: I've had an utter nightmare with Shell. After I inherited my fathers house in Jan they have been nothing but trouble.
I called them within a week of the house being put in my name and told them I do not live near the house and to put the account in my name and send any bills to my address. I made it very clear that I would be paying any bills, was happy to do so, and where to send them. Fast forward to early April, we visit the house to find bill after bill addressed "to the occupier".
Again I got in touch right away and told them the NEED to put the account in my name as I won't be visiting the house again as it was set to sell at the end of April. I spoke to a representative who said "No worries, just call us when the house sells and we will settle the account". I did just that and paid them. However I've checked my credit score and have multiple negatives which are now preventing me getting a mortgage. As if dealing with the death of a parent isn't difficult enough Shell have now prevented me getting a mortgage for the next 7 years!!
Listen and read proof in audio and transcript form of Shell CEO Ben van Beurden’s cover-up tactics in the OPL 245 Nigerian corruption scandal. The instruction given by him in the covertly recorded call to CFO Simon Henry was at odds with Shell’s claimed core business principles. Cover-up and obstruction, instead of transparency and integrity, says Shell critic John Donovan
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
ESTHER KIOBEL SUES SHELL FOR COMPLICITY IN HUSBANDS MURDER
ESTHER KIOBEL: EVIL OIL GIANT SHELL COLLUDED IN THE EXECUTION OF MY INNOCENT HUSBAND
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
ABANDONED BY SHELL: KEITH MACDONALD & FAMILY, VICTIMS OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION AT WORK
ROYAL DUTCH SHELL FOUNDER SIR HENRI DETERDING, NAZI FINANCIER
JOHN DONOVAN PROMOTIONAL GAMES FOR SHELL AND OTHER CLIENTS
EBOOK TITLE: “SIR HENRI DETERDING AND THE NAZI HISTORY OF ROYAL DUTCH SHELL” – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON EBOOK TITLE: “JOHN DONOVAN, SHELL’S NIGHTMARE: MY EPIC FEUD WITH THE UNSCRUPULOUS OIL GIANT ROYAL DUTCH SHELL” – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON. EBOOK TITLE: “TOXIC FACTS ABOUT SHELL REMOVED FROM WIKIPEDIA: HOW SHELL BECAME THE MOST HATED BRAND IN THE WORLD” – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.
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See our link list of over 500 articles by the FT, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Bloomberg, Forbes, Dow Jones Newswires, New York Times, CNBC etc, plus UK House of Commons Select Committee Hansard records, information on U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission websiteetc. all containing references to our Shell focussed websites, or our website founders Alfred and John Donovan. Includes TV documentary features in English and German, newspaper and magazine articles, radio interviews, newsletters etc. Plus academic papers, Stratfor intelligence reports and UK, U.S. and Australian state/parliamentary publications, also citing our Shell websites. Click on this link to see the entire list, all in date order with a link to an index of over 100 books also containing references to our non-profit websites and/or our activities.
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