Daily Mail

Friends of the Earth warns Shell directors they face personal liability if energy firm doesn’t clean up its act

By LUKE BARR FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 21:50, 25 April 2022 | UPDATED: 21:50, 25 April 2022

Shell directors risk ‘personal liability’ if they fail to boost the energy giant’s green credentials, an environmental group has claimed.

The threat to senior figures, including chief executive Ben van Beurden, was made in a recent letter from Friends of the Earth’s Netherlands branch, Milieudefensie. read more

Extinction Rebellion activists have glued themselves to the reception desk of Shell’s London HQ.

Members of the group gained access to the building, on London’s Southbank, this afternoon and are occupying it and telling passing workers to change careers.

The protest is part of Extinction Rebellion’s “April rebellion”, which began on Saturday and has included mass roadblocks in the capital.

Speaking on a livestream from inside the building, one activist said: “We’re here to ask you to really think about what you’re doing. Do you really want to be part of this planetary destruction?” read more

Harrison Jones for metro.co.uk: Wednesday 6 Apr 2022 5:41 pm

…hundreds of experts from around the world are engaged in a ‘scientist rebellion’, which saw oil chucked over Shell’s headquarters in London.

…experts from around the globe have been taking part in what they called the ‘world’s largest ever scientist-led civil disobedience campaign’.

A number of them in the UK used modified fire extinguishers to spray biodegradable fake oil on a Shell building, where they also plastered scientific papers on the walls.

The scientists are calling for a ‘climate revolution now’ and say ‘1.5°C is dead’, in reference to the target for global warming, which the IPCC warned is almost out of reach.

One of those taking part, Cat Acheson, a social scientist and PhD researcher, said: ‘I’m here today taking non-violent direct action against Shell, because the continued use and expansion of fossil fuels is endangering all life on our planet. read more

Reuters

Shell 2021 oil spills in Nigeria double in volume

April 5, 2022 11:54 AM 

LONDON, April 5 (Reuters) – Shell (SHEL.L) said on Tuesday the volume of crude oil spills caused by sabotage in Nigeria’s oil-rich Delta more than doubled to 3,300 tonnes last year, a level last seen in 2016.

While the volume of spills rose, the number of major spills fell to 106 in 2021 from 122 incidents the previous year, Shell said in its sustainability report.

It said in 2020, oil spills in Nigeria stood at 1,500 tonnes. read more

The Hague: Esther Kiobel vows to continue her campaign for justice

March 23, 2022: Vivian Omotori

Human rights defender Esther Kiobel today lost her civil case against oil giant Shell, which she accuses of complicity in the 1995 execution of her husband by the Nigerian military government, but has promised to continue her campaign for justice. Esther has spent 27 years seeking justice for her husband Dr Barinem Kiobel, who was hanged along with eight other men in connection with widespread protests against oil pollution in the Niger Delta. read more

CNBC

Shell’s board of directors sued for ‘failing to properly prepare’ for the energy transition

PUBLISHED TUE, MAR 15 202210:14 AM EDT

• Environmental law firm ClientEarth, a Shell shareholder, said Tuesday that it had notified Shell of its claim against the company’s 13 executive and non-executive directors.
• It argues the board’s failure to implement a climate strategy that truly aligns with the landmark Paris Agreement is a breach of their duties under English law.
• In response to the legal action, Shell told CNBC via email that it was delivering on its global strategy that supported the Paris accord.

Shell’s board is being sued for failing to prepare the multinational oil and gas company for the transition away from fossil fuels.

Environmental law firm ClientEarth, a Shell shareholder, said Tuesday that it had notified Shell of its claim against the company’s 13 executive and non-executive directors. It argues the board’s failure to implement a climate strategy that truly aligns with the landmark Paris Agreement is a breach of their duties under English law. read more

More information here about John Donovan (above), his website royaldutchshellplc.com and his main contributor on Shell safety issues, Mr Bill Campbell. 

Links here to several hundred articles and features by a host of publishers including the FT, Wall Street Journal, Reuters etc., containing references to Donovan Shell focussed websites, my late father or me, or in respect of Shell safety issues, our valued contributor, Mr Campbell. read more

allAfrica.com

Nigeria: Bonga Oil Spill Victims Urge Shell to Pay $3.4bn NOSDRA Fine

Leadership (Abuja)

By Anayo Onukwugha: 24 Jan 2022

Victims of the 2011 Bonga oil spill have demanded that Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) should immediately pay the sum of $3.4billion fines and awards to them as imposed by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

“We demand on behalf of all the victims of the Shell (SNEPCO) Bonga Oil Spill which is rated globally as one of the most devastating, that Shell pay immediately the fines/awards of $3.4billion imposed on it by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) which fines/awards were upheld both by the National Assembly through the House Committee on Environment and a competent court of the land -the Federal High Court in Lagos. read more

BNN Bloomberg

Shell Appeals $2 Billion Judgment in Nigeria Pollution Case

William Clowes, Bloomberg News: 20 Jan 2022

(Bloomberg) — A Nigerian court will hear Royal Dutch Shell Plc’s appeal to overturn an almost $2 billion award against the company for allegedly spilling oil in the West African country.

The energy giant is challenging a November 2020 judgment in favor of community members claiming a leak from a company pipeline damaged their land and waterways. A federal court of appeal in the city of Owerri is scheduled to consider applications from both sides on Jan. 25, according to a lawyer for the plaintiffs. read more

-By Zik Gbemre

RENEWED SHELL DIVESTMENT OF ONSHORE ASSETS: NOTHING TO CHEER ABOUT

• Insecurity is the single challenge pushing Shell and other multinationals out of the dreadful Nigerian investment climate.
• It’s hypocritical of the President and Governors of the Niger Delta to go about the world begging for foreign investors when those already established are exiting the country.
• Even for a developed economy like Russia, Putin had to step in to restrain Shell’s threat to leave the disunited Soviet Union at war with breakaway nations.

Insecurity was the biggest challenge that forced Shell to start divesting its onshore assets in the Niger-Delta, starting with stakes in Delta state in 1999.

Due to large scale youth violence encouraged by Chief James Ibori, tribal wars, ceaseless oil theft and communal disturbances, climaxing in a deliberate attempt by Governor Ibori successor cousin, Emmanuel Uduaghan’s desperation to buy some of the key assets provided the impetus for Shell’s gradual exit from Delta. read more

Reuters

Exclusive-Shell’s Nigerian oil assets attract interest from local firms, sources say

LONDON (Reuters) – At least five Nigerian oil and gas companies are preparing to submit bids this month for Royal Dutch Shell’s onshore oilfields in a sale that could fetch up to $3 billion, three sources involved in the process told Reuters.

Shell started talks with the Nigerian government last year about selling its stake in the West African country’s onshore fields, where it has been active since the 1930s, as part of a global drive to reduce its carbon emissions. read more

iol.co.za

Shell seismic survey: NSPCA finds sense of relief and celebrates victory for the voiceless in the sea

STAFF REPORTER: 30 DEC 2021

DURBAN – The National Council of SPCAs said it found a sense of relief and celebrated the interim victory for the voiceless after the Makhanda High Court interdicted Shell’s seismic survey.

On Tuesday, the Makhanda High Court in the Eastern Cape ruled that Shell could not continue with the blasting, which was meant to explore for oil and natural gas off the Wild Coast. read more

fin24

Shell can proceed with seismic survey after environmental groups lose urgent court bid

Lameez Omarjee

• A high court has dismissed an urgent application to block Shell from proceeding with a seismic survey off the Eastern Cape coast.
• Judge Avinash Govindjee said that he was not convinced that there is cause to fear “irreparable harm” if an urgent interdict was not granted.
• Meanwhile communities on the Wild Coast have also filed an urgent application to block the seismic survey.

A South African high court has dismissed an urgent application to block Shell from proceeding with a seismic survey off the Eastern Cape coast.

The ruling was delivered by Judge Avinash Govindjee at the Eastern Cape Division of the Makhanda High Court on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, four environmental and human rights organisations – Greenpeace Africa, Natural Justice, the Border Deep Sea Angling Association, and the Kei Mouth Ski Boat Club – filed an urgent application to block the seismic survey, given the alleged harm it would case to the environment and marine life. read more

Bloomberg

Nigerians in Oil-Rich Delta Pin Hope on U.K. Trial Against Shell

In the heart of Nigeria’s oil region, communities and their leaders see a U.K. court as their best chance to resolve a legacy of environmental damage in the area that they blame on Royal Dutch Shell Plc.

More than 40,000 residents of the crude-rich Niger Delta were permitted by the U.K. Supreme Court in February to seek compensation over pollution, allegedly caused by Shell, in a reversal of two previous rulings. The communities see this process as a guarantor of their legal rights, even if Shell were to follow through on its plans to exit some of the oilfields. A date for a trial hasn’t been set. read more

Contracts are the legal instruments that regulate the behaviour of individuals and parties in the corporate world. Developed societies have very high regard for contracts because it builds trust, makes for ease of doing business and reduce risks involved with investments.

Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) is the pioneer leader of the Petroleum industry in Nigeria.

Shell is not only the leading energy company in Nigeria, the company is also a global brand with a presence in the most advanced economies in the world. Shell ought to know better about the sacrality of the contractual agreement and the imperativeness of their demands on implicated parties. read more

Seeking Alpha

Shell likely to miss own emission reduction goals, shareholder group says