…there remains a high degree of uncertainty regarding the potential outcome of some of these pending lawsuits, as well as their potential effect on future operations, earnings, cash flows and Shell’s financial condition.
Shell Annual Report 2018: PESTICIDE LITIGATION
PESTICIDE LITIGATION
Shell Oil Company (SOC), along with another agricultural chemical pesticide manufacturer and several distributors, has been sued by public and quasi- public water purveyors alleging responsibility for groundwater contamination caused by applications of chemical pesticides. There are approximately 45 such cases currently pending. These suits assert various theories of strict liability and negligence, and seek to recover actual damages, including drinking well treatment and remediation costs. Most assert claims for punitive damages. While the Company continues to vigorously defend these lawsuits, a new environmental regulatory standard became effective in the State of California, where a majority of the suits are pending. The new standard requires public water systems state wide to perform quarterly or monthly sampling of their drinking water sources for a chemical contained in certain pesticides, beginning in January 2018. Water systems deemed out of compliance with the new five parts per trillion regulatory standard must take corrective action to resolve the exceedance or take the potable water source out of service. In response to this new regulatory standard, the Company is monitoring the sampling results to determine the number of wells potentially impacted. Based on the claims asserted and SOC’s track record, with regard to amounts paid to resolve varying claims, management does not expect the outcome of these lawsuits pending at December 31, 2018, to have a material adverse impact on Shell. However, there remains a high degree of uncertainty regarding the potential outcome of some of these pending lawsuits, as well as their potential effect on future operations, earnings, cash flows and Shell’s financial condition.read more
The Dutch Public Prosecution believes Shell should be prosecuted because the company could have prevented the accident. ‘If Shell had taken all the measures, such an explosion could not have happened. By acting in this way, they have put workers and people in the environment at risk, ‘reports a spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service. The criminal case against Shell is scheduled at the court session in Den Bosch on 14 and 16 May 2019.
Printed below is an English translation of an article published today by the Dutch Financial Times, Financieele Dagblad.
Shell also in court because of an explosion at Moerdijk
Shell is not only under fire from the authorities because of possible bribery in Nigeria, but also because of an explosion in June 2014 at Shell Moerdijk. The Public Prosecutor has summoned Shell Dutch Chemical for this explosion. This is reported by the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) in response to questions from the FD.
Except for the explosion, Shell will also be brought to justice for the temporary excessive emissions of the toxic substance ethylene oxide in 2015 and 2016.
Nigeria
Earlier Friday it was announced that the OM is preparing a criminal case against Shell for corruption in Nigeria. That criminal investigation into Shell has not yet been completed, but according to the current investigation, according to the Public Prosecution Service, there are already prosecutable offences. ‘We will continue’, according to the spokesman on the Nigeria issue. “Only the way in which is not yet clear.” The investigation could result in a settlement or a criminal case.read more
The investigation into corruption by Shell in Nigeria has not yet been completed, but according to the current investigation, according to the Public Prosecution Service, there are already prosecutable offences.
Printed below is an English translation of an article published today by the Dutch Financial Times, Financieele Dagblad.
Public Prosecution Service is taking Shell’s attention
The Dutch State will prosecute Shell in two separate cases. The oil and gas multinational is under fire from the Public Prosecution Service (OM) because of possible bribery in Nigeria in 2011 and because of an explosion in June 2014 at Shell Moerdijk. The Public Prosecution Service has announced this on Friday.
Shell has already been summoned for the explosion in Moerdijk. Shell is also being taken to court for a leak of the toxic substance ethylene oxide.
Corruption in Nigeria
The investigation into corruption by Shell in Nigeria has not yet been completed, but according to the current investigation, according to the Public Prosecution Service, there are already prosecutable offences.read more
Shell is being charged with a major explosion at the Moerdijk plant in 2014. Apart from the explosion, the oil and gas company was also summoned for the leakage of the toxic ethylene oxide from November 2015 to January 2016 in the same industrial area. The Public Prosecutor confirmed that Friday.
English translation of a Dutch article published by ncr.nl
Prosecuting Shell after Moerdijk explosions
Erik van der Walle: March 2, 2019
Shell is being charged with a major explosion at the Moerdijk plant in 2014. Apart from the explosion, the oil and gas company was also summoned for the leakage of the toxic ethylene oxide from November 2015 to January 2016 in the same industrial area. The Public Prosecutor confirmed that Friday.
On June 3, 2014 a reactor of the factory in Moerdijk exploded and other explosions and a fire followed by an unexpected reaction between substances. Due to the calamity, two people were injured. The damage went into the millions. The Dutch Safety Board concluded that the company did not pay enough attention to the risks.read more
Between November 2015 and January 2016, 380 kilos of the carcinogenic substance ethylene oxide went into the air every day. Justice now states that Shell has not taken enough measures to prevent such accidents: “By acting in this way they have put workers and people in the environment in danger,” according to the Public Prosecution Service.
English translation of an article published in Dutch by nrc.nl earlier today
Justice summons Shell for explosion and leakage in Moerdijk
In 2014, two people were injured in a fire. Two years later, a Shell plant leaked carcinogens.
Maartje Geels: 1 March 2019
The fire in 2014 at a Shell complex on an industrial estate in Moerdijk was then seen in Rotterdam. Photo GinoPress / ANP
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) is suing Shell for an explosion and a leak at a complex of the oil and gas company in Moerdijk. This confirms justice Friday in response to reports from Het FD. Earlier on Friday, it was also announced that Shell is being prosecuted for corruption in Nigeria.read more
Dow Chemical Co and Shell Oil Co have been hit with a lawsuit by the city of Arcadia, California accusing the companies of contaminating the city’s drinking water with a toxic chemical found in pesticides the companies once made.
Filed on Thursday in Los Angeles federal court, the lawsuit said the companies knew or should have known that the chemical, known as 1,2,3-trichloropropane, or TCP is toxic and renders drinking water unsafe.
The companies still manufactured and marketed pesticides containing the chemical for years, the lawsuit said.read more
HOUSTON (Reuters) – The heavy oil hydrocracking unit (HCU) at Royal Dutch Shell Plc’s (RDSa.AS) 209,787 barrel per day (bpd) Convent, Louisiana, refinery was shut after a fire early on Sunday, sources familiar with plant operations said. The fire broke out on the 45,000 bpd HCU, call the H-Oil Unit, at about 1:30 a.m. (0630 GMT) on Sunday, the sources said. A Shell spokesman was not immediately available to comment. No injuries were reported due to the blaze, the sources said. FULL ARTICLEread more
By Jared Stonesifer : Posted Apr 3, 2018 at 8:56 PMUpdated Apr 3, 2018 at 8:56 PM
CENTER TWP. — Nearly 100 people turned out to a public hearing at Central Valley High School to voice their opinions on Shell Pipeline’s proposed Falcon ethane pipeline project. If constructed, the pipeline would transport up to 107,000 barrels of ethane per day to Shell Chemicals’ $6 billion ethane cracker plant in Potter Township. It would consist of two legs: one coming into western Beaver County from Ohio and West Virginia, and another coming into southern Beaver County through Allegheny County. The two legs will join south of the Potter Township plant.FULL ARTICLEread more
Royal Dutch Shell expects its chemicals division to earn between $3.5 billion to $4 billion annually by 2025, and Beaver County’s ethane cracker plant will likely play a role in that. Shell executives made those remarks Wednesday during an open house for investors. The event was designed to highlight the gains being made in Shell’s many downstream businesses, which includes the chemicals sector. The company, which is in the midst of building a $6 billion cracker plant in Potter Township, has repeatedly maintained its Beaver County project will be ready for production sometime early in the next decade. FULL ARTICLEread more
By Della Hasselle The Advocate (Baton Rouge): Posted Feb 20, 2018 at 12:10 PM Updated Feb 20, 2018 at 12:17 PM
When Iris Carter heard that the Shell Chemical plant near her childhood home in Norco had been ordered to spend $10 million on pollution control equipment to resolve decades of allegations that the plant was violating the federal Clean Air Act, she felt a variety of emotions. She was frustrated, she said, and angry. But she wasn’t surprised. As Carter sees it, this should have happened more than 20 years ago, when she and her family first helped start a campaign to abandon an area she said had become too polluted to live in. “The stink in the air was so strong it knocked you back,” Carter, now 66, remembers. “It was terrible.”FULL ARTICLEread more
As part of a settlement with the EPA, Shell Chemical LP will install $10 million in pollution monitoring equipment at its Norco, La., plant. File Photo by Pattie Steib/Shutterstock/UPI
By Susan McFarland | Feb. 13, 2018 at 10:23 AM
Feb. 13 (UPI) — As part of a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency and Justice Department, Shell Chemical LP agreed to install $10 million in pollution monitoring and control equipment at a Louisiana plant.
The settlement resolves allegations that Shell violated the U.S. Clean Air Act and Louisiana law by failing to properly operate industrial flares at the facility.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell Plc’s Shell Chemical LP will install a $10 million pollution monitoring and control system at its Norco, Louisiana, chemical plant as part of a settlement over allegations it violated the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Monday.
In a statement, the department said Shell Chemical would also pay $350,000 in civil penalties as part of the consent decree.
Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoeread more
Royal Dutch Shell’s (RDS.A, RDS.B) Shell Chemical LP will install and operate a $10M pollution monitoring and control system at its Norco, La., chemical plant as part of a settlement over allegations it violated the Clean Air Act, the Department of Justice says.
The pollution controls are estimated to reduce air emissions of volatile organic compounds by ~159 tons/year and cut other harmful air pollutants, including benzene, by 18 tons/year.
Shell Chemical also will pay $350K in civil penalties as part of the consent decree.read more
“The era of oil and gas and petrochemicals is not over, but the era of electric transport is also coming in,” van Beurden said.
Royal Dutch Shell Plc is taking small steps toward a future dominated by electric cars, renewable energy and carbon constraints, demonstrating its intent not to remain solely an oil and gas company.
The energy giant agreed last month to purchase First Utility Ltd., the U.K.’s seventh-largest power provider. Its offshore-wind partnership with Eneco may expand further, with newspaper Telegraaf reporting on Friday that Shell is considering buying the Dutch utility outright.
Big Oil entering the heavily regulated European power market isn’t a natural fit today. Yet it makes sense for a future in which consumers want charging points alongside gasoline pumps at fueling stations, and iPhone apps and smart home devices generate vast amounts of energy-use data that itself becomes a valuable commodity.read more
I think also on 2010-2011 they had multiple explosions at their Caroline facility supposedly an employee during an explosion at the south compressor station had to be airlifted to hospital and was seriously injured.
The aer/ govt shut it down. it was closed for 6 months and half of the plant was decommissioned when it restarted.
That must have cost them millions of dollars.....there should be government records of this stuff....
The description of the fairleads causing the mooring ropes to chafe to such an extent is almost so ridiculous to render ex-seafarer speechless. The fitting of nylon liners inside the fairleads is something new for me but the idea behind it would may be to reduce the friction of the mooring lines when running through the fairlead thus reduce any temperature potential in a zone 2 area. Fixing one potential risk appears to have created another one of greater risk potential. I am not sure how the nylon liners in the fairleads would have such sharp edges to chafe the mooring lines on their own and perhaps there may have been something else to which the journalist has missed out. The reported leakage of LNG in the manifold area from a flange should not have happened but the liquid transfer areas are all bunded in low-temperature materials and provided with a constant supply of running water during cargo handling activities. Power outages during start-up operations and ongoing are nothing new and others can be expected, hopefully not very often as the restart of such a complicated process system takes a long time and much effort. The problem with firewater deluge over the LNG storage tanks reported is of considerable concern but the journalist does not mention if this was during the period when systems were being tested prior to the introduction of LNG or after. If before then this section of the report is just journalistic license and of no consequence whatsoever. The other issues as reported can be considered minor during the preparation phase before the introduction of hydrocarbons in any form but definitely of concern if these incidents were after the introduction of hydrocarbons. I wish the people who are experiencing the startup of such a complicated and complex plant every success. Take the time that is needed to be successful by being safe, good luck.
John Donovan: Irish Backstop Update
According to a Sunday Times article two days ago, "Ireland continues to dodge difficult questions about how it will protect the single market and also maintain an open border under a no-deal."
IRELAND has been warned it faces the difficult choice between implementing a hard border or being forced out of the EU’s single market in an unprecedented move to protect the bloc from a no-deal Brexit.
Dublin will be forced to make the tough choice if Britain quits the EU without a deal, according to a number of senior EU figures.
The European Commission sparked fury from Ireland after declaring Dublin would have to implement a hard border in the event of a no-deal Brexit. After significant protests from, which involved a heated debate between Leo Varadkar and Jean-Claude Juncker, Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, suggested “operational solutions” would have to be found in order to prevent a hardening of the border.
But now high-ranking MEPs have hardened their position, insisting the single market must not be compromised even to maintain peace on the island of Ireland.
Elmar Brok, a German MEP with close ties to Angela Merkel, insisted that if Ireland failed to police its own borders the EU would have to take its own protectionist action.
“We would have to set up a customs border with Ireland,” the German said.
He also warned that if Brussels didn’t make the demands then "we will soon have American chlorine chicken in the EU".
BvB Anti-Brexit: BvB has been quoted in many articles following the outcome of the Brexit vote as expressing negativity about Brexit and the effect it could have on RDS. This can be confirmed by running a Google search on "Ben van Beurden Brexit". The articles today in the Scottish press and Upstreamonline are but the latest publishing his views on the subject. Despite all of the negativity, my own view is that a satisfactory Brexit deal without the backstop will be done. If not, the EU and Ireland will be an international laughing stock when they create a hard border soon after Brexit, the outcome they were supposedly trying to avoid. That development would provide a better example of the consequences of deranged Irish logic than any infantile Paddy joke I can recall. The stupidity of certain Irish politicians is poisoning previously improved relations between the UK and Ireland, which is a great pity.
Brexit: All of the ingredients will be there for a return to violence in the event of the UK being forced into a no deal by Ireland. The current impasse is down to Ireland which may well come to regret its hostility towards the UK. How many of the 17 million Brits who voted for Brexit will wish to holiday in Ireland now?
C16 Inmate: I find it fascinating how so many brainwashed Shell slaves are quick to criticise Mr Donovan for the work he is doing. It is surely his decision and prerogative to do whatever he wants with his own time? Just like you and I choose to work for a slimy, corrupt, evil, fascist, environment destroying company. The only difference is that I actually admit to being a whore that’s sold my soul for money!
As for your defence of Brinded, I find it laughable. That man was an abnoxious individual who was acting more like an SS officer than a senior executive.
Keep up the good work John. Warm wishes and my heartfelt thanks to for keeping us all informed of Shell’s true nature.
REPLY BY JOHN
While I am grateful for the kind words, I do not know of any grounds to support your comment that Shell is a fascist company. With regard to Mr Brinded, despite my many negative comments about him over the years, comparing him with an SS officer is wrong.
PURE POISON: Mr Donovan if it is your twisted objective to poison the Internet for the Shell brand you, unfortunately, seem to be succeeding. Searching for any subject connected with Shell inevitably seems to generate negative news reports, negative information and anti-Shell images, all apparently originated by you. Your allegations about Shell’s alleged Nazi history seem to be spreading across the Internet like a virus. Your Shell-branded counterfeit websites seem to be multiplying almost by the day. I am losing count of them all. This situation is bad for all stakeholders including employees, shareholders and pensioners. I also object to the personal attacks on Shell people, for example on Malcolm Brinded who has never been found guilty of any wrongdoing. Don’t you have any scruples? I am also concerned for your mental health and your bank balance. Is a third party also hostile to Shell funding your pervasive and malicious online activities? What’s the betting that my comments will not appear on your supposedly uncensored Shell Blog? I am also mystified why Shell has not taken action to protect its reputation?
REPLY BY JOHN DONOVAN
Shell has been complaining about my online activities since March 1995 and on occasion has taken legal action, including a three-week high court trial in 1999. There is no possible defamation if what is stated is true.
The most recent proceedings were in 2005 via the World Intellectual Property Organisation. Shell unsuccessfully attempted to seize some of our Shell related domain names including royaldutchshellplc.com and royaldutchshellgroup.com.
All of the litigation cost Shell tons of wasted money in legal fees and attracted negative publicity.
Shell lost every case.
We have sued Shell twice for defamation. Shell settled both cases.
A covert attempt by Shell to close down hosting for our websites failed.
More recently, RDS Company Secretary/Main board member Michel Brandjes threatened legal action over my book about Shell's Nazi history. His emailed threats turned out to be nothing but bluster. Shell will never take legal action on the topic as it would draw attention to the most toxic subject relating to any existing major multinational in the world.
I will continue to publish true facts about Shell and where appropriate corrupt senior management involved in scandals such as the Shell SMART rigged contract tender, the Brent Bravo deaths, the reserves fraud and OPL 245. Mr Brinded has involvement in all four scandals.
BRINDED: ON THE SUBJECT OF BRINDED:
He has such a strange brain, could outthink most people in Shell but rather than concentrate on doing good things for Shell and developing people he became the ultimate micromanager and surrounded himself with sycophants. Until the 2nd half of the eighties he was OK and the driving force of the highly successful SLIM technology. I believe this was what launched his big career. Thereafter he became moody and unpleasant for people who dared to question him or make good suggestions to him. Probably quite insecure and status conscious. Never understood this. He just took himself too seriously.
FAO Insider: Donovan has already said suggested he won't name the individual. He is more determined to go after Brinded with whom he has a personal issue. As Veritas suggests there is something deeper there which makes this whole issue inconsistent in his refusing to name the guilty individual.
Veritas: John Donovan, you are such a hypocrite. You claim you don’t want the convicted pedophile’s family to suffer, but you keep dragging Brinded’s family through mud. You should be consistent in your actions. The only thing consistent about you is how you continue to live off of some overblown ‘offense’ your father experienced decades ago. You claim to be an open wound to Shell. The only open wound I see is the one in your damaged psyche that you continue to nurse.
REPLY BY JOHN DONOVAN
Happy Christmas to you too.
P.S. It was actually my experience, with my late father kindly giving me his support. BTW, I don't think Mr Brinded will be pleased that you keep bringing his name up.
Double standards: So its OK to go after Brinded who hasn't been convicted and to name and shame him for alleged financial wrongdoings and there are pictures of him and his family on the web but you draw the line at naming a CONVICTED individual. Mmmmm
REPLY BY JOHN DONOVAN
I have been warning Shell about Malcolm Brindeds' lack of scruples for nearly two decades. He gave his full backing to the Shell exec who rigged the SMART loyalty scheme contract tender. He has been a key player in a number of other Shell scandals. The related SMART litigation that Shell settled. The Brent Bravo deaths. The reserves securities fraud. His dealings with the despot Muammar Gaddafi on behalf of Shell. And currently, his starring role in the OPL 245 corruption scandal. Mr Brinded is free to sue me for defamation if he disputes what I am saying about him. I have a huge amount of evidence to support what I say. I know a lot about him. I have been coincidentally reading documents about his misdeeds for several days that I will publish in the New Year. More revelations about just how ruthless he is.
This is not a Shell website. Click on Disclaimer link at top of page for more information.
OPL 245 CORRUPTION SCANDAL: LATEST NEWS
Dutch Prosecutors to Arraign Shell over $1.3 billion Acquisition of OPL 245 02 Mar 2019 10:19 Biz Watch Nigeria Dutch Prosecutors to Arraign Shell over $1.3 billion Acquisition of OPL 245
Dutch prosecutors are preparing criminal charges against Royal Dutch Shell over its $1.3 billion acquisition of Nigerian offshore oilfield OPL 245 in 2011.
Shell said in a …
$1.3bn Malabu Oil Scandal: Shell Faces Fresh Criminal Charges in Netherlands 02 Mar 2019 05:45 This Day OPEC February oil output drops further
By Chika Amanze-Nwachuku with agency report
Royal -Dutch Shell is to face criminal charges before Dutch prosecutors over its involvement in the controversial sale of the $1.3 billion Oil Prospecting License (OPL 245), …
Malabu Scam :Eni, Shell aware of corrupt payments, Judge rules – Vanguard 18 Dec 2018 14:33 Google An Italian judge, Giusy Barbara, found out on Monday that Eni and Royal Dutch Shell were fully aware that their 2011 purchase of Nigeria’s Oil Prospecting Lease (OPL 245) would result in corrupt payments to Nigerian politicians and officials.
Italy’s Eni …
Eni, Shell Aware OPL 245 Procurment Would Lead to Graft 18 Dec 2018 14:00 Biz Watch Nigeria Eni, Shell Aware OPL 245 Procurment Would Lead to Graft
An Italian judge, Giusy Barbara, found out on Monday that Eni and Royal Dutch Shell were fully aware that their 2011 purchase of Nigeria’s Oil Prospecting Lease (OPL 245) would result in corrupt …
OPL 245: Eni, Shell Knew of Corrupt Payments, Rules Italian Judge – THISDAYLIVE 18 Dec 2018 12:33 Nigeria Sun Peter Uzoho with agency reports
An Italian judge, Giusy Barbara, found yesterday that Eni and Royal Dutch Shell were fully aware that their 2011 purchase of Nigeria’s Oil Prospecting Lease (OPL 245) would result in corrupt payments to Nigerian politicians …
John Donovan’s ebooks
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.
…there remains a high degree of uncertainty regarding the potential outcome of some of these pending lawsuits, as well as their potential effect on future operations, earnings, cash flows and Shell’s financial condition.
Printed below is an English translation of an article published today by the Dutch Financial Times, 
Shell is being charged with a major explosion at the Moerdijk plant in 2014. Apart from the explosion, the oil and gas company was also summoned for the leakage of the toxic ethylene oxide from November 2015 to January 2016 in the same industrial area. The Public Prosecutor confirmed that Friday.
7 December 2018
REUTERS STAFF: AUGUST 12, 2018 / 11:12 PM
Extracts from the ebook “
By 
By 
Shell’s Norco Refinery
Reuters Staff: 12 FEB 2018
“The era of oil and gas and petrochemicals is not over, but the era of electric transport is also coming in,” van Beurden said.
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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.