May 12th, 2023
by John Donovan.
Comments are off for this post
Shell Prelude Floating FLNG Barge: A Potentially Catastrophic Failure of Safety Standards
Posted by John Donovan: 12 May 2023
In yet another display of negligence and incompetence, Shell has shamefully suspended production at its Prelude floating LNG facility off Western Australia. The reason? A “trip.” How convenient that Shell conveniently brushes off this serious incident with such a casual technical term, downplaying the gravity of the situation.
Shell’s spokesperson, undoubtedly well-trained in corporate spin, reassures the public that they are working “methodically” to restart production, with safety apparently being their primary concern. But let’s not forget that this is the same company that has repeatedly demonstrated a reckless disregard for safety, as evidenced by the litany of incidents that have plagued the Prelude FLNG facility.read more
Upstream Online: Shell learns from Prelude challenges
Shell is currently in the process of ramping up its Prelude floating liquefied natural gas development off Western Australia, but the ambitious project …
Extract ends
Printed below are extracts from recent postings on our Shell Blog relating to the above Upstream Online article and its interview with Shell VP Prelude, Bob Jager.
Posting on 19 August 2019
I would be interested to know the content of the article just published by Upstream Online about the Prelude FLNG problems?
What I do know is that Prelude is still having difficulties in with the processed volumes of any of the three streams of product, LNG, LPG and condensate.
I have been monitoring the Marine Traffic web site with Prelude as the target. The offtake tankers, LNG or condensate, can be seen hanging around but at a greater distance from Prelude making it not as easy to keep track of as in previous occasions. The latest LNG tanker, Symphonic Breeze, has been nearby for nearly a week waiting for its nominated cargo. The demurrage costs must be quite high by now as the “notice of readiness” will have been tabled on arrival.read more
Malcolm Brinded, standing trial for Corruption in Italy over Nigerian OPL 245 oil deal, a key figure in many Shell scandals, including the tragic deaths on Brent Bravo.
EMAIL TO ALL MP’s: ON 1st OCT, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL CEO BEN VAN BEURDEN HAD ADVANCE SIGHT OF THE TOXIC FACTS SET OUT HEREIN. NO LEGAL ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO STOP YOU SEEING THIS.
Although I am not one of your constituents, I hope you agree that the safety of UK offshore workers is a matter of importance to ALL MP’s. Some unfortunate Royal Dutch Shell workers have already lost their lives. More lives are at stake. Please at least glance through the information below, which includes my name and address.
SHELL NORTH SEA PLATFORM WORKER DEATHS DESERVING A FULLY INFORMED PUBLIC INQUIRY
Just how bad does has a company have to be before the Church of England withdraws investment on ethical grounds?
You may have seen the email I recently sent to over around 1,000 parliamentarians, including senior clergy and the former Scottish Energy Minister Baroness Liddell, who, as you will see, has a Shell connection. The email was about the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and the Church of England’s significant investment in Royal Dutch Shell Plc.
Many thanks for all the responses received.
I would like to bring to your attention just one of the many scandals rattling around in Shell’s corporate cupboard.read more
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said Shell has failed to “prevent the uncontrolled release of flammable or explosive substances”.
Its inspector accused the oil major of failing to ensure valves on the rig were kept in “efficient working order and in good repair”.
Shell has been given until March 8 to comply with the improvement notice.
A spokesman for Shell UK said: “Shell UK can confirm that we were issued with an HSE improvement notice on 8th December 2017 in relation to a small hydrocarbon release on our Brent Bravo platform in the North Sea.read more
My families falling out with Shell took place over two decades ago.
Some indication of the degree of acrimony can be gauged from the content of posters Shell put on public display on 23 September 1998 at the Shell Centre in London, specifically targeting my father and me. I have never heard of a multinational corporation doing anything like this before or since.
This is what the posters said:
YOU MAY BE HANDED A LEAFLET OUTSIDE SHELL CENTRE BY MR ALFRED DONOVAN, FORMALLY OF A COMPANY CALLED DON MARKETING UK LIMITED. YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT JOHN DONOVAN, A DIRECTOR OF DON MARKETING UK LIMITED, MR ALFRED DONOVAN’S SON, HAS ISSUED A WRIT AGAINST SHELL UK CLAIMING THAT HIS COMPANY INVENTED THE SMART LOYALTY CARD PROGRAMME. MR DONOVAN’S ALLEGATIONS HAVE BEEN VERY CAREFULLY INVESTIGATED BY SHELL UK AND DISCUSSED IN DETAIL WITH MR DONOVAN AND HIS SOLICITORS. THE CLAIM IS BEING VIGOROUSLY DEFENDED. AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, MR DONOVAN HAS MADE SOME OFFENSIVE STATEMENTS ABOUT SHELL UK COLLEAGUES. WE REJECT SUCH ALLEGATIONS ABSOLUTELY AND ARE WHOLLY CONFIDENT THAT OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE ACTED IN THIS MATTER AT ALL TIMES IN GOOD FAITH AND IN LINE WITH OUR LONG STANDING BUSINESS PRINCIPLES.read more
Shell suffering legacy of BG Group negligence in maintaining safety critical equipment
Opinion from a contributor to our Shell Blog
A media article has revealed that Shell is already suffering from the legacy of BG Group negligence in maintaining safety critical equipment.
The HSE have issued an improvement notice for failing to install gas detection equipment on the Lomond Platform, despite recommendations from two separate studies.
A second improvement notice was issued for failing to test a High Integrity Protection System (HIPS) since 2014, despite the associated Performance Standard requirement to test annually.
It could be assumed that Finlayson encouraged the infamous Brent TFA during his tenure at the helm of BG to maximise production volumes (an obsession with executives), at the expense of safety system testing. That assumption would not be entirely accurate, the same culture was evident in BG Group long before. Previous failures of a HIPS testing regime had been exposed at another BG operational location, yet despite this no one was held accountable. Maybe if they had been the ‘management team’ in question would not have been implanted in Aberdeen in 2012.read more
History is repeating itself. Shell is in the news today over its dangerous North Sea oil platform activities.
Nearly 20 years ago, Shell senior management ignored warnings by HSE Auditor Bill Campbell about the Touch Fuck All regime on the Brent Bravo platform and its potential impact on worker safety. Production and profits were the overriding consideration. Maintenance records were routinely falsified. Lives were put at risk.
Shell EP MD Malcolm Brinded promised to take action based on the scandalous state of affairs Mr Campbell’s team had discovered when he led the safety audit on the platform. The promises were not kept. As a result, platform workers subsequently lost their lives in what was judged by the Scottish legal authorities to be an avoidable accident on Brent Bravo. A record-breaking fine was imposed on Shell.read more
Former Royal Dutch Shell executive director Malcolm Brinded (above left), sucked up to the Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi, the monster ultimately responsible for the Pan-Am 103 bombing and other terrorist atrocities. They include the murder of a British police constable Yvonne Fletcher shot outside the Libyan Embassy in London while policing an anti-Gaddafi demonstration. (Mr Brinded is currently embroiled in the OPL 245 Nigerian corruption scandal and previously had starring roles in the Brent Bravo “TFA” scandal and the Shell oil reserves fraud.)
By John Donovan
A chilling documentary “Mad Dog: Gaddafi’s Secret World” is currently available to view on BBC Player, but only for another 4 weeks. It is about “the dark world of Colonel Gaddafi, the Libyan dictator who combined oil and the implied threat of terror to turn western powers into cowed appeasers”.
Another throughly disreputable politician makes an appearance. The then UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is shown embracing and kissing the monstrous dictator on both cheeks before announcing a £1billion Libyan oil deal with Shell. Blair knew all about Gaddafi’s terrorist exploits, but like Shell, put money before principle, as he inevitably does. Naturally, then Shell boss Malcolm Brinded was up to his neck in the scandalous deal.read more
(BILL CAMPBELL, RETIRED HSE GROUP AUDITOR, SHELL INTERNATIONAL)
In Aberdeen and Southern operations in the eighties and nineties low oil price periods were quickly reacted to by reducing operating costs mainly maintenance and inspection which equates roughly to 70 percent of OPEX expenditure in a steady state operation with no drilling ongoing.. It is relatively easy to do.
That you suffer for these cuts further down the line with serious integrity issues is the reality of the situation where the Management team making the cuts have long since moved onwards and usually upwards.read more
After all the Royal Dutch Shell senior management promises to improve safety on Shell North Sea platforms, serious incidents continue to occur.
EnergyVoice.com is reporting that Shell workers have today been evacuated from the Brent Alpha and Bravo platforms after a crane dropped a large container into the North Sea.
Extracts
The container, which was in the process of being winched onto a support vessel when the incident unfolded, initially rested dangerously close to a mass of subsea pipelines which connect into the Far North Liquids & Associated Gas System (Flags) pipeline.read more
A safety audit on the Brent Bravo platform in 1999 led by Bill Campbell exposed a “Touch F*** All” culture with safety records routinely falsified. The damning audit report was passed to then Shell EP director Malcolm Brinded, who made promises to remedy the situation that were not kept. Instead Brinded decided to put profits before safety. Hence the subsequent deadly explosion followed by a cover-up at the highest level of Royal Dutch Shell. It seems from recently published articles that despite all the pledges and the appointment of a so-called safety Czar, nothing has changed.
By John Donovan
In 2005, Shell received a record breaking fine of £900,000 at Stonehaven Sheriff Court, for a series of safety failings on the Brent Bravo platform, which led to a gas leak inside the giant platform’s utility leg and the tragic avoidable deaths of offshore workers.
A safety audit on the Brent Bravo platform in 1999 led by Bill Campbell exposed a “Touch F*** All” culture with safety records routinely falsified.
The damning audit report was passed to then Shell EP director Malcolm Brinded, who made promises to remedy the situation that were not kept. Instead Brinded decided to put profits before safety. Hence the subsequent deadly explosion followed by a cover-up at the highest level of Royal Dutch Shell.read more
“BG Group chief executive Chris Finlayson has been ousted by the oil and gas explorer’s board following a disastrous 16 months in the job….”No one can say that we did not repeatedly warn BG Group about the competence and ethics of Chris Finlayson…
By John Donovan
The news media is reporting that former Royal Dutch Shell executive Chris Finlayson has quit as CEO of BG Group.
BG Group chief executive Chris Finlayson has been ousted by the oil and gas explorer’s board following a disastrous 16 months in the job. He is understood not to have another job to go to… In an unusually blunt statement Gould said: “The board felt that it was in the best interests of the group to accept Chris’ resignation and seek fresh leadership.” Since taking over Finlayson has presided over a succession of profit warnings and a 37% slump in annual profits…read more
Entirely the wrong man to entrust with an oversight function in relation to the safety of rail passengers. He was shunted out of Shell under a cloud. If that is a model of the Shell Prelude in the background of the photograph, it is not an encouraging omen.
Mining giant BHP Billiton has appointed former Royal Dutch Shell executive Malcolm Brinded to its board as a Non-executive Director. He is also a Non-executive Director of the Network Rail Board in the UK, where he chairs the Safety, Health and Environment Committee. (Information published today)
Ironic bearing in mind the evidence assembled by Bill Campbell, the highly respected former HSE Group Auditor of Shell International confirming that Brinded already has the blood of Shell offshore employees on his hands. The evidence relating to Shell’s notorious “Touch F*** All” safety culture on the Brent Bravo North Sea Platforms while Brinded was in charge, includes tape recorded conversations with senior Shell officials.read more
Despite all promises to the contrary, Shell is still putting monetary considerations before safety. Just read some of the recent articles about Shell’s reckless conduct in offshore Alaska. It put the lives of offshore workers and the environment at risk to avoid a potential multimillion dollar tax bill. Personally, I do not believe enough attention has been drawn to the ethical issue of Shell deliberately putting peoples lives at risk in a calculated gamble.
Royal Dutch Shell Safety Last, not First
By John Donovan
Despite all promises to the contrary, Shell is still putting monetary considerations before safety.
Just read some of the recent articles about Shell’s reckless conduct in offshore Alaska.
It put the lives of offshore workers and the environment at risk to avoid a potential multimillion dollar tax bill.
This extract from a US News & World Report article published yesterday is typical of the many comments published elsewhere:
Notably, in September 2012, a Royal Dutch Shell drilling rig ran aground in Alaska as workers attempted to tow it beyond the state’s waters. A Coast Guard report released Friday found that the Anglo-Dutch oil company decided to move the rig – and insisted on doing so through dangerous stormy weather – to avoid paying new Alaskan taxes. The report also detailed myriad safety issues.read more
OFFSHORE EXPERT: “Having read this Prelude document a few times to take it all in, it seems to me that the main issue is how do you design for a 10,000 year event?” COMMENT: “I am not an expert and would only say that so-called 10,000 year weather events seem to be occurring annually at the moment. If Noah was still around, and residing in Southern England, he might well be looking for his carpentry tools.”
COMMENT FROM A RETIRED SHELL OFFSHORE MANAGER
John,
Regarding recent discussions on this website about Shell Prelude FLNG project, information available via this link provides useful input.
The 28 page section of a 75 page Shell document gives a description of the development and goes into great detail, providing answers to most of the issues raised by a fellow Shell Retiree.
Having read this Prelude document a few times to take it all in, it seems to me that the main issue is how do you design for a 10,000 year event?
The many issues raised with respect to cyclonic activity, waves, wind and the ability to weather vane are answered. There are two thrusters located near the stern with a total power of 6 megawatts or 8,000 HP. More than ample to ensure the heading of the facility is optimum at all times. Other issues with respect to Green house gas emissions during operations and other environmental are dealt with in detail.read more
In summary, and there was evidence in 1999 to support this to a degree, Finlayson (right) saw himself as a victim of a brutal regime run out of Seafield House where the TFA mode was born and his MD Malcolm Brinded who was frantically doing everything in his power to suppress all this because he was seen by the Audit to be the principal architect of the demise in standards throughout the oilfield. Finlayson in my book was weak, and ineffective, promoted in my opinion into a position he wasn’t competent or willing to handle.
EMAIL SENT 21 OCT 2013 TO A THIRD PARTY BY BILL CAMPBELL, RETIRED HSE GROUP AUDITOR, SHELL INTERNATIONAL
Subject: Chris Finlayson
My dealings with Chris were a long time ago during an Audit in 1999. This Audit uncovered remarkably bad behaviour in the then Shell Expro organisation stemming from the business drivers and messages coming from the top of the organisation. I spent some hours in the presence of Aberdeen auditors trying to get Finlayson to retract his statements made to journalists and the BBC North reporter Colin Wight that the Touch F All concerns raised by workforce representatives were unwarranted whilst in fact the situation was worse, much worse than anyone outside the organisation could have envisaged. Last December on his appointment as the BG Chief the Independent newspaper (Mark Leftly) run a article on Finlayson titled if I can remember BG Chief breached safety rules when he was at Shell. Subsequently I wrote a couple of articles putting the meat on the bones of this which John Donovan published. BG given the right to reply made no comment and to date have not requested the evidence to support although this was offered to them.  In summary, and there was evidence in 1999 to support this to a degree, Finlayson saw himself as a victim of a brutal regime run out of Seafield House where the TFA mode was born and his MD Malcolm Brinded who was frantically doing everything in his power to suppress all this because he was seen by the Audit to be the principal architect of the demise in standards throughout the oilfield. Finlayson in my book was weak, and ineffective, promoted in my opinion into a position he wasn’t competent or willing to handle.  Finlayson however was the accountable person as Oil Director that position in the installation Safety Cases having prime responsibility for the health and safety of some 3000 staff offshore (taking into account both shifts so in terms of the potential loss of life this figure has to be taken for quantitative assessment of risk). After the MD brought the Audit to a premature halt Brent Bravo in particular continued to operate at intolerable risk levels. The Audit actions reluctantly accepted by Finlayson but not implemented leading inevitably to the deaths in 2003.  All that I can say in summary is that in allowing Brent Bravo in particular to continue in operation Finlayson demonstrated a callous disregard for his duty of care for the health and safety of employees, direct and indirect, offshore.  Shell appears to accept this given that raised no objections to the articles published recently to commemorate the deaths, the evidence supporting these articles can be provide to you if you think this would be helpful to your cause.  I wish you luck and if I can help with any specific questions you may have please feel free to ask.  Regards  Billread more
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JOE LYCETT DISCUSSES SHELL WITH 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
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
ROYAL DUTCH SHELL FOUNDER SIR HENRI DETERDING, NAZI FINANCIER
JOHN DONOVAN PROMOTIONAL GAMES FOR SHELL AND OTHER CLIENTS
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
Shell energy are crap:
I have been attempting to get a refund on my large credit balance for the last three Days. What a Joke! the online method doesn't work despite way to many attempts. Then transfers me to the online chat bot LOL. I would get more sense from a Indian call centre keeps bouncing me back to the online refund method. I did try phoning yesterday 27/09 but after approximately 50 mins of waiting I gave up! Bet SHELL would be straight onto me if I CANCELLED MY DIRECT DEBIT!!!
Date of experience: 28 September 2023
The worst broadband company I had dealt…: The worst broadband company I had dealt with. The terribly unreliable connection, drops off all the time causing issues at work since I work from home. Contacted customer service maybe 10 times but nothing resolved. After a year of struggling , I decided to terminate the contract 6 months earlier and pay the penalty. I will never ever work with this company...
Date of experience: 29 September 2023
Dire ‘customer service’.: I have just called to ask if I can lower my payments from 1st October due to the change of energy prices. The lady on the other end of the phone (South African accent) said ‘don’t you think you should call back on the 1st October?’ in such a
condescending and unprofessional
tone. I was gobsmacked! Whoever this lady is, she really needs to learn some customer service skills if she answers phones for a living. I told her I’d call back to speak to someone helpful.
Date of experience: 27 September 2023
Constant Debt Collection Calls:
I moved into a new house, and pretty much straight away I was getting called from a debt collection company, sometimes multiple times a day.
It wasn't even my debt, it was the previous owners unpaid energy bill with Shell Energy.
After a few weeks of constant calls I set up a direct debit and paid anything I owed to Shell. I asked for the calls from the debt company to stop. They didn't.
Eventually it did die down. However one month, after paying my direct debit, there was £20 still left to pay.
I wasn't aware of this and hadn't received any email asking me to pay. Instead I started getting calls from the debt collection company over £20 I owed, which had been on my account for about a week, and which I wasn't even notified about.
It's basically become harassment which is completely underserved. Even when I was on holiday I was getting constant calls.
I think it's a ridiculous way to treat customers and I will be switching energy provider as soon as I can. I've compared the energy rates and they aren't even that good.
My advice to anyone thinking of going with Shell Energy would be to avoid and go elsewhere.
Date of experience: 29 September 2023
Shockingly terrible service: I have never encountered such terrible customer service.
I am the landlord for the property in question. My previous tenants vacated the property without notice on 21 July 2023, however they notified Shell energy that they left on 10 July 2023. I am now receiving bills at my property for the period 10 July 2023 onwards. I cannot be held liable for paying my tenants bills. They switched to Shell Energy themselves. Any debt that they have, Shell is responsible for chasing up with them, not me!
I have provided the first tenancy agreement, final tenancy agreement, dated photos of gas and electric meter and dated CCTV footage of the tenants relative dropping off the keys at my property explaining that they had moved out of the property and gone to Romania, on 21 July 2023. How is this not sufficient evidence? This is absolutely unbelievable!
I spent 3 hours this morning trying to resolve this mess, and the issue still remains. I was transferred 4 times from person to person. Then I was told systems were down and to contact you via live chat. I was then told by live chat that this query cannot be resolved via live chat after and hour. I have sent about 6 emails now.
Can someone with clear English please contact me to resolve this as soon as possible. I am sick to death of trying to chase this up. I will be seeking legal advise if this isn’t sorted out swiftly.
Date of experience: 29 September 2023
where do i start!: where do i start!, had three phone calls then hang up when i answer, when i phone back get through to at least five people who just want me to have smart meters thats all the know, must be on a commision, all i wanted was a gas meter finaly got through to someone who seemed to know what they were talking about. said i needed an mprn number needed to phone 08000294285 which turned out to be uk electric, just spent another half an hour listning to a music backround sent through another three people, to set up an account for gas, got through to a nice gentleman who told me i need an mprn number, he told me it will be on the meter when fitted at least he never gave me a phone number.no i dont want your smart meters. Had to edit got another phone call hung up when i answered as usual left a message said i need to set up an account or i wont get meter, spoke to a nice lady who put me straight though to sales? spoke to david who is putting me through to sales more crappy music still waiting. I should go on ebay buy a meter and stick it in myself lol. just spoke to a very nice lady who sorted it all out for me, make her head of training.
Date of experience: 27 September 2023
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