Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron, Total and BP together have spent more than $1 billion on public relations since the Paris Agreement.

• By Alexander C. Kaufman
• Chris D’Angelo, HuffPost US
• 22 March 2019

The world’s five largest publicly traded oil companies are increasing their investments in oil and gas, putting a combined $110 billion in new fossil-fuel production.

Meanwhile, those firms are projected to spend just $3.6 billion on low-carbon investments, such as biofuels and renewables, according to a new analysis that Influence Map, a British nonprofit that analyzes corporate influence on climate policy, derived from industry data and numbers buried in company disclosures.

The reckless disparity comes just months after the United Nations warned that the world must rapidly phase out fossil fuel use over the next decade or face catastrophic global warming of at least 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. read more

Royal Dutch Shell Fat Cat CEO Ben van Beurden gives a subservient bow to Russian Dictator Putin on Good Friday, 18 April 2014

Article source:sputniknews.com Published: 2019/3/19 18:16:45

Russia could become the largest natural gas producer in the world, Ben van Beurden, the CEO of Shell, wrote in an article for RIA Novosti. “The world needs more natural gas to meet rising energy demand, to complement renewables and to replace coal in power generation. And the opportunity for Russia is huge. It is already the world’s largest exporter of natural gas and it enjoys the world’s largest commercial gas reserves. It is the second largest producer of natural gas. It could be the largest,” van Beurden said. The Shell CEO recalled that Russia “has done so much with natural gas in very little time.” read more

Ben Van Beurden’s total pay package soared by 126% last year: Last year, over a quarter of Shell’s investors voted against Mr van Beurden’s pay at the energy giant’s annual meeting

By JANE DENTON FOR THISISMONEY: PUBLISHED: 16:01, 14 March 2019 | UPDATED: 16:04, 14 March 2019

The boss of oil and gas giant Royal Dutch Shell received a 126 per cent pay rise last year.

Chief executive Ben Van Beurden pocketed over £17million, including a long-term incentive plan linked sum of £12.8million, up from £7.6million, and a £2.5million bonus.

In its latest results, the group said: ‘As a consequence of the LTIP vesting in particular, the single figure of remuneration for the CEO is significantly higher this year than in previous years.’ read more

In brief

*The number of accidents per man-hour worked has risen again for the first time in a long time last year.

*A series of incidents, criminal investigations and warnings from regulators are damaging Shell’s safety image.

*Shell CEO Van Beurden himself is also not satisfied and wants to do more to guarantee safety.

Printed below is an English translation of an article published today by the Dutch Financial Times, Financieele Dagblad.

Beeld: Getty Images/ bewerking: FD Studio

Shells gas leaks, fires and accidents

Bert van Dijk: 13 March 2019

Last year the number of accidents per hour worked increased at the oil company. Supervisors warn that Shell needs to do more about safety.

In December 2017, during regular maintenance work, a lifeboat suddenly came loose on the Shell platform Brent Alpha in the North Sea. The lifeboat fell into the sea and was recovered a day later. Although no one is injured, it was not the first time. In 2008, it was discovered that two lifeboats on another nearby Shell platform, Brent Bravo, were technically in such poor condition that they had to be replaced. And in 2007 a rescue boat on another Shell platform broke loose and collapsed into the sea. read more

Mark Robinson

Last week, Royal Dutch Shell (RDSB) revealed that it is facing charges in the Netherlands relating to corruption allegations surrounding a Nigerian oil bloc called OPL 245. Shell and Italian major ENI SpA (ENI.IM) acquired the licence in 2011 for around $1.3bn (£992m), but it’s alleged that a significant proportion of the monies was destined for use as kickbacks for politicians and officials, with former Nigerian oil minister Dan Etete – a convicted money launderer – acting as the principal intermediary. Although the funds were paid to the Nigerian government, it’s claimed that they found their way into the coffers of Malabu Oil and Gas — a company linked to Mr Etete. read more

Printed below is an English translation of an article published today by the Dutch Financial Times, Financieele Dagblad.

Shell enters green methanol project in Botle

Hans Verbraeken: 1 March 2019

Shell is going to co-invest in the planned construction of a green methanol plant in the Botlek in Rotterdam. The construction costs amount to more than € 200 million.

Methanol can serve as a fuel or as a raw material for making chemistry products. The oil and gas company will be the fifth participant in the consortium that has been active for one and a half years. Shell will also become a customer of green methanol as fuel.

The participation of Shell gives the other four companies in the consortium ‘extra trust’ in the project. ‘Shell has also looked and thinks it’s a great project,’ says the spokesman for the consortium, Marco Waas, director R & DI and Technology at Nouryon, one of the other four participants. Nouryon is the former chemical branch of AkzoNobel, which was sold last year. Waas is chairman of the Waste-to-Chemicals consortium. read more

“Management has been mostly concerned with cutting costs and phasing out plant equipment as it is no longer required.  …culture has been of the “don’t touch F_ck all” variety…” “I chose to work somewhere else because I felt that there was too much corruption and neglect to overcome…”

POSTING ON OUR SHELL BLOG MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2019

By “Shell Canada Insider”

SHELL CANADA: …they are wanting to sell their Alberta operations….. because there is no money left in it…they have syphoned it all off…

https://business.financialpost.com/commodities/energy/shell-seeks-sale-of-canadian-refinery-to-focus-on-lng-project

…in Caroline Alberta they had a massive sour gas leak on March 23 2003. It was in the local paper….Caroline Alberta or Sundre Alberta. (Sundre roundup)

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. read more

It is worth bearing in mind that Mr Campbell correctly predicted the tragic avoidable disaster that cost the lives of workers on the Shell Brent Bravo North Sea platform.  Shell ignored his chilling forecast put in writing that a fatal accident was inevitable.  read more

By Ivana Kottasová, CNN Business

Updated 1819 GMT (0219 HKT) February 15, 2019

London (CNN Business)Royal Dutch Shell is making a bet on home battery storage as it tries to boost its sustainable energy business. The oil giant announced Friday that it has purchased Sonnen, a German startup that makes residential battery systems that store energy generated from solar panels. The move puts Shell in direct competition with companies such as Samsung (SSNLF), LG (LPL) and Tesla (TSLA), which makes a home battery system called the Powerwall. Full Article read more

The Prelude project will be fired up 475 kilometres north-east of Broome, ready to liquefy natural gas straight from the ocean floor and ship it around the world.

Shell’s Prelude floating LNG vessel will come into production when it is safe to do so, and not before, Australia chairwoman Zoe Yujnovich told the Melbourne Mining Club today.

Ms Yujnovich also called for Australia to reconsider a carbon price as she discussed political, economic and social tensions in Australia.

In what may be an attempt to lower expectations about when first production will occur, Ms Yujnovich said the 488m-long giant was simple in concept but complex in execution. read more

By John Donovan

For several years, retired Royal Dutch Shell experts, including Bill Campbell, have rung alarm bells about safety issues in relation to Shell’s Prelude FLNG project. See Royal Dutch Shell Prelude to disaster 

We have also published related information supplied to us by an insider. The person in question has been intimately involved in the project at a high level. He is deeply concerned that warnings issued to Shell (and other parties) have been ignored and that financial considerations are taking priority over safety issues. The whistleblower supplied me with internal information and photographic material. 

Bill Campbell made a chilling assessment: “The revolutionary concept of offshore LNG installations (FLNG) is said to have economic and environmental advantages. A distinct disadvantage however is that the risks to health and safety of persons employed offshore on the LNG FPSO’s, such as Prelude, will be higher, when compared to onshore LNG plants of similar capacity, specifically the potential for loss of life; …loss of containment of hydrocarbons is likely to occur on Prelude during its operational life, either through flaws in the design, human error or failure to inspect and maintain. It’s almost inevitable.  It’s only to be hoped that the consequences of these losses never reach their full potential.”  read more

MELBOURNE, Feb. 5, 2019: By Rick Wilkinson OGJ Correspondent

The Perth-based Australian subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell PLC has begun the approval process for a potential $2-billion (Aus.) development of its Crux natural gas-condensate field in the Browse basin license AC/L9 offshore Western Australia as a tie in to the company’s Prelude floating LNG (FLNG) facilities. FULL ARTICLE read more

Printed below is an English translation of an article published today by the Dutch Financial Times, Financieele Dagblad.

Total may challenge Shell in violation of the acquisition of energy company Eneco

From our Editor

The French energy group Total is considering making an offer for the Dutch energy company Eneco. The financial press agency Bloomberg reports this on the basis of information from insiders.

Total would already have counsellors in hand to study the pros and cons of a bid. If the French continue this plan, they may expel Shell who has publicly announced that they want to acquire Eneco.

About three weeks ago, it became known that the British-Dutch oil and gas multinational and pension provider PGGM wanted to bid together for Eneco, one of the three major energy companies in the Netherlands. The combination was the first party that had publicly announced its interest. read more

Royal Dutch Shell Plc came through a quarter of volatile oil prices to beat earnings estimates, delivering a surge in cash flow the company said will underpin “world-class” returns to investors. The better-than-expected performance should help to ease questions about whether Shell can simultaneously afford to reduce debt, and complete its share-buyback program, while also paying one of the world’s largest cash dividends. Yet it also underlines some analysts’ concerns about the level of investment, as replacement of reserves fell well below average. FULL ARTICLE read more

Loppersum vibrates below the surface. From gas extraction and restrained anger. The earthquake of a year ago in the three kilometres away Zeerijp gave the last push for the Cabinet decision to close the gas tap in Groningen.

House in Loppersum that has been damaged by the gas quakes and whose façade needs to be supported.ROBIN UTRECH / HOLLANDSE HOOGTE

Printed below is an English translation of an article published today by the Dutch Financial Times, Financieele Dagblad. NAM is the Shell/Exxon Joint Venture company responsible for the earthquake blighted Groningen Gas Field and consequential potential bill for untold billions to deal with damaged residences.

‘I was not prepared for the intensity of the quake file’

By Ulko Jonker: Bas Knoop

Hans Engels is D66 party leader in the Senate. He is also mayor of the municipality of, in the epicentre of the Groningen gas drama. Interview about administrative failure, yellow vests and the Senate. “Raise it.”

The lovely Groningen Loppersum seems to be a song of praise for eternity. But the settled peace and quiet are deceitful. Where you expect the Groningen tongues in the local hotel restaurant ‘Spoorzicht’, you will hear Eastern European and Irish sounds. The menu is English. ‘They work in the Eemshaven and stay here’, says the hostess about the men who eagerly eat their bouncers and twelve hours. read more

Angry Dutch citizens on Thursday will ask their country’s highest court to put an immediate end to gas production in the Groningen region due to the risk of life-endangering earthquakes. read more