Posts Tagged ‘Reuters’

Mon Oct 3, 2011 6:39pm BST

* Shell funded clashing armed gangs – watchdog report

* Oil major denies it caused any human rights abuses

* Company is selling off Nigerian oil blocks

By Joe Brock

ABUJA, Oct 3 (Reuters) – An industry watchdog accused Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) on Monday of funding armed gangs in Nigeria and said this had fuelled human rights abuses in Africa’s most populous nation.

The company, the biggest operator in the West African nation’s oil industry, denied the allegations.

Platform, a London-based non-government organisation monitoring the oil and gas industry, said in a 75-page report that the Anglo-Dutch major paid government forces who have attacked, tortured and killed Nigerians living in the creeks and swamplands of the Niger Delta. read more

By Yaw Yan Chong and Alejandro Barbajosa

SINGAPORE | Wed Sep 28, 2011 8:57am EDT

(Reuters) – A fire has intensified at Royal Dutch Shell’s largest refinery, its half-a-million barrel per day Singapore plant, sending a plume of black smoke over the city-state.

Shell has evacuated non-essential staff from the refining complex, Singapore’s Civil Defense Force said.

“There is a fire and it grew significantly, but I am not aware of an explosion,” said Lee Tzu Yang, chairman for Shell Companies in Singapore told Reuters. read more

Wed Sep 28, 2011 4:31am EDT

By Yaw Yan Chong and Francis Kan

(Reuters) – A fire at Royal Dutch Shell’s (RDSa.L) petroleum complex offshore Singapore is still burning but has been contained, although it was not clear what impact the blaze was having on operations.

“We confirm that a fire in the Pulau Bukom Manufacturing Site occurred today at approximately 1.15pm. Emergency responders are on the scene and the fire is contained. No injuries have been reported and the rest of the site’s operations are unaffected,” a Shell spokesman said. read more

On 12 December news surfaced that the Dutch pension fund of Royal Dutch Shell is heavily in deficit, with a 40% plunge in value as a result of share market turmoil. A $45 million exposure to the "Madoff" fraud was revealed a few days later following speculation surrounding the stability of the fund.

NEW YORK, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Shell Oil said it continued to ramp up Gulf of Mexico oil and gas production shut for hurricanes Gustav and Ike this past October.

Shell International Finance, part of Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L: Quote, Profile,Research, Stock Buzz), on Monday launched a $2.75 billion sale of 30-year notes, according to IFR.

"Cosmo and Showa Shell's main shareholders are different, so a merger is unlikely now," said UBS' Ito. Saudi Aramco increased its stake in Showa Shell to 15 percent stake in 2005, while IPIC, the investment arm of the Abu Dhabi government of the United Arab Emirates bought 20 percent in Cosmo last year to become the top shareholder.

Gunmen attacked two oil services vessels in separate incidents in Nigeria's restive Niger Delta on Thursday, kidnapping a Russian, a Mexican and seven Nigerians, security sources working in the industry said.

Gunmen attacked a convoy belonging to the Nigerian unit of U.S. oil firm ExxonMobil in the southern Nigerian state of Akwa Ibom on Wednesday, killing one person, the company said on Thursday.

In mid-2008, Gazprom said it saw Royal Dutch/Shell as one of its potential partners in LNG projects in Yamal, though time frames of projects are not yet known.

U.S. oil group Chevron developing Kazakhstan's biggest oil deposit, said on Friday it had received a note from the authorities accusing it of neglecting Kazakh as a language of business communication.

Anglo-Dutch oil major Royal Dutch Shell Plc is leading the charge but U.S. rivals Exxon Mobil and Chevron and Australia's Woodside are also eyeing Floating LNG or FLNG.

Iraq's parliamentary oil and gas committee accused the Oil Ministry on Tuesday of handing a monopoly on Iraq's southern gas fields to Royal Dutch Shell, and vowed to challenge a contract signed with the firm.

Russian oligarchs have taken effective management control of BP's Russian oil venture TNK-BP as part of an exodus of foreign executives from senior positions, according to TNK-BP sources.

LONDON, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell is expected to restart oil units at its Pernis refinery in the Netherlands on Tuesday if there are no further delays, trading sources said on Tuesday.

TOKYO, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Japan's top oil and gas explorer, Inpex Corp said on Tuesday it has received the Brazilian authorities' approval to acquire a 20 percent interest in offshore block BM-C-31 in Brazil from Royal Dutch Shell.