By John Donovan

The Premium Times reports that “Dan Etete, a former Minister of Petroleum caught at the heart of the $1.1 billion Malabu Oil scandal, has accused the Nigerian government of leaving out Shell and Agip in the criminal charges it filed last week.”

The same article went on to state that “Although Shell and ENI have repeatedly claimed they did not know the money was going to end up with Malabu, investigations in Nigeria and Italy, as well as leaked documents, revealed that claim to be false.” read more

Pearl GTL is the world’s largest plant to turn natural gas into cleaner-burning fuels and lubricants

By John Donovan

No response from Shell to my emails on 28 December concerning insider allegations that “Pearl’s gasifiers are crippled because of water-side corrosion on the syngas effluent cooler (SEC) tubes. The shells of all of Pearl’s SECs will have to be cut apart so the tubes can be replaced. Somebody made a massive design error.” 

Since there is no confirmation or denial, I can only assume no one is available to deal with such trifling matters in the holiday period.

No doubt the Qatar authorities will press for an answer, as did the Russian government when we passed on insider allegations in respect of the Sakhalin2 project 10 years ago. That episode cost Shell its majority stake in Sakhalin Energy and ended with the resignation of Shell exec General David Greer OBE.  read more

“Pearl’s gasifiers are crippled because of water-side corrosion on the syngas effluent cooler (SEC) tubes. The shells of all of Pearl’s SECs will have to be cut apart so the tubes can be replaced. Somebody made a massive design error.” 

JOHN DONOVAN EMAILS TO SHELL 28 DECEMBER 2016

From: John Donovan <john@shellnews.net>

Subject: Fwd: Pearl GTL gasifiers are crippled?

Date: 28 December 2016 at 18:25:12 GMT

To: Michiel Brandjes <michiel.brandjes@shell.com>

Cc: linda.szymanski@shell.com

Dear Mr Brandjes

I am contacting you as my designated contact point with Shell at least until this weekend when you retire. 

Please see my email correspondence with Neil Gilmour, Shell VP CP Integrated Gas & Projects.

Mr. Gilmour is on leave, hence my approach to you.  read more

By John Donovan

As we approach the start of 2017, Shell’s conduct in Nigeria is coming under intense scrutiny by prosecution authorities and is also the subject of civil litigation, both current and pending.

The charges include corruption, environmental contamination, and gross human rights abuses, including cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. 

Shell senior management cannot say that it was not warned. The following is an extract from a letter sent in February 2012 to Shell executives in London, Nigeria and Den Haag. read more

By John Donovan: 24 December 2016

A translation of a 12-page final report by Italian prosecutors reveals that following an extensive investigation, they intend to prosecute ENI and their apparent accomplice Shell for their roles in the OPL 245 $1.1 billion corruption scandal.

ENI seems to have been the lead partner in crime.

The following extracts are from an article published today by PremiumTimes.

The investigations also revealed that contrary to claims by Shell and Eni, officials of the Italian firm negotiated with former Nigerian petroleum minister, Dan Etete, and definitely knew the money they were paying to the Nigerian government would end up in Malabu accounts controlled by him. read more

By John Donovan

Earlier this week, on Tuesday, December 20, 2016, a U.S. website -Law360 – which reports American court proceedings, published an article about a decision made that same day by Federal U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.

Lawyers acting on behalf of Esther Kiobel had filed a petition seeking documents used in her case against Shell brought in the United States, which was ultimately thwarted by a US Supreme Court decision on extraterritoriality grounds in 2013.

The case is now being brought in the Dutch courts. read more

The Italian paper Il Fatto has published a piece with some explosive allegations about the OPL 245 deal being made by the Milan prosecutors’ at the conclusion of their investigation into Eni and Shell’s role in the OPL 245 case.

Pdf of the related Milan prosecutors notice OPL 245 investigation

Comments on this development are as follows: 

“Shady deals allow corrupt elites to profit at the expense of ordinary citizens.  Shell and Eni now have to answer to the Italian courts, the public and their shareholders for their part in the corrupt deal for OPL 245 – oil companies can’t get away with this kind of behaviour any longer” said Barnaby Pace, Campaigner at Global Witness.  read more

Obama’s April Fool’s Joke Approving Shell Arctic Drilling

By John Donovan

On 1st April 2015, President Obama’s administration upheld a 2008 lease sale facilitating Shell’s return to oil and gas drilling off Alaska.

See this Reuters Report: Here’s why Obama is approving Artic Drilling again

This decision despite Shell’s farcical exploits in 2012.  Many readers will recall that a Shell hired drilling rig – a rusty ancient vessel – ran aground after Shell sent it to sea despite a storm warning.

The reckless move was made in an attempt to evade taxes. Shell admitted, then denied, then admitted, that this was the case. read more

“Shell has insisted that they did not pay Malabu directly and that all payments went to an escrow account held by the Government of Nigeria.”

22 December 2016

The Nigerian law enforcement agency, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) has charged the former Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (2010-2015) and former Minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete (1995-1998) with money laundering. The case centres on the 2011 sale of the Nigerian oil license OPL 245, after years of investigation by NGOs Global Witness, Re: Common and Corner House into the deal. 

“We applaud the Nigerian authorities for fighting back against corruption without fear or favour, making sure there are real consequences for taking part in shady deals like with OPL 245.” said Simon Taylor, Global Witness Director.  read more

John Donovan (right) invites you to visit our sister website royaldutchshellgroup.com to see Shell breaking news stories and our Shell news archives stretching back to 1922. Our own original Shell news stories and Shell related press releases will continue to be published on royaldutchshellplc.com

By John Donovan

Following the raids earlier this year by Italian law officials on the headquarters of Eni in Milan and Royal Dutch Shell in The Hague, I was advised by a Shell insider that this subject, above all others, is the one of most concern to Shell senior management.

Now we have news that Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commision – has just filed fresh proceedings.

Investigations are already underway in a number of countries, including the UK and the United States. read more

The Shell-contracted rigs Kulluk (left) and Noble Discoverer (right) set sail from Seattle in July 2012 for Royal Dutch Shell’s ultimately unsuccessful drilling campaign offshore Alaska in Summer 2012. Photo credit: Vigor Industrial

December 19, 2016 by Bloomberg

By Jennifer A. Dlouhy

(Bloomberg) — President Barack Obama is preparing to block the sale of new offshore drilling rights in much of the U.S. Arctic and parts of the Atlantic, a move that could indefinitely restrict oil production there, according to two people familiar with the decision. read more

Written by Mark Lammey – 20/12/2016 6:00 am

While Shell has been selling assets to make good on its $30billion divestment plan for 2016-18, BP has flashed the cash with a number of big investments.

Shell said yesterday that it had raised $1.65billion (£1.33billion) in asset sales, while rival oil major BP has revealed plans to invest heavily on African licences.

Shell will make $1.4billion from the sale of a 31.2% stake in refiner Showa Shell Sekiyu to Japan’s Idemitsu Kosan, the firm said yesterday. read more

19 Dec 2016

MARTINEZ, CA. —Contra Costa Health Services is advising people to avoid the area around the Shell Refinery in Martinez this afternoon due to “excessive flaring and black smoke.”

The Health Services website issued the alert at 2:20 p.m. for the refinery at 3485 Pacheco Blvd.

People with respiratory conditions are being advised to take precautions and avoid the area.

The flaring is the result of a power outage, according to Health Services officials.

SOURCE

By Jared Stonesifer jstonesifer@timesonline.com: 19 Dec 2016

CENTER TWP. — Shell Chemicals Co. has donated $150,000 to the Community College of Beaver County to fund scholarships and help the college buy new equipment.

The money will go directly to CCBC’s process technology program, a curriculum created several years ago with Shell in mind. The associate degree program trains students for careers in manufacturing and industry, like the $6 billion ethane cracker plant Shell is planning to build in Potter Township. read more

By Zacks Equity Research   

Published on December 19, 2016

Integrated energy major Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDS.A – Free Report) and leading refining firm VARO Energy recently reported that they are in advanced discussions regarding the divestment of Shell’s 37.5% interest in the PCK Refinery in Schwedt, Germany. The PCK Refinery has the capacity to refine 220,000 barrels of oil per day.

The value of the deal has not been disclosed as yet. However, Shell expects the deal to help it focus its downstream activity on areas where it can be most competitive. read more