BBC News

Shell boss says taxing energy firms to help the poor is ‘inevitable’

By Tom Espiner: Business reporter, BBC News: 4 Oct 2022

Taxes on firms within the oil and gas industry are “inevitable” to help the poorest people, the outgoing boss of Shell has said.

Ben van Beurden said that energy markets cannot behave in a way that “damage a significant part of society”.

Households in the UK have been under pressure from rising energy bills as gas prices have soared.

The UK government under Liz Truss has pushed back against extending a windfall tax on oil and gas firms.

Last week, the EU agreed emergency measures to charge energy firms on record profits. read more

BBC News

Oil giant Shell appoints renewables head as boss

Shell is to replace its current boss Ben van Beurden with its head of gas and renewables, the oil giant has said.

Mr van Beurden will to step down at the end of 2022, and be replaced by Wael Sawan.

Mr Sawan, a duel Lebanese-Canadian national who previously led Shell’s oil and gas production business, was seen as a favourite to take the top job.

He now oversees Shell’s growth into low carbon energies as well as its giant gas business. read more

BBC NEWS

Shell staff get profits bonus as energy bills soar

• Immoral oil and gas profits must be taxed – UN

4 August 2022

Energy giant Shell is to give its workers a one-off 8% bonus after the company reported record profits from high oil and gas prices.

Most of the 82,000 staff it employs worldwide will get the pay boost but top executives will be excluded.

Shell said the award reflected its financial success and was “not a response” to the rising cost of living.

Energy firms’ bumper profits have prompted calls for tougher taxes to help families with rising bills. read more

BBC News

Greenpeace lodges legal bid to halt Jackdaw gas field in North Sea

By Kevin Keane
BBC Scotland’s environment correspondent

Greenpeace has lodged a legal challenge over consent being given to develop a large North Sea gas field.

Regulators gave the go-ahead in June for Shell to develop the Jackdaw field, which lies 150 miles east of Aberdeen.

The environmental charity believes that in granting consent, the UK government failed to consider emissions from burning the gas.

The UK government would not comment on legal proceedings but said Jackdaw would boost domestic gas supply. read more

BBC News

Energy rationing cannot be ruled out, warns Shell

Rationing of energy in Europe cannot be ruled out, the boss of energy giant Shell has warned, due to worries over the supply of gas from Russia.

Speaking at an energy conference, Ben van Beurden said a “really tough winter in Europe” was ahead, with energy prices set to see “significant” rises.

Energy prices jumped earlier this year after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Russia has also been accused of using gas “as a weapon” by limiting supplies in response to EU sanctions. read more

BBC News

Russia moves to take control of Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project

1 JULY 2022

Russia has moved to take over a major oil and gas project in which Shell has a 27.5% stake.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Thursday to take charge of the Sakhalin-2 project.

The move could force Shell and Japan’s Mitsui and Mitsubishi to abandon their investments as the economic fallout of the Ukraine war spreads.

Oil giant Shell said: “We are aware of the decree and are assessing its implications.” read more

BBC NEWS

Shell’s Jackdaw gas field given go-ahead by regulators

By Justin Rowlatt: Climate editor:

June 1st, 2022

The development of a major North Sea gas field has been approved by regulators.

The Jackdaw field, east of Aberdeen, has the potential to produce 6.5% of Britain’s gas output.

The regulatory approval comes as the UK government seeks to boost domestic energy output following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Shell’s proposals were initially rejected on environmental grounds in October. read more

Mirror.co.uk

Oil giants’ profits for three months would be enough to give every household £450

Analysis by shadow Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband shows that Shell and BP made combined profits of £12.37billion in the first quarter of 2022.

Profits made by oil giants in the first three months of this year were enough to give every household £450 towards soaring energy bills.

Analysis by shadow Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband shows that Shell and BP made combined profits of £12.37billion in the first quarter of 2022. read more

BBC NEWS

Windfall tax on energy firms still an option

By Simon Jack: Business editor: 11 May 2022

A windfall tax on big oil and gas companies to help tackle the soaring cost of living has not been ruled out, sources close to the chancellor say.

Officials say Rishi Sunak is still open to the idea if firms do not reinvest their bumper profits in the UK.

Current policy is still based on the tax deterring investment in new oil and gas fields and green technologies.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned last week it could put future UK energy security at risk. read more

skynews

Shell reportedly reconsidering decision to pull out of controversial Cambo oilfield development

The energy company halted work on the development in Scotland in December after backlash from campaigners.

Shell is reportedly reconsidering its decision to pull out of the controversial Cambo oilfield development in Scotland.

Work on the oilfield – off the coast of Shetland – was halted in December after the energy company decided to withdraw, stating the economic case for investment “was not strong enough”. read more

BBC NEWS

Shell sorry and pledges to stop buying Russian oil

Shell has pledged to stop buying oil from Russia as it apologised for its purchase of cheap Russian crude at the weekend.

The energy giant also said it would close all its service stations in the country and stop all current work in the country.

Shell came under huge criticism at the weekend after it purchased a cargo of Russian crude at a discounted price.

Its boss said on Tuesday, however, that it was wrong to buy Russian oil.

“We are acutely aware that our decision last week to purchase a cargo of Russian crude oil… was not the right one and we are sorry,” Mr van Beurden said. read more

BP to offload stake in Russian oil firm Rosneft

BBC Breaking News: 27 Feb 2022

BP is to offload its 19.75% stake in Russian state-owned oil firm Rosneft after Russia’s “act of aggression in Ukraine”.

The oil giant had come under pressure from the UK government to make the move since Thursday’s invasion.

It has held the shareholding in the Russian company since 2013.

BP chief executive Bernard Looney has resigned “with immediate effect” from the Rosneft board, as has fellow BP-nominated director Bob Dudley. read more

BBC News:

South Africa court blocks Shell’s oil exploration

28 Dec 2021

A South African court has halted oil giant Shell’s seismic testing for oil and gas along the country’s eastern coastline, pending a final ruling.

The decision has been hailed by environmentalists who fear that the sound blasting will harm marine life.

Shell said it had “paused” operations while it reviewed the judgement.

South Africa’s Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe had condemned the project’s critics, saying they wanted to deprive Africa of energy resources. read more

BBC NEWS

Cambo: Jobs warning as Shell pulls out of oil field development

Business leaders have warned that thousands of oil and gas jobs could be at risk in the UK after Shell pulled out of the Cambo oil field development.

• Located in the North Atlantic, about 125km (75 miles) north west of the Shetland islands.
• Major stakeholder is Siccar Point Energy, with a 70% stake, backed by private equity firm investors.
• Siccar Point Energy says Cambo could deliver 170 million barrels of oil over 25 years, and 53.5 billion cubic feet of gas.
• The exploration licences dates back to 2001, but UK government must approve drilling – which could start as early as 2022.

Aberdeen’s Chamber of Commerce said a “premature” end to domestic production could see some areas suffer the fate of mining communities in the 1980s.

Environmentalists say new fossil fuel projects like Cambo are incompatible with action on climate change.

Cambo’s majority stakeholder said it still planned to take it forward. read more

BBC NEWS

Oil giant Shell says it needs oil to pay for green shift

By Simon Jack Business editor: 4 Nov 2021

The boss of oil giant Shell has insisted it can transition to net zero by 2050, but it will need the cash from its oil and gas business to pay for it.

Ben van Beurden dismissed splitting its legacy oil and gas business from its renewables investment, a move urged by activist shareholder Third Point.

Talking exclusively to the BBC, he said the company’s plans for greener energy could only be funded by oil and gas. read more

Photo Credit: Photographic Services, Shell International Limited.

BBC News: Sept 1, 2021

Oil giant Shell announced on Wednesday it was aiming to install 50,000 charging points on Britain’s streets by 2025, as part of a government-backed push to increase electric vehicle numbers and reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

Shell will roll out the charging points through on-street charging point company Ubitricity, which it acquired in February.

The government has estimated that the UK will need between 280,000 and 480,000 charging points by 2030, the year it plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. read more