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Tag: shell

  • Shell sells LPG marketing business in Hong Kong

    Shell sells LPG marketing business in Hong Kong

    Shell has completed the sale of the first phase of its Hong Kong and Macau liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) marketing business to DCC LPG on 31st December 2017.

    The company, in a statement, said it  continues to operate the LPG plant in Hong Kong, which is part of the second phase of the transaction and that the issue is subject to conditions, including regulatory approvals.

    The sale of Shell’s entire LPG business in Hong Kong and Macau was announced on 5 April 2017 for an agreed total transaction value of approximately US$ 150 million. As part of the sale, Shell branded LPG products will continue to be available in Hong Kong and Macau via a long-term brand license agreement with DCC LPG.

    The sale does not impact any of Shell’s other businesses and Shell remains committed to helping meet growing energy demand in Hong Kong and Macau.

    Similarly, the oil giant said the agreement it signed with Dansk Olieselskab AS (DO) in September 2016 regarding the sale of A/S Dansk Shell, which consists of the Fredericia refinery and local trading and supply activities, has terminated and the sale will not complete.

    A/S Dansk Shell, including the refinery and local trading and supply activities, will remain under Shell’s ownership and continue business as usual.

    Shell Group’s $30 billion divestment programme remains on track to complete in 2018, with deals worth $23 billion completed, $2 billion announced and $5 billion in advanced progress.

     

  • Rivers, Shell sign MoU on gas supply

    The Rivers State Government and Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG,have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the distribution of gas to industries in the Greater Port Harcourt area and its environs.

    MoU sets out broad terms and conditions to guide co-operation between the two parties in the development of new gas distribution opportunities in the Greater Port Harcourt area and its environs, in addition to its existing gas distribution network in the State.

    “The agreement is key to government’s efforts aimed at boosting industrialisation in Rivers State,” said Richard Hart, Permanent Secretary,  Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, who signed for the government.

    He said: “We believe that the agreed terms in the MoU will lead to the signing of the “Build-Operate-Own-and Transfer” (BOOT) agreement early next year, so businesses can begin to reap the benefits of a steady source of energy.”

    SNG Managing Director, Ed Ubong, who also signed for hiscompany, said the partnership was an opportunity to further promote gas as a more reliable, cleaner and cost-effective alternative to liquid fuels in the Niger Delta.

    “Gas is the key to boosting industrialization. It is no coincidence that states that currently do well on internal revenue generation have also encouraged the use of gas to boost industrial output, which in turn provides employment and improved livelihood, Obong said, adding that SNG is grateful to the Rivers State government for the foresight and co-operation in signing  the MoU, and will reciprocate the gesture by taking every step to fulfill its obligations in the agreement.

    In his comment, Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor harped on the leadership role of Shell in the domestic gas market, saying, “for more than 50 years, Shell has been in the forefront of the campaign to develop and monetise Nigeria’s huge resources and it is good to see SNG continuing in the tradition to grow the domestic gas market and also help to improve lives and earnings in Rivers State.”

     

  • $1.1b Malabu bribe: Shell, Eni for trial

    $1.1b Malabu bribe: Shell, Eni for trial

    Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Eni SpA senior executives will face trial for alleged  $1.1 billion bribery in Nigeria, an Italian judge ruled yesterday.

    The trial will start on March 5 in Milan, Justice Giusy Barbara ruled.

    The long-awaited decision, initially expected several months ago, will not only affect the two companies but 11 individuals, including Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi.

    The case is related to the acquisition of a deepwater oil-prospecting licence by Eni and Shell in the Gulf of Guinea in 2011. Prosecutors allege that the two companies’ payment of almost $1.1 billion into a Nigerian government escrow account was later distributed as payoffs.

    While energy producers have come under scrutiny for bribery and corruption in the past, a trial centered around the sitting CEO of an oil major is rare.

    “This is really quite a big precedent-setting case,” said Barnaby Pace, a campaigner at watchdog Global Witness, which first shone a light on the alleged transactions. “It’s unusual to see oil majors at the sharp end of the stick in this way,” Pace said before the decision was announced.

    Shell said that it is “disappointed” by the judge’s decision. “We believe the trial judges will conclude that there is no case against Shell or its former employees,” said Anna Haslam, a London-based spokeswoman.

    The Anglo-Dutch company, whose former upstream director Malcolm Brinded is among those facing trial, acknowledged in April that it was aware of the destination of part of the payments, but denied wrongdoing.

    Eni’s board released a statement expressing “full confidence in the correctness and integrity of both the company’s and chief executive’s actions,” and said it’s confident of Eni’s “non-involvement in the alleged illegal conducts.”

    Brinded said on yesterday he’s “disappointed” by the decision and insisted “there is absolutely no basis for the charges against me.”

    A final court ruling may take years, potentially bringing steep legal costs for the two companies. The average length of a civil trial in Italy was 460 days in 2016, according to the Ministry of Justice.

    Shell and Eni are also facing criminal charges in Nigeria over the same deal. In Europe, Dutch investigators visited Shell’s offices in The Hague in 2016 as part of a probe into the same matter.

  • Malabu: Italian court orders trial of Shell, Eni

    An Italian court has approved the prosecution of Royal Dutch Shell and Eni in the controversial sale of oil prospecting lease (OPL) 245 oil block.

    OPL 245 is located in an extremely rich oilfield in the Niger Delta, estimated to worth half a trillion dollars.

    The sale of the block has been replete with allegations of graft amid lawsuits.

    A judge in Milan ordered that Claudio Descalzi, an Eni executive, and his predecessor, Paolo Scaroni, should be tried on allegations of impropriety in the deal.

    The trial is expected to commence on March 5.

    But Eni has distanced its directors from any misdeed in the purchase of the lucrative oilfield.

    “Eni’s Board of Directors has reaffirmed its confidence that the company was not involved in alleged corrupt activities in relation to the transaction.

    “Eni expresses its full confidence in the judicial process and that the trial will ascertain and confirm the correctness and integrity of its conduct.

  • PETAN honours Shell for promoting Nigerian content

    PETAN honours Shell for promoting Nigerian content

    The Petroleum Technologies Association of Nigeria (PETAN) has honoured Shell companies in Nigeria with the Aret Adams Award for Excellence in recognition of its “outstanding contributions to the growth of local content in the Nigerian oil and gas industry”.

    PETAN, comprising 89 indigenous companies in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry, announced the recognition at the 2017 award night in Lagos, the 3rd corporate laurel to be won by Shell from the organisation.

    Shell had won PETAN’s Local Content Operator of the Year awards in 2013 and 2015.

    Speaking at the awards ceremony, PETAN President, Bank-Anthony Okoroafor acknowledged Shell’s leadership role in local content development and said the award was well-deserved.

    He added: “Indigenous companies look to leveraging growth opportunities in the industry.”

    Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and production Company Ltd (SNEPCo) Bayo Ojulari, who represented Shell companies in Nigeria, thanked PETAN for the recognition.

    He said: “At Shell, we see local content as a critical business enabler, not just a regulatory requirement, and that is why we took cogent steps to encourage community and Nigerian contractors even before the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act was enacted in 2010.

    “Today, these steps have matured as contracts and funding and other capacity building initiatives as well as highly rewarding collaborative engagements with Nigerian oil and gas professionals in Scotland and suppliers in China. We are pleased that the milestones have been recognised by PETAN and other organisations.”

    The Lagos event also featured awards to other intentional oil companies and Nigerian service providers.

    Shell Companies in Nigeria awarded 94% of their total number of contracts to Nigerian companies in 2016, with the total value amounting to $0.74 billion.

    In a related development, 110 persons have completed the Shell/PETAN Internship Programme designed to support efforts towards tackling the shortage of competent manpower in some critical disciplines in the oil and gas industry, with emphasis on geology and engineering.

  • Shell unveils next stage of clean energy initiatives campaign

    Shell unveils next stage of clean energy initiatives campaign

    •Collaborates with bio-bean, coffee-drinkers to power London buses

    Shell has unveiled the next  “makethefuture” campaign targeted at discovering more innovations that will help to enhance the provision of more clean energy while securing global energy security.

    The campaign with a unique music video called ‘On Top of the World’, showcased various clean energy initiatives.

    Nigerian music icon and multiple award nominee, Yemi Alade, joined other international stars at the launch.

    Aside Alade, ‘On Top of the World’ features four other global recording artists – including Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson and British songstress Pixie Lott – and uses cutting-edge custom animation to help each star demonstrate the impact of clean energy projects supported by Shell around the world, including Nigeria, Brazil, China, the United States, Kenya, India, Germany and the United Kingdom (UK).

    The video showcases both ‘bright energy ideas’ created by entrepreneurs supported by #makethefuture campaign, and some projects funded by Shell and its partners to create more and cleaner energy solutions, including Insolar: which provides solar energy access to low income communities in Brazil,     GravityLight: which creates sustainable and cleaner electricity for families and children in Kenya;  Shell Natural Gas: which enables cleaner cooking with natural gas, saving families invaluable time in India; Shell Foundation Clean Cookstoves: which brings clean cook stoves to families and creating healthier homes in China; and  Shell Hydrogen: which creates additional cleaner transport choices for the future in the US, Germany and the UK.

    According to Shell, campaign is the latest in the #makethefuture global energy relay, that began in last year with the launch of the ‘Best Day of My Life’ music video, which topped viral video charts and became one of the most viewed online videos of the year.

    Alade, Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson, British songstress Pixie Lott, and Brazilian chart-topper Luan Santana reunite, and are joined by Indian talent Monali Thakur to cover the Imagine Dragons’ hit ‘On Top of the World’.

    General Manager, External Relations, Shell Nigeria, Igo Weli, said: “This array of award-winning music stars, including our multiple award nominee Yemi Alade, is to draw many people into the conversation around access to more and cleaner energy. Leveraging the power of music underscores the universal importance of the energy relay and the need for collaboration among business, communities, entrepreneurs, influencers and citizens.”

    Alade said: “Music offers a good platform to draw attention to the energy needs of the world and the potential of new clean energy solutions. This is, particularly, true in Nigeria where we are working hard to provide the energy the nation badly needs to develop. I’m happy to be part of this energy relay to encourage people to look at the innovative side of life. This is what the #makethefuture campaign seeks to achieve in the energy space.”

    Alade, who won the 2015 MTV African Music Award Best Female Artist, joined Shell-organised 50 Night tour of Kenya in October last year to celebrate the benefits and installation of GravityLight in some Kenyan communities after she united with Jennifer Hudson and four other leading recording artists in Rio, Brazil on Best Day of My Life music video for #makethefuture.

    Also, Shell and bio-bean are helping to power some of London’s buses using a biofuel made partly from waste coffee grounds, a development that has triggered renewed challenge to Nigerian beneficiaries of Shell’s LiveWIRE programme to join in the innovative search for bright energy ideas.

    This latest Shell-bio-bean collaboration is part of Shell’s #makethefuture energy relay, which supports entrepreneurs turning bright energy innovations into a positive impact for com-munities around the world.

    Managing Director, The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, said he was excited about emerging energy ideas through innovations and collabo-rations supported by Shell’s LiveWIRE programme, and sees the potential of smart energy ideas being developed in Nigeria.

    “By continuing the conversation on providing a wider, more sustainable mix of energy resources for the world’s growing population, Shell is provoking thoughts on tomorrow’s solution, and I see the potential for a replication of the bio-bean technology in Nigeria where more than 275 million cups of coffee are consumed in a year,” he said. “It is an indication that by rethinking our approach to waste, we can create smarter cities and a brighter future for our country.”

    The bio-bean inventor, Arthur Kay, is a recipient of Shell’s LiveWIRE Innovation Award, which supports young entre-preneurs with pioneering ideas to create a brighter energy future. He described the bio-bean technology as “the fuel of choice for households looking for a high-performance, sustainable way to heat their homes – and now, with the support of Shell, bio-bean and Argent Energy have created thousands of litres of coffee-derived B20 biodiesel which will help power London buses for the first time.”

    In its 14-year history in Nigeria, Shell’s LiveWIRE has produced  entrepreneurs who benefited from business training and start-up grants, making them employers of labour.Three of the past bene-ficiaries were recently nominated for this year’s Shell group Top 10 Innovators award where two of them — Precious Adeho, owner of Emobella Engineering Nig Ltd, and Atalor Ngozi Deborah of De-rahbs Energy Services won in the merit category.

    Nigeria has also benefited from innovations and inventions from Shell’s LiveWIRE with the building of Africa’s first human and solar powered football pitch at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos, unveiled in 2015 in collaboration with global music star, Akon. The pitch uses Pavegen tiles invented by young British entrepreneur and Shell LiveWIRE beneficiary, Laurence Kemball-Cook, to convert power from footsteps into renewable that lights the pitch at night.

    Over the years, SPDC has supported students from Nigeria’s universities to participate in the global Shell Eco-Marathon, a global competition that sees students design ultra-efficient cars, and challenges them to see which can travel furthest on one litre of fuel.

  • Why six power plants are idle, by Shell

    Why six power plants are idle, by Shell

    Six power plants remain idle because of lack of gas to fuel their operations, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), has said.

    Its  Senior Commercial Adviser, Upstream Gas,  Emmanuel Anyaeto, said the plants could not operate as there was no infrastructure to convey gas to their locations.

    He spoke on the sidelines of ‘Gas Aggregation Buyers’ Forum’ orginised by the Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria (GACN), in Abuja, yesterday.

    He said gas producers were also reluctant to supply them gas owing to their rising debt profile which was almost hitting $500million.

    He said Nigeria needed about two billion standard cubic feet of gas to meet its requirement for both domestic and power plants.

    Anyaeto said: “The reason is because we have about six power plants in this country that are standing idle that are not getting gas. The reason why they are not getting gas, even though we are flaring 800million scuf per day is that we don’t have enough pipelines to deliver the gas to the power plants.

    “That begs the question, why were the power plants built far away from where the gas is? he queried, pointing out that the that most of the producers are owed a lot of money. The producers are being owed close to $500million today.”

    He said the power plants, are government owned, but since the government is not paying, the producers now require a guarantee  that they woul be paid upon supply of gas.

    This condition, Anyaeto said, is what the government is yet to  fulfill that has culminated in the shortage of gas for the power plants.

    He said the  amount of investment needed to meet the two billion SCUF in Nigeria is about $6million for gas, pipelines and other infratsuture.

    According to him, producers were readily available for the gas business, but the challenge was whether customers are available to pay for the gas.

    Also speaking, GACN Managing Director, Morgan Okwoche, said the Gas Purchase Agreement (GPAs) that was signed was not effective because there was no security for the electricity generation companies (GenCos), that needs a back up, while the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) was yet to come up with any security instrument.

    He said the N701billion intervention from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), was not was extended to the gas producers, stressing that GACN is in a position to certify any invoice dispute free.

    He said GACN wrote to  NBET and the Minister of Power to involve the company to help in disbursing the N701billion to avoid dispute in the future.

  • Shell companies bag awards

    Shell companies bag awards

    Shell companies in Nigeria (SCiN) are the 2017 Best in sustainability and innovation in Africa, beating two other finalists at the 11th edition of the Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards (SERAs) for Corporate Social Responsibility in Lagos last Friday.

    Shell companies also defeated three other contestants to win the Best Company in Affordable and Clean Energy, and got the second runner-up prize for the Most Socially Responsible Nigerian Company for the year.

    “We’re delighted at the continued recognition of our modest support to Nigeria and Nigerians to make life better and create opportunities to individuals and institutions, particularly in our host communities,” said the Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and country Chair, SCiN, Mr. Osagie Okunbor.

    “We are challenged by these laurels to do even more as CSR remains part of the DNA of the Shell business, and we are striving to improve our partnership with NGOs, government and communities to ensure that our people participate more in the execution of programmes and own them for greater sustainability,” he added.

    Leveraging its support for entrepreneurs for bright energy ideas through the globally acclaimed Shell LiveWIRE programme, SPDC showcased its numerous social intervention programmes, including the training and empowerment of hundreds of youths, particularly in its host communities to clinch the prize as the best company in affordable and clean energy.

    The sustainability innovation award resulted from the renewable energy solution as an alternative for powering the Shell-supported Obio Cottage Hospital, Port Harcourt, which led to significant cost savings in energy consumed and enabled the hospital to focus its resources on its core aspiration of providing quality healthcare for the people. Due to its success, the solution has been replicated in seven other Shell-supported health facilities in the Niger Delta.

    The SERA–CSR Awards is an annual event to celebrate organisations investing resources in the improvement of lives of stakeholders and contributing to the development of Africa through their social performance and investment programmes.

    A total of 26 awards were won by corporate organisations and individuals in recognition of their sustainable development and social investment efforts in Africa.

    Apart from their three winning entries, Shell companies also got nominated in four other categories: Best Company in Poverty Eradication; Best Company in Provision of Clean Water and Sanitation; Best Company in Partnership for Development; and Best Company in Support of SMEs.

    Shell Companies in Nigeria – SPDC, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), and Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG) work with the government, communities and civil society to implement programmes that have  lasting impact on lives in the Niger Delta and Nigeria as whole.

    Social investment activities focus on community and enterprise development, education, health, access-to-energy and since 2016, road safety. This, however, exclude community-driven development programmes and initiatives delivered through the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU), which focuses on various themes as determined by benefiting communities.

  • Shell, bio bean launches initiative to power buses with biofuel

    Shell, bio bean launches initiative to power buses with biofuel

    Shell and bio-bean are helping to power some of London’s buses using a biofuel made partly from waste coffee grounds, a development that has triggered renewed challenge to Nigerian beneficiaries of Shell’s LiveWIRE programme to join in the innovative search for bright energy ideas.

    This latest Shell-bio-bean collaboration is part of Shell’s #makethefuture energy relay, which supports entrepreneurs turning bright energy innovations into a positive impact for communities around the world.

    Managing Director, The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, says he is excited about emerging energy ideas through innovations and collaborations supported by Shell’s LiveWIRE programme, and sees the potential of smart energy ideas being developed in Nigeria.

    “By continuing the conversation on providing a wider, more sustainable mix of energy resources for the world’s growing population, Shell is provoking thoughts on tomorrow’s solution, and I see the potential for a replication of the bio-bean technology in Nigeria where more than 275 million cups of coffee are consumed in a year,” he said. “It is an indication that by rethinking our approach to waste, we can create smarter cities and a brighter future for our country.”

    The bio-bean inventor, Arthur Kay, is a recipient of Shell’s LiveWIRE Innovation Award, which supports young entrepreneurs with pioneering ideas to create a brighter energy future. He described the bio-bean technology as “the fuel of choice for households looking for a high-performance, sustainable way to heat their homes – and now, with the support of Shell, bio-bean and Argent Energy have created thousands of litres of coffee-derived B20 biodiesel which will help power London buses for the first time.”

    In its 14-year history in Nigeria, Shell’s LiveWIRE has produced hundreds of entrepreneurs who benefited from business training and start-up grants, making them employers of labour. Three of the past beneficiaries were recently nominated for the 2017 Shell group Top 10 Innovators award where two of them — Precious Adeho, owner of Emobella Engineering Nig Ltd, and Atalor Ngozi Deborah of De-rahbs Energy Services won in the merit category.

    Nigeria has also benefited from innovations and inventions from Shell’s LiveWIRE with the building of Africa’s first human and solar powered football pitch at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos, unveiled in 2015 in collaboration with global music star, Akon. The pitch uses Pavegen tiles invented by young British entrepreneur and Shell LiveWIRE beneficiary, Laurence Kemball-Cook, to convert power from footsteps into renewable that lights the pitch at night.

  • Bonga spill: Group drags Shell to UK court over $3.6B fine

    A group, Oil Spill Victims Vanguard (OSPIVV), has dragged the Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO), to a United Kingdom’s court over failure to pay a $3,600,191,206 compensation fine to victims and communities affected by the 2001 Bonga Oil Fields spill.

    Speaking to journalists in Effurun in Uvwie Council Area of Delta State on Friday, OSPIVV Director, Harrison Jalla, disclosed that he filed a “Pre-Action Notice” on September 21, 2017 in the TCC High Court of Justice in London through his lawyers, Johnson & Steller Solicitors of Hanover Square Mayfair, to get justice for the victims of the oil spill.

    According to Jalla, about 1,686,000 persons in over 350 communities were negatively affected by the spill.

    It will be noted that the Bonga Oil Field Spillage was alleged to have occurred due to equipment failure, discharging over 40,000 barrels of crude oil into the Atlantic Ocean.

    Jalla, while decrying the nonchalant attitude of the multinational company to constituted laws of Nigeria, as regarding their activities, said the case is within jurisdiction and all legal means to the case has been explored.