We have known for a long time that the Canadian government was colluding with the oil and gas industry over tar sands and its campaign against Europe’s Fuel Quality Directive (FQD). But new documents have come to light that reveal the extent of that collusion, especially between Big Oil and Natural Resources Canada, the Department...Continue reading 'Big Oil Approved Canada’s FQD Strategy'.
By John Donovan We were recently contacted by an association representing former workers at a Shell/Basf Chemicals factory in Brazil. The factory was built in 1977 by Shell. Dozens of former employees of the plant have been diagnosed with prostate, thyroid and other types of cancer, circulatory, liver and intestinal illnesses, as well as infertility and [...]
The Irish Times – Three articles, all published on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 Camcorder strangest of Corrib incidents LORNA SIGGINS ANALYSIS : THE Corrib gas controversy has been marked by flashpoints, but none more extraordinary than that which occurred on March 31st of last year. On that date, NUI Maynooth postgraduate student Jerrie Ann Sullivan was [...]
Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell today revealed that profits rose almost 50 per cent during the first three months of the year as it joined rival BP in benefiting from higher oil prices. The Anglo-Dutch firm reported earnings of $4.9bn (£3.2bn) for the first three months of the year – just one day after BP [...]
By John Donovan The Wall Street Journal has today published an article by Ben Rooney under the headline: How Shell Made It Big on Facebook It can fairly be described as a gushing piece with Mr Rooney expressing his admiration for Shell’s “impressive achievement” in managing to “clock up just shy of one million Facebook [...]
One of the dirtiest and diplomatically-brutal PR campaigns ever witnessed in Brussels has once again paid off. At the end of last week, the EU finally buckled to Canadian arm-twisting and delayed the introduction of the long awaited Fuel Quality Directive, which is designed to reduce carbon emissions from transport fuels. The European Council –...Continue reading '“Bully-Boy Canada” Delays EU Action (Again)'.
The political action committees (PACs) of five of the biggest players in the oil and gas industry donated just over $500,000 to Congressional incumbents and candidates during the first quarter of 2012. Public Campaign has just released new analysis of data filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Some key findings: Exxon’s PAC was the biggest...Continue reading 'Big Oil Donates over $500,000 to Congress in First Quarter of 2012'.
Some good news: The Environmental Protection Agency issued important rules to address air pollution from natural gas drilling, primarily fracking. Less good news: Bending to pressure from Big Oil, the measures won’t go into effect until 2015. The regulations will require that new wells capture certain smog-forming compounds, as well as methane, which is a...Continue reading 'New EPA Regs Address Fracking…in 2015'.
Organisers of the London Olympics are celebrating 100 days to go until the start of what they have called “the Greenest Games Ever”. As the real countdown to the games begins, the main sponsors of the games will be exploiting their association with the Olympics to the maximum. Take BP – Its brand is all...Continue reading '100 Days of Olympic Greenwashing'.
An independent report commissioned by the British government has confirmed that the controversial drill technique known as fracking did cause two small earthquakes, near Lancaster in North West England last year. The company concerned, Cuadrilla, halted fracking after two minor quakes were recorded in April and May, with magnitudes of 2.3 and 1.5 respectively. The...Continue reading 'Its Official: Fracking Causes Quakes'.
Late last week, the Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined plans to create “globally competitive conditions” to attract foreign investment in Russia’s largely unexplored Arctic. “Offshore fields – especially in the Arctic – are without any exaggeration our strategic reserve for the 21st century,” Putin told a meeting attended by the heads of Rosneft and Gazprom....Continue reading 'Lloyds Warns of Arctic Drilling Risk'.
Oil companies operating in the North Sea could face an estimated $13 billion (Euros 10 billion) bill in light of the Elgin gas spill which could also seriously affect their credit ratings, according to rating agency Fitch. Total’s Elgin platform in the North Sea has been leaking gas since last month with some estimates that...Continue reading 'The $13 Billion Bill for Elgin Gas Spill'.