Changes

Newsday reports on a successful cooptation tactic involving Shell Oil's natural gas venture [[Broadwater Energy]] and the group [[ACORN]]: "Amid its ongoing effort to garner community support for its controversial offshore natural gas terminal, Broadwater Energy yesterday announced a 10-year, $10-million initiative to fund the weatherizing of more than 2,000 houses in low-income parts of Nassau and Suffolk counties. Critics of the proposed offshore terminal blasted the idea as a naked attempt to buy friends for a project about which they have raised a host of environmental and economic objections. ... The program would be administered by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN... But outspoken Broadwater critic Adrienne Esposito ... called the program 'a bribe to bring good public relations points. A lot of money doesn't make Broadwater a better project.' ... Partnerships with third parties who have some community credibility is a common strategy in advancing controversial projects, according to [CMD's] Sheldon Rampton [who said] 'I think the community ought to look carefully at what they're getting themselves into. Would [Broadwater parent] Shell Oil be doing this project if they weren't planning to build the natural gas terminal?' " [http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-bzbroad015237500jun01,0,5910765.story]

"The withdrawal of 326 staff and contract workers from the remote flow stations in the swampy region comes after the centres were shut down following a bomb attack on the pipeline linking them to the main export terminal last week," Freeman wrote, and the "evacuation will delay repairs to the pipe which carries 106,000 barrels a day, around 10 per cent of Shell's oil output from Nigeria. The move has raised fears that international companies may permanently quit the turbulent delta area if the Government, a key Western oil ally, fails to rein in the militias."

"In a bid to underline its 'green' credentials, Shell is currently sending a fleet of Volkswagen Golfs in [Around the World in 80 Days' protagonist Phileas] Fogg's footsteps, on an expedition 'around the world in 50 fill-ups'," reports The Independent. The goal is "to win a place in the Guinness Book of Records for circumnavigating the globe in the most fuel-efficient manner possible," using "Shell's specially customized vehicles." However, unlike Fogg, Shell's journey will avoid Africa. Guy Adams writes, "Shell has a - shall we say? - dodgy record in those parts, as a result of its ongoing operations in Nigeria." Environmental, social and human rights concerns - including the 1995 murder of Ken Saro-Wiwa - have resulted in Shell boycotts. Shell spokespeople have called Nigeria the company's "worst public relations nightmare," according to the Multinational Monitor. But the company insists that its "strange itinerary" is simply due to "difficulties taking all the cars through customs" in Africa. [http://news.independent.co.uk/people/pandora/article344467.ece]

"As an industry, we have not done a good job about educating people and talking about how gas prices are set," explained Shell's senior media relations specialist, [[Darci Sinclair]]. So, over the next two years, Shell "will send its senior leaders on a 50-city 'tour'," reported ''PR Week'' in June 2006. Shell president [[John Hofmeister]] and other executives will hold "one-on-one and group meetings, receptions, speeches, and other events with local chambers of commerce, rotary clubs, educational institutions, media members, environmental groups, government officials, Shell employees themselves, and others." The goal is to reach 10,000 people in total, in cities including Dallas, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Seattle, Charlotte and Honolulu. Like other oil companies and the industry group [[American Petroleum Institute]], Shell is trying to counter public anger at high oil prices and "windfall profit" tax proposals. [http://www.prweek.com/us/news/article/563530/Shell+tour+US/]

In May 2007, ''USA Today'' described one of Shell's "tour" stops, in Richmond, Virginia. The small, invite-only audience ranged "from supportive state politicians to deeply skeptical environmentalists," and was "selected by Shell's public relations agency, [[Burson-Marsteller]]." At the event, Shell president John Hofmeister "deftly field[ed] even the most pointed questions," commending but then passing on one environmentalist's challenge to support higher automobile fuel economy standards. Hofmeister frequently alluded to "the need to tap into offshore oil reservoirs." Shell wants to drill off Virginia's southern coast, but the idea "remains controversial and requires congressional approval." [http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/2007-05-11-shell-usat_N.htm]

In March 2004, the controversy over the exaggeration of the oil and gas reserves of Shell resulted in the resignation of the then chairman, Philip Watts, and Walter van de Vijver, who was responsible for exploration and production. In an attempt to manage the crisis Shell hired the [[Brunswick Group]] to help it manage the crisis. "Brunswick has recently come on board, but we don't really say much more about what they do," Corrigan told ''PR Week''.

The company spent $2,428,696 for [[lobbying]] in 2006. $340,000 went to two outside [[lobbying firms]] with the remainder being spent using in-house lobbyists.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/lobbyists/clientsum.asp?txtname=Shell+Oil&year=2006 Shell Oil lobbying expenses], ''Open Secrets.''</ref>

From Shell's website (accessed February 16, 2007): [http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=aboutshell-en&FC2=&FC3=/aboutshell-en/html/iwgen/at_a_glance/at_a_glance_09112006.html]

*[[Jeroen van der Veer]], Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell,

*[[Rob Routs]], Executive Director Downstream Oil Products & Chemicals

Website: http://www.shell.com

*[[Race-baiting Strategy Helps Keep Shell Pumping in Nigeria]]

*[[Coalition for Southern Africa]] (describes Shell's "Neptune" strategy for engagement with apartheid in South Africa)

*[[Edelman]], the PR firm that helped Shell "bring the gasoline experience home to consumers in a hands-on fashion" in 2007 [http://www.prweek.com/us/news/article/633511/Shell-mobile-marketing-effort-drives-home-its-fuel-message/]

<references />

*Michael Renner, [http://www.corpwatch.org/issues/PID.jsp?articleid=5529 The New Oil Order. Washington's War on Iraq is the Lynchpin to Controling Persian Gulf Oil], ''Foreign Policy in Focus'' at CorpWatch, February 14, 2003.

*Katherine Griffiths and Danielle Rossingh, "[http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/story.jsp?story=511524 Shell non-execs hire advisers as van de Vijver speaks out]," ''Independent'' (UK), April 15, 2004.

* Terry Macalister, [http://environment.guardian.co.uk/energy/story/0,,2080466,00.html Shell under fire over efforts to paint itself green], ''The Guardian'', Wednesday May 16, 2007.

*Lianne Gutcher, "[http://www.sundayherald.com/business/businessnews/display.var.1758255.0.former_shell_executive_accuses_oil_firms_of_hypocrisy_over_human_rights.php Former Shell executive accuses oil firms of ‘hypocrisy’ over human rights: Firms condemned for failing to back up ethical policies]," ''Sunday Herald'' (Scotland, UK), October 14, 2007.

[[Category:Corporations]][[category:oil industry]][[Category:Corporations Targeted by BEN Campaigns]]