Wednesday, January 11, 2012

CORRIB GAS PROJECT WARNING TO SHELL

FROM IRISH GOVERNMENT

Jan 9th, 2012

Irish President Michael D Higgins and author Lorna Siggins at the launch of "Once Upon A Time in the West: The Corrib Gas Controversy." Photograph: Cyril Byrne

By John Donovan

Michael Crothers, a Shell veteran, has recently taken over as the new managing director of the Corrib Gas Project in Ireland, a project mired in controversy.

The welcome he has received from the Petroleum Affairs Division of the Irish environmental agency responsible for Energy and Natural Resources, cannot be described as warm. A written warning issued to Shell on 22 December, threatened a "cessation of works" following breaches of conditions attached to pipeline construction, granted on 25 February 2010.

In a letter dated 22 December 2011 addressed to Mr Crothers, the department notified Shell E & P Ireland (SEPIL) of a breach of the conditions governing the construction of the Corrib Gas Pipeline. The breach of Condition 2 resulted in untreated water being discharged from the Aghoose site via the natural drainage channel, contrary to the requirements of the Environmental Management Plan. Continual assessment of the works at the Aghoose compound by independent consultants also identified an ongoing breach of Condition 20 of the consent to construct.

The letter also complained about the "considerable delay" in bringing the matter to the attention of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (DCENR), leading to a delay in the government consultants Environcorp, and its independent advisers, being able to consider the implications.

Detailed information was supplied with the warning letter, which also said that the incident had highlighted procedural concerns. The letter demanded that "any environmental incident, whether identified by SEPIL, or during inspections by third parties, must be reported immediately to DCENR."

An attached ENVIRON report recommended: "In addition to the corrective actions being implemented by SEPIL, we further recommend that SEPIL reviews their management control and training procedures to ensure that similar failures of procedure do not re-occur."

The cover letter went on to warn:

Should there be future incidents of continuing non-compliance, or material incidents resulting in significant environmental impact in breach of the conditions of consent and EMP commitments, the Department will consider measures up to and including requiring the cessation of works until such time as compliance with the statutory permissions can be demonstrated."

Probably because of the reported death threats against Shell Corrib Project whistleblowers, who have previously supplied information to us, including Shell documents, our source for this story does not want to be identified.

American government officials hoping that Shell lives up to its pledges in respect of drilling in the Arctic Ocean are unlikely to be impressed with the latest developments on the environmentally sensitive Corrib Gas Project.

Although not major incidents, compared for example with the BP Gulf of Mexico disaster, the environmental impact was significant.

Under the circumstances, the non compliance, incompetence, and delay in notifying the environmental authority (which some might perceive as an attempted cover-up), do not exactly inspire confidence in pledges given by Royal Dutch Shell.

Letter to Shell dated 22 December 2011 and attached ENVIRON report (10 pages in all)

Posted in: Alaska, Arctic, Business Principles, Corrib Gas Project, Environment,GoogleNews, Ireland, John Donovan, Outspoken Articles, Pollution, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell, Shell to Sea Campaign, United States.
Tagged: Arctic Ocean · Corrib Gas Project · Gas · Ireland · John Donovan · Royal Dutch Shell Plc

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Shell flouts discrimination ruling

by Dutch Equal Treatment Commission

Jan 4th, 2012

by John Donovan.

THIS ARTICLE WAS SENT TO SHELL SOME DAYS AGO GIVING SHELL THE OPPORTUNITY TO POINT OUT ANY INACCURACY AND PROVIDE COMMENT IF IT WISHED TO DO SO. SHELL HAS THUS FAR NOT TAKEN UP THE INVITATION.

By John Donovan

A few months ago Shell was found guilty of discrimination towards an employee by the Dutch Commission for Equal Treatment (the CGB). The decision has ramifications for over 1,100 Royal Dutch Shell employees.

Shell Global Solutions International BV subsequently decided "after careful consideration" to flout the relevant Judgement, which confirmed discrimination by Shell against the part-time employee in question, regarding compensation relating to public holidays.

The judgement arose from a discrimination case against Shell brought by Mr Alberto Gatti, who works four days per week for Shell, thereby receiving a 20% reduction of monthly salary compared with a full time employee. He brought the case on a point of principle. Namely, fair treatment between employees.

Shell HR argued in email correspondence, which dragged out over several months, that it was a matter of "bad luck" and "all in the game", when a Dutch public holiday coincided with the only week day on which Mr Gatti does not work – Monday in his case. This means that Mr Gatti receives no compensatory day off in respect of Easter Monday and Whit Monday, while full time employees do.

Since over 1,100 Dutch Shell part-time employees are effected, it is an ethical issue of some importance, with a huge saving for Shell, as a result of the use of blatant discrimination. If you do a rough calculation based on a yearly salary of 60,000 EUR and part-timers working 80%, 4 days a week, you reach a saving of more than 600,000 EUR/year.

Interested parties are invited to read the extensive email correspondence, as it provides more detail about the issues and reveals an unprofessional, and at times, surprisingly cavalier attitude on the part of Shell HR department in response to a legitimate issue raised by Mr Gatti. Its legitimacy was confirmed by the CGB judgement in his favour following court proceedings.

In a letter dated 23 September 2011, signed by Jeanine van Barlingen, NL HR Manager – Projects & Technology, Mr Gatti was notified of the decision by Shell to flout the judgement of the Dutch Equal Rights Commission.

Shell has recently informed the involved parties that is not willing to rectify its wrong doing and will not take any action to prevent such discrimination from happening again.

Perhaps due to the influence that Royal Dutch Shell has with the Dutch mainstream media, attempts to have the story published in Dutch newspapers have been to no avail, which is probably unsurprising bearing in mind that the recent offshore oil spill in Nigeria had almost no coverage in the Dutch press.

The Judgement published on the CGB website

RELATED ARTICLES

Is Royal Dutch Shell a racist company?: 25 January 2011

Age and racial discrimination alleged in Shell jobs restructuring: 7 December 2009

Is Royal Dutch Shell a racist company?: 10 December 2007

Is Royal Dutch Shell Plc adopting racist policies against its Malaysian employees?: 22 September 2005

MY EMAIL TO SHELL

From: John Donovan <john@shellnews.net>
Subject: Shell flouts discrimination ruling by Dutch Equal Treatment Commission
Date: 31 December 2011 22:01:57 GMT
To: michiel.brandjes@shell.com
Cc: hugh.mitchell@shell.com, peter.p.voser@shell.com

Dear Mr Brandjes

Printed below is a self-explanatory draft article.

Kindly let me know by close of business on Wednesday if Shell wishes to point out any inaccuracy in relation to the stated facts and/or provide comment for publication alongside the article.

If Shell does wish to respond, kindly provide an indication of when we can reasonably expect a substantive response (there is no great urgency attached provided we know Shell will be responding).

With your permission, we continue to receive job applications and business proposals meant for Shell using the agreed latitude to sift out junk mail and deal with the remainder as we deem appropriate, including providing correct contact information, or putting parties into direct contact with you.

Best Regards for 2012
John Donovan