The storming of Shell HQ

by richard whelan Thu Oct 12, 2006 00:39

Members of Shell to Sea occupied the lobby of the Headquarters of Shell at the Leeson Other protestors occupied the roof of the building while supporters and media gathered outside at 12.30 today.
Members of Shell to Sea occupied the lobby of the Headquarters of Shell at the Leeson Other protestors occupied the roof of the building while supporters and media gathered outside at 12.30 today.
IMAGES COPY RIGHT 2006

come on down

shell workers look on

by richard whelan Thu Oct 12, 2006 00:49

Members of Shell to Sea occupied the lobby of the Headquarters of Shell at the Leeson Other protestors occupied the roof of the building while supporters and media gathered outside at 12.30 today.
images copy right 2006

by harcesz - revolt video collective Thu Oct 12, 2006 03:39 harcesz at obin dot org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ViSXMsrNhQ

preview of the video, its going to be upload to a normal server for downloads during the day

by krossie - dublin shell to sea Thu Oct 12, 2006 11:36

Nice action shots!

Heard there were arrests in Mayo this morning - any news?

Krossie

by Caoimhe Thu Oct 12, 2006 11:46

Yeah Krossie, there were 3 arrests in Mayo this morning. They are being held in Belmullet Garda station. The media people for the camp will be writing up something here soon so suppose its better to wait for the official story, than for me to write up hearsay. but definetly 3 arrested

by Pro Shell - n/a Thu Oct 12, 2006 11:50 n/a n/a

Can I just say that I think this protest is absolutly ridiculous.. I can't understand why anyone would protest against Shell supplying Ireland's gas supply for the next 15 years, or indeed why people are actually objecting to employment being created in the west of Ireland - ?

by Sarah Thu Oct 12, 2006 12:01

Hey pro shell- the gas will be of no earthly good to anyone in this country...it will be sold to us at full market price and we dont even get the tax on the profits until shell write off their capital investment . This is why the company is pioneering new onshore technology here-it can write off all the costs against tax...so we get nothing and then it can sell the gas to the highest bidder.
But also the protest is contributing to the areas economy- all those gardai are staying somewhere eating somewhere buying petrol somewhere- if i lived there i'd be sending all my children out to keep the protest going as long as possible...

by dunk Thu Oct 12, 2006 12:13 fuspey at yahoo dot co dot uk METAVILLA, venice

great stuff lads, as always revolt; not easy days but ye are playing a blinder....
love to be there but am on this pirate ship of sorts in venice ( http://easa.antville.org/stories/1478873/ )

if you feel that we are being harsh of criticism
of the media and shell, just remember that in third
world countries they simply send in death squads or
get the state to kill those seeking justice:
remember ken saro wewa and the ogoni in nigeria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Saro-Wiwa

and regards fair media; id direct you towards the 20
min film by undercurrents "globalisation and the
media", which coincidently enough focus`s strongly on
human rights issues regarding shell
watch for free from net at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6HRt1bH_dw
a nice bit where part of shells london offices were taken over, blockaded and a nice big banner dropped out the window; they then set up a live stream from their occupation and people tuned in over the net to watch events unfold; to the point riot cops finaly gt through and shut all systems down

and regards all this land and justice stuff and what it might lead to.....
perhaps shell picked the wrong quite little island, remember what the last little spark did; brought the british empire down of its perch....
perhaps this will be the spark that will remind irish people what it really means to be irish in todays new colonisation; that empire of corrupt multinationals; an end to neoliberalism is needed, and who knows, perhaps this is the spark to ignite the whole thing.
ideas from latin america flowing on the gulf stream over to ireland, and from there....

please become fully informed with the situation and
please support the people of mayo: if this gets built
and it pops they will be blown to bits, thats the
reality, what would you do in this situation

all info about issue;
shell to sea website : http://www.corribsos.com/

thanks, solidarity and best wishes to one and all who are taking direct action for justice.

by xtic - Shell to Sea Thu Oct 12, 2006 12:15

You're obviously sadly ignorant of the whole background to the Corrib debacle. To answer your points quickly:

We're not protesting about Shell's supplying the country with gas for the next 15 years, or for that matter, the creation of employment in the west of Ireland.

I would be quite happy for Shell to supply me with gas on the basis that it's my gas as a citizen of the Irish Republic and under the terms of that republic's constitution. It's probably youre gas as well, but maybe you earn enough not to have to worry about your gas bill. You should realise though that the gas will be sold back to the country at the full market rate, which rather contradicts Shell's assertion that the Corrib gas field provides a guaranteed supply for the country.

I want the gas processed at sea, as it is elsewhere in the world and I want the proceeds of the gas to fund things like hospitals childcare... you get the picture... rather than being trousered by Shell's shareholders.

Just to confirm latest news from Bellanboy, there have been three arrests and in a significant move, the police have confiscated video footage of the scuffles on the blockade.

So Pro-Shell, what do you think is happening here then? Still think the protest is 'absolutly ridiculous' (sic). That reminds me, add education to the list above.

by PM Thu Oct 12, 2006 12:21

Hey Xtic.

If you dont want Shell to carry out its exploration work - how would you intend to find the gas in the first place? Would you be happy for the Government to spend hundreds of millions looking for gas and failing on most occasions? Gas explaoration remains a 30 to 1 shot - so you want all the reward - are you prepared to take the risk?

by dunk Thu Oct 12, 2006 12:35

for people not fully sure of the arguments made by those opposing shells plans, please read the outline of resistance to plan at
http://www.corribsos.com/index.php?id=2&type=page

please take time to find information about the issue you would otherwise rise here

ie to above poster

The Deal:

From 1975 for oil and gas companies there was a tax rate of 50%, an automatic 50% state stake in any commercial well, and royalties of 6 %– 7%.

In 1987, after lobbying by the companies, Ray Burke got rid of the 50% state stake and removed royalties.

In 1992 after further lobbying Bobby Molloy reduced the tax rate to 25% and 100% tax write offs were introduced, meaning that the companies can subtract their costs from their tax bill.

In 1996 the licence for the Corrib Gas field was granted to Enterprise Energy Ireland a subsidiary of Enterprise Oil, which has since been bought out, in 2002, by Shell, and the consortium also includes Statoil and Marathon Oil.

Enterprise Oil held major fundraising events for Fianna Fail at the Galway Races in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001.

Other companies involved are also major Fianna Fail donators.

Then Minister Frank Fahey granted them innumerable licenses before the planning procedures were over, and gave them 400 plus acres of Coilte land.

Bertie Ahern has had meetings with Shell on this issue.

The deal is the pipelines after the refinery, running to Dublin and Scotland, will be constructed by the state, that is, Bord Gais, while a good deal of infrastructure, new roads and bridges is already being built by the state, i.e. Mayo County Council. Some of the gas, that which is not exported, will then be purchased back by the state.

These companies have a track record of not employing Irish rig workers.

According to Mike Cunningham, a former director of Statoil Exploration (Ireland): “No other country in the world has given such favourable terms as Ireland.”

In other places in Europe the state take can be 55% or even 79% of a field.

by Rogue Thu Oct 12, 2006 12:44

Fair play to the guys on the roof. Some may scoff and claim such actions are a waste of time. But the simple fact of the matter is you can talk until you are blue in the face, but direct action is the only way to make these people take notice. I hope this is the start of an escalating campaign of direct action

by PM Thu Oct 12, 2006 12:51

...but Dunk - these other countries are prolific in producing oil and gas. Ireland is singularly unsuccessful because it is so expensive to develop and because there just isnt the oil and gas. You moan and groan about the current deal but you dont offer any alternatives. Had the Irish Goverment put a regime in place like the others in Europe that you refer to - there just wouldnt be any exoploration. Its not as if there is a stampede to invest in ireland as it is - even with the favourable terms you claim

by LaLa Thu Oct 12, 2006 13:05

We'd be as well leaving the gas fields untapped for now and hence save the potential energy for the future (when price will obviously be much much higher) than giving them away for sweet FA now. This is the main issue, it affects everyone in the country now and those not yet to be born.

by JFH Thu Oct 12, 2006 13:06

To n/a Pro Shell; maybe a letter by John Monaghan to this week's Western People might go somewhere to widening your understanding of the current impasse over in Erris. See http://www.westernpeople.ie/news/story.asp?j=33462.

Ten to fifteen years ago here in South Co Dublin; it was planned that a new By Pass was needed in Dundrum. Allot of people were to be discommoded by this. The "powers that be" immediately began negotiations with each individual land owner. Up to £40,000,000 was paid out before a sod was turned.

In Erris, you have a situation where possibly the most important gas pipeline in Europe (A scenario if Putin of Russia makes a bags of his relationship with his former Communist Pact neighbours); a pipeline which experts readily admit will be operating under severe pressure, including those in Avantica. This latter organisation only stand over their calculations up to 120 bar; when in actual fact it is generally accepted that the pipeline will operate under far greater pressure. This pipeline, close to family homes, is potentially more dangerous than any comparable pipeline in the British Isles, Ireland or Norway. The "Powers that Be" just knocked on Doors and told a small number of people that a pipeline was to go through their lands. The people of Erris had to find out for themselves and had literally to come experts on Gas Pressure etc before they realised the "Above normal" dangerous situation that they were to live out the rest of their lives.

Was this treatment meted out because the area is sparsely populated? If so, it makes a laugh of our Constitution and the right to be treated equally and the right of physical security of their homes. My own background is in Banking, Accounting, Business; but I am ashamed that Mayo people are being treated in such a cavalier fashion by the very Institutions that should be showing a good example and carry out their duties in a benign fashion and not trampled on those areas of the country whose vote or numbers etc is not deemed to have sufficient clout. The community Spirit of the Erris people is unique in this age of unfettered capitalism; the whole fiasco is opening the eyes of the normally quiet citizens to the injustice that is happening all around us.

The Americans are realising that the jailing of innocent people caught up in the hunt for Al Qaeda members is only swelling the ranks of this institution. In Tashkent, the Government is getting rid of the opposition by labeling them as Al Qaeda members and locking them up; this has been confirmed by a former British Ambassador. There is a touch of this creeping in, in connection with the Corrib Gas with all the innuendos about people and who they are connected with.

The bottom line is Security of Peoples Home and it is history that normally sedate people will demonstrate and agitate when the security of their homes are being threatened. Our Governments has got to open their purses, invest in the Oil and Gas Exploration Industry, exercise their clout and insure the proper security and Environmental policies are followed by the potential oil/gas partners. It is a business axiom that Governments have more clout when they formed their own Oil Exploration Company and bring in the Shells, Exxon, Statoil etc as equal partners.

by Pro Shell - n/a Thu Oct 12, 2006 13:28 n/a n/a

FYI...

Corrib Gas Partners have the consent of the majority
09/10/2006

The issue of community consent has been raised over the last few weeks in relation to the Corrib Gas Project. The Corrib Gas partners believe there is strong evidence that the majority of people in Mayo and Erris support the Corrib Gas project proceeding.

The following are the reasons why the Corrib Gas Partners believe that the majority of the local community want this project to proceed at the present time:

Link to original source of copy_&_pasted article

The Corrib Gas Project»

by Jane Thu Oct 12, 2006 14:06

There is an enormous amount of ignorance going on here - it costs millions and millions of euro to explore and drill - DRY HOLES. There has only ever been 2 finds - Kinsale and Corrib. All of you people talking about Ireland being ripped off should cop on - would you want your tax payers money spent on drilling unsuccessful wells? No thank you! About 2 billion has been spent over the last couple of decades in UNSUCCESSFUL drilling. If the Government hadn't allowed private companies to do this that would have been our money down the dry holes!

by Ciaran Thu Oct 12, 2006 14:13

You use shell as a source to back up the pro-Shell (o sorry, Corrib Gas Partners) arguement.

wtf!?

That reminds me of the survey conducted in the Kilkenny People a while back on who the population thought was the best hurling county in Ireland:

78% said Kilkenny
8% said some other county
4% said don't know/care

When “don’t know/care” are excluded we found the rest are just "blow ins".

by Ciaran - tambien! Thu Oct 12, 2006 14:27

Not a jokey-criticism here, but to someone not as informed as either side here, can you fill me in please?
As you are talking of this in relation to purely economic terms..ie how much cash State would waste, the economic incentive to Shell to explore instead etc (rather then general quality of life analysis, concerns of all stake-holders, etc blah blah)...
What is the main obstacle (other than economic) to Shell going off shore?
In your arguements you seem to paint that Shell-to-Sea/Rossporters et al, must not want the gas at all because they dare oppose Shell's smooth plans. As far as I understand it (but correct me, as you see to work closer to the bone), the protesters are not opposing the exploitation of the gas field but simply the manner in which it is done. What is the main flaw in that arguement. If it want off-shore would local people not be employed in equal numbers, or would Shell employ Mer-men instead? Is the option just cost prohibitive and too-fussy for Shell or what?
Basically rather than paint all the people as "anti-gas use" why not debate and try exhaust possible alternatives? I mean you seem so intelligent and confident why try distort the issue?

by Ex market researcher Thu Oct 12, 2006 15:10

I'd like to see the full survey results unfiltered by Shell. I worked in tele-resaerch before (sometimes for Millward!) and so understand how language can be tailored for a client I'd like to see was there a question "Should Shell make all attempts to process the gas off shore?" before the one about, "If Shell cannot process off-shore, etc..." otherwise that question is very misleading.

I found this on the Mayo paper online edition.

" “The apparent results from the Millward Brown survey directly contradict other survey results commissioned by independent third parties such as the Irish Times and Nuacht TG4,“ said Dr Garavan (a Shell to Sea Spokesperson so you know.. I'm not one to try obsure sources!)
He added that a report in Village magazine, had revealed that many interviews for the survey were ended when respondents expressed opposition to the Shell project. Mr Garavan told The Mayo News that complaints regarding the conduct of the survey are presently being brought to the attention of the Data Protection Agency. "

by John Thu Oct 12, 2006 16:00

You say:

"From 1975 for oil and gas companies there was a tax rate of 50%, an automatic 50% state stake in any commercial well, and
royalties of 6 %– 7%."

"In 1987, after lobbying by the companies, Ray Burke got rid of the 50% state stake and removed royalties."

That's correct. At last something true on this site. But you omit one detail. Between 1975 and 1987, when these higher tax rates
were in force, not one drop of oil or gas was discovered in Irish waters. Nothing. Zilch. Zero. The 50% tax rate was 50% of nothing.
It brought in ZERO revenue. That's ZERO as in NOTHING. Do you understand? Am I making myself clear? Not only that, because
oil companies could explore in far more productive waters than Ireland's and pay less taxes than were in operation in Ireland
between 1975 and 1987, they had totally abandoned exploration of Irish waters by the mid-1980s. By 1987 there was no exploration
at all taking place. That's one of the reasons our economy was so crap then. Tax rates on all businesses, not just oil companies were
ludicrously high. That's why the tax rates were reduced in 1987 and 1992 to try and revive what was by then the corpse of the Irish
offshore exploration industry. These reductions proved a great success. Exploration revived and Corrib was discovered a few years later.

by researcher Thu Oct 12, 2006 16:15

I have worked for Millward Brown MS doing surverys, essentialy you pay them to get the answers you want.

by R. Isible Thu Oct 12, 2006 16:16

By 1987 there was no exploration
at all taking place. That's one of the reasons our economy was so crap then.
What exactly was the contribution from "exploration" to our economy?

Agriculture and tourism were and remain the largest sectors in Ireland. Selling petroleum resources is a mugs game mostly undertaken by 3rd World countries occupied by military dictatorships. Selling this oil now at such disadvantageous local conditions makes no sense and does NOTHING to push Ireland into developing biotech, engineering, software, clothing, luxury organic food or anything else which has a hope of still being produced in 25 years when all the fish are gone (whoops that's happening already isn't it?) and all the oil has been piped off to the rest of the EU (to service their energy needs in the above industries).

With the tax write-offs that you admit to above then there's little or no benefit to our economy from the Shell exploitation anyway. So, all we get is risk to the people living near it and the destruction of a valuable tourist economy and an increased erosion of EU perceptions of Ireland as a good place for organic agriculture. When you add to that list that we're expending a diminishing (and therefore increasingly valuable) resource then the whole thing just becomes incredibly stupid for everyone except Shell (and apparently you).

by madam k Thu Oct 12, 2006 19:54

Check it out,the camera work ,the framing ,the content !...fair dues to all

by BOYCOTT SHELL Sat Oct 14, 2006 23:18

Shell Donnybrook
Donnybrook Road, In & Around Dublin
Taxis & Transport > Automobile > Petrol Filling Stations

Shell Friarsland
Roebuck Road, City Centre
Taxis & Transport > Automobile > Petrol Filling Stations

Coolock Shell Filling Station
Coolock Village, In & Around Dublin
Taxis & Transport > Automobile > Petrol Filling Stations

Shell Braemor
Braemor Road, City Centre
Taxis & Transport > Automobile > Petrol Filling Stations

East Link Shell Station
East Wall Road, City Centre
This service station is open 24 hours a day.
Taxis & Transport > Automobile > Petrol Filling Stations

Kilmainham Shell Service Station
647 South Circular Road, In & Around Dublin
Taxis & Transport > Automobile > Petrol Filling Stations

Shell
Ballinteer Avenue, City Centre
Taxis & Transport > Automobile > Petrol Filling Stations

Shell Fortfield
Fortfield Road, In & Around Dublin
Taxis & Transport > Automobile > Petrol Filling Stations

Shell Dornden
Merrion Road, In & Around Dublin
Shell Dornden is open 24 hours a day.
Taxis & Transport >

by Reality Check Mon Oct 16, 2006 00:33

FACT: Anyone can call themselves an expert and make emphatic statements - but that doesn't mean they are in any way well informed.

FACT: Bord Gáis Éireann have no contract with Shell to buy any of the gas from the Corrib Field.

FACT: Shell have a fiduciary duty to get the best price they can for the gas. That means their shareholders can take them to court if they sell for less than the market rate.

FACT: The British Government will not allow the energy companies to cut supply under any circumstances. The have to buy gas in liquid form if their normal supplies run out.There was never any chance of power cuts last winter. However liquid gas is extremely expensive.

FACT: The market in gas is very volatile. When shortages occur, the market responds with shameless profiteering, and the price of gas shoots up. BGÉ would be bidding for gas against some very big British customers if there was a shortage of gas from Russia (which is extremely unlikely), and Corrib gas became strategically important . If they need to get Corrib gas to Britain, they will.

FACT: The "independent" mediator, Peter Cassells, worked on a Fianna Fáil election campaign last year, when his nephew stood for the party in Meath. Noel Dempsey, the minister for natural resources, was the director of that election campaign. Mediation didn't achieve anything, but Cassells issued a report anyway. It has no basis in law or any recognised process, and is marked by wishful thinking and unsupported statements.

FACT: While Shell say they will move the pipeline, they have no idea where they are going to move it to.

Remarkably, they say they will STILL route the pipeline through Rossport. The so-called independent Advantica report recommended that the pressure in the pipeline be reduced to 144bar (from 345). But their own figures were only for what might happen if the pressure was reduced to 120. They simply don't know what would happen if their was a leak at the pressure they recommend. Independent analysts say the explosion would kill everyone in the immediate neighbourhood and cause widespread injury and destruction over a wide area.

FACT: The refinery, if ever built, will spread pollution over a wide area and destroy the environment and the tourist industry.

The protest is essential to save this part of Mayo.

The protest is essential to draw attention to a government with a proven track record of corruption giving away the country's natural resources to the people who bankroll them.

The protest is essential to stop Shell setting a precedent and using a victory in Mayo as an excuse to impose this dangerous experimental technology on other communities worldwide.

The protest is essential. The refinery will never be built.

by Erris Wed Dec 27, 2006 23:06

The argument which you made about the Irish government wasting money, drilling for oil/gas is a good one, but the truth is that back in the 70s the FineGael-Labour government proposed that oil and gas exploration companies, pay a 50% corporation tax, 8-16% on royalties and more importantly a 50% STAKE IN ANY COMMERCIAL WELL. Furthermore any costs of drilling was incurred by the oil and gas company and once a well was deemed commercial, the Irish governement then put its money into it. So, if no wells were commercial, it would cost the oil and gas companies and not the government.

This same government had proposed to set up a state oil and gas company called the INPC (Irish National Petroleum Company). The Norwegian government (who had set up the Norwegian state oil and gas company Statoil) had also offered Ireland a hand in setting up the INPC and also a stake in some of their northern operations in Norway. This I believe was in exchange for some of Irelands fishing rights to the North Atlantic. Before this government could give the INPC its powers, they were voted out of government and FineFail voted in. In 1987 the Taoiseach Charles Haughey placed Ray Burke as the Minister for Energy, who abolished all royalties and eliminated any Irish stake in any commercial well. This effectively put the INPC out of work and so from then till this present day, Ireland has no rights over any commercial well developed and no state controlled oil and gas company.

The bottom line is, Ireland could have gained valuable expertise in the oil and gas exploration business, while incurring no cost on the government.

Shell says there is 8 years worth of gas out there, so maybe that was why Ray Burke abolished the previous terms-to make extracting the gas more favourable. However, there is no independent verification of the amount of gas out there (if the INPC was around there might be) and so no one can argue with Shell, because no one does know. Knowing this they could have told the government get rid of the taxes or we go home. At the same time pay off Ray Burke and Charles Haughey. There might possibly be decades of gas out there, who knows, only Shell.

I grew up on the Erris penninsula (beside Ballinaboy) and initally thought it was great, its natural gas, how much more natural could you get. Over the past 5 years I began to learn more and found out that we are all in trouble if this goes ahead as planned. You should investigate all the information out there and then make up your own mind, if after that you still feel shell2sea are wrong thats fine as long as you know all the info. By the way, in case you are thinking i'm targeting a particular party, I'm not, I favour no political party.

by bemused Thu Dec 28, 2006 20:15

It is good to see sensible people posting here to debate the info/scaremongering that the s2s people are posting.
It is about time that the logical thinking people of this country took a stand aginst this propaganda from shell to sea.
Is this about local health and safety or jelousy of someone making money?

by construction worker Thu Dec 28, 2006 20:29

Erris can you point me to some of the information you speak off?
I am undecided on this project.
I am considering applying for a job in the construction of the refinery (I don't like leaving my wife and family every Sunday afternoon to go to Dublin to work).
But I would prefer to leave my family alone every week than be part of something that will poison my neighbours.
Can you please point me to the info/facts you speak of so I can inform myself and my family.

by Corgi Sat Dec 30, 2006 02:58

Check out this post on another thread. It is comprehensive and in direct response to a similarly (albeit more informed than he admits) concerned/confused local,

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/80380&comment_limit=0&c...80461

Hope this helps you take a principled decision.

I am hearted the almighty Euro isn't the sole considering factor when you make job choices.

Rare these days indeed.

by Erris Tue Jan 02, 2007 23:05

Visit http://www.publicinquiry.ie/reports.php#ld197. This publication gives a good review of the entire project. The engineering report in this publication can get a bit technical at times, but gives good explainations to some of Shells comments on the project.

www.corribsos.com is the website of Shell2Sea.
http://www.struggle.ws/rsc is the website of the Solidarity Camp which have been helping out the local community since 05.

Another useful website is www.mayogasinfo.com, however its still under construction at the moment. You can download an information leaflet form this website which might explain in a simple and clear way the concerns of the local people. Hope this is of some help to you.