Shell attempt to create illusion of local benefits with announcement of 5 mil. in local contracts

by JM Wed Aug 23, 2006 02:01 Rossport

The recent "announcement" by Shell and their partners (Statoil and Marathon) that jobs will soon be made available in the Erris area is yet another attempt at misdirection. If you take a close look at what is actually said, it becomes clear that it is just another smoke-screen.

Advertising for people to show an interest in jobs does not actually mean there will be any jobs available. In fact, due to EU competition laws it would be illegal to award employment positions based on gegraphical location alone... if people from Donegal, Galway, Limerick, Dublin, Wales, England, Spain or Italy for example (or anywhere else in Europe for that matter) were deemed more qualified or better value for money, they would HAVE to get the job. End of story.

Apart from all that, it is assumed that the only problem is local emplyment opportunities... and ignores the fact that a constant protest has been in place at the proposed Bellanaboy REFINERY site for over a year! The REFINERY has been the problem all along, hence the name SHELL TO SEA!!

The continued stance by those in authority, and the developers, is to ignore anyone who disagrees with them. They haven't listened for the last six years, and they are still not listening.

by supp Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:45

I don't think I've ever seen expression of interest, tenders notices put into to (non-trade) newspapers before, I've only seen government tenders put in national newspapers which are certainly open to EU wide competition if not further, and companies must be to a great extent too, can someone clear this up. Did Roadbridge not get all the subcontracters it needed when it started originally last year? Is this how construction companies normally find their subcontractors? They've only got 7 days be quick.

Press Release http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=ie-en&FC3=/i....html

Tenders
http://www.shell.com/static/ie-en/downloads/exploration...s.pdf

Came across this I don't know if its totally uptodate but it has some images I've neglected to look at before http://events.sut.org.uk/past_events/2005/050607/corrib...ib%22

by lkj Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:15

I am completely opposed to and disgusted by the behaviour of the people that hide behind the trade mark ,'shell'. But saying that 5 million in local benefits is an illusion is just kidding yourself. This is how the worlds tyrants operate, they buy people off, and this is a devised scheme to split opposition in the local community. This businesss will be a real benefit to some selfish individuals and in time, unfortunately, I expect some people will take up the offer. Your local rags have already taken money to advertise the scheme, and the people of Ireland still give shell money at the pump. I would be deligted to hear it was threw back at them, but on saying that, the 5 million is real, and admiting that but appealing for this blood money not to be taken up might be a better idea.

by Andrew McGrath - Tara Foundation Wed Aug 23, 2006 13:08

It is also true that Shell's so-called "investment" of 900 million euro or whatever the figure is can be claimed back in the form of written-off tax. Don't forget either that the entire Corrib operation is not even based in Ireland; it will be run from Scotland, so Scottish services and workers will be the beneficiaries of the State's free gift of gas to Shell. The State claims no royalties, and has to buy back its own gas at the market rate. As if this were not enough of an insult, Shell is under no obligation to provide Irish gas to Ireland.

by JFH Wed Aug 23, 2006 13:36

When will Leinster House take the West of Ireland (WOI) seriously? Surely the time has passed when our resources i.e. our young men and women, our natural resources i.e. fishing, hydrocarbons etc are just cannon fodder for industry etc on the East Coast and abroad. Our Emigrants have shown that they are perfectly capable of making it and contributing to the wider community over the long term (USA, GB, Argentina, Chile etc). Just yesterday, I attended the unveiling of a monument dedicated to the memory of Brigadier General Michael Corcoran from Co Sligo and other emigrants who contributed to the promotion of democracy in the U.S.A. This unveiling ceremony was carried out by none other than the 1st citizen of the great city of New York, The Honourable Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

It is time that that the young men and women at home in the West of Ireland were given the opportunity to earn a living at home. If the Hydrocarbon Industry is properly managed, the WOI can contribute economically to the wider Irish Community. The people of the West have been aware of the great potential opening up to us since the North Sea was first been exploited in the 1970s. The BIG QUESTION is what Leinster House, Dublin who after all make the decisions are playing at? Why are they allowing Shell treat us like little children in trying to entice us by handing out pieces of candy? The rest of this missive is taken from the Mayo Association Yearbook 2001.

ED’S NOTE No 14 Services needed by Oil and Gas Exploration

The government should be in a position to guarantee that the following services are provided from Irish sources. Aberdeen is situated on the East Coast of Scotland; they are already net working to service the Atlantic Seaboard, west of the Shetlands, around Rockall and down the Continental Shelve. Ireland could not be more strategically place if we planned it ourselves. Tax Incentives should be offered to West of Ireland and BMW businesses to get involved by forming alliances with international agencies, who already supply the oil and gas industry in Scotland, Norway or the rest of the world. Ports/harbours should be constructed now. The British government set up the Offshore Supplies Office (OSO) in order to insure that they got the full benefit from the servicing of the Oil and Gas industry in the North Sea. The U.K. and Norwegian governments were excited before even commercial deposits of Gas were found in the North Sea. Thomas would not believe until he saw the wounds! What do the power brokers of Leinster House Dail need to see, before they believe?
There will be work to the tune of billions of pounds!
• Pipelines and facility work. Quality control which includes alteration & repairs on vessels, manufacture dual containment tank, full gas scrubbers.
• Medical equipment and Supplies.
• Various environmental consulting services.
• Hotels services include: fax, modem hookups, mailboxes, cheque cashing, banquet and meeting rooms.
• Ambulance service and safety services, first aid, first aid attendants and first aid rooms for industry
• Electric motors, generators, pumps, traction motors, rewinds, VFD, down hole pumps
• Safety training services.
• Septic tanks, water cisterns, holding tanks, garage sumps, precast fondu tanks.
• Specialists in Information Systems / Technology primarily within the Oil and Gas Industry.
• Drillstem Testing (DST), EM Telemetry, Gauges, Wireline, Logging & Perforating, Production Testing, Underbalanced Drilling (UBD), Rotating BOP’s, Coiled Tubing & W/L Retrievable D.P. Floats, External Casing Packers (ECP), Manufacturing, Sales, Rentals.
• Hydro Vac Excavation Services including contracting, leasing, and sales of Hydro Vac Excavation Trucks, pipeline integrity, pipeline pigging and pipeline repair services.
• Transport provides transportation services to the oil & gas
• Valves, texsteam, fittings, and testing equipment.
• Controls, rental boiler, safety relief, boiler control, combustion, burner, energy management
• Different inspection services.
• Specialists in developing and publishing technical documentation and operational standards.
• Finance specialists in financing oilfield related equipment including wellsite accommodations, modular camps and offices, compressor facilities and more.
• Power tongs with Integral Backups, Computer Torque Monitoring, On-site thread supervision services, casing crews, power thread washers
• Specializing in communication integration, communication engineering, path studies, automation systems, SCADA, and point to point terrestrial microwave.
• Accounting systems. Modules include: A/R, A/P, G/L, Bank, Sales, Inventory, PO's, Payroll, Work Orders, Job Costing and Multi-site communications. Training and support.
• Specializes in reconditioned and new Self Contained Breathing Apparatus. Immediate service on all makes of vacuums!
• Consultants to improve work performance, while decreasing the risk of injury period.
• Project management and contract manning for all phases of development from preliminary engineering through construction, commissioning to final handover.
• Provision of automatic driller, elevators, slips, tongs, safety clamps, casing scrapers, stabbing guides, spiders, insert bowls, pump gauge, instrumentation repair, weight indicators, torque gauges, remote pump pressure, pressure gauges, and handling tools.
• Hot Oil Unit Manufacturer
• Specialists in: Tubular Management, Inspection, Cleaning, Protective Coating, Straightening, Handling, Storage & Machine Shop Services.
• Construction of on shore representative offices.
• Office personnel/Staff Recruitment Agencies
• Office Equipment
• Divers.
• Ship/boat/port/ harbour crews
• Cranes etc
• Harbour improvements and repair.
• Construction of storage tanks.
• Updating of surrounding infra structure i.e. roads, telecommunications etc.
• Houses and apartments (going up by the dozen in Ayr at the moment! I wonder why!)
• Airport facilities

by Mark - WSM Wed Aug 23, 2006 18:42

I wonder if the Truth in Mayo can back up any of their rethoric. perhaps you could even include your name.

Or perhaps you work for one of the PR companies eMployed by Shell, Such as Bracken PR, paid to scour the internet and add emotional, anonamous comments is a flaccid attempt to divert from the issue.

by cool j Wed Aug 23, 2006 22:33

Those contracts are virtually identical to the ones anounced 3 years ago when Shell first deceided to develope thier dodgy terminal at Bellanboy - Just Shell rehashing old propoghanda with the same arrogance and condesencion for local people who they still seem to think will swallow any old guff!!

PS - I see the usual trolls have raised their ugly heads on here again - Shell to Sea spin!! , No! just facts which you invertebrate PR people on behalf of your craven employers would rather hide from the irish public!!

by Andrew McGrath Thu Aug 24, 2006 11:33

JFH, I know you mean well, and all the proposals you put forward make sense.

But you seem to believe that the failure to implement them by the State is somehow down to ignorance, misgovernment, negligence, in fact any excuse to get the operatives off the hook. Do you suppose that these people do not know all of this? Their knowledge of it is the very reason they have handed over energy resources which every day shows us are extraordinarily rich.

The State has twisted facts, lied, falsified evidence, in order to secure Ireland's place as a weak client state, a state with no capacity to provide energy for itself. (Remember how Dempsey kept saying that there was "nothing there?" Reality is no concern of these creatures, they are given a script and their role is to repeat it.) The servants of foreign multinationals in this State (so-called elected representatives and so-called civil servants) are acting to secure the interests of these multinationals at our expense: that is treachery.

Make no mistake: they are doing it consciously and deliberately, not from ignorance or stupidity.

by JFH Thu Aug 24, 2006 18:52

It is always pleasant to know that someone has read one's submission. Listen we could all write a book about Gas and Oil in Ireland. You have a point in assuming that we are being ripped off by the State with their various handouts, etc But, I have never being willing to judge anybody because the good man above does not intend to do so until the end of their days.

Now the best way to get anything done in a democracy is for the people to make their voices heard. The following quote is taken from an article headed ‘The Corrib Gas discovery is a great opportunity for Mayo’ from the Mayo Association Yearbook 2001. “It is up to the people to play their part in convincing the government of the fairness of Mayo’s case. It is up to the Oireachtas members, it is up to the county council, it is up to the media and it is up to the people generally to make their views known and their voices heard. If that happens, no government will be able to turn a blind eye or deaf ear to the will of the Mayo people” The writer was Michael Ring T.D.

I have my doubts about the ability of Leinster House to really do anything, except what they are doing, in connection with hydrocarbons off our western shoreline. It appears that this house has an aversion towards any substantial investment on the Western Seaboard. The “To hell or to Connaught” mentality that was instigated by the English seems to have continued even after we became a Free State. Other countries rifled our fish and Leinster House stood idly by. Leinster House insisted on keeping the link to Sterling thereby pricing any goods from the West right out of the world markets, leading to massive emigration. In hindsight, even though we taught we were free we were secretly ruled from Threadneedle St.

It is my impression that Leinster House is still wearing a strait jacket given by London who appears to be calling the shots. Dublin has still not shaken off the mantle of being the “The second city in the British Empire”. In addition to economic bowing, we have now similar social laws as the UK., no longer ruled from Rome as was Paisley’s excuse in the 60s. The English now have more invested in Ireland than at anytime over the past two hundred years. There has got to be a hidden stranglehold that is incapacitating our government.

The Russian Government charge the EU the sum of $240 per 1000 sq meters of Gas and around $42 to Belarus and their own people. We will be charged the market rate of $240, when the Corrib Gas comes on stream. Can the TDs in Leinster House honestly stand back and let their own people be ripped off. They appear to be willing to operate with tied hands. To put it in a nutShell, our independence is a farce, when it prevents the people of Ireland from taking advantage of their own resources. Thinking about it, the EU at $240 are being ripped off as well; maybe this battle should be brought by the people of Europe and not just the people of Ireland! Anyhow Andrew, may the sun keep shining for you!

by Chrissie Thu Aug 31, 2006 15:05

1/ The adverts for tender don't look credible
2/ Even if they were true, 5 million wd be a pittance against the loss of homes, environment, & safety entailed in the proposed construction
3/ If you are in doubt, take a look at Shell's record on safety, environment & human rights - Amnesty International is a good place to start.
*PS. Mayor Bloomberg of the 'great city of New York' approved the Israeli bombings of Lebanon's civilians recently

by Joe Murphy Thu Aug 31, 2006 17:51

Geography Books for Primary Schools
A visit to any bookshops selling Primary Schoolbooks may surprise anyone following the story of Corrib Gas Field and the Shell to Sea campaign . In the Geography books currently on sale it is stated that the gas there will supply Ireland's needs for20 years.
Of course this ignores the fact that the Shell / Statoil / Marathon consortium are not in fact obliged to sell any of the gas to Ireland .
Open the textbook "Geography all around me " published by EDCO , book 6 at page 57 . There you will read these words ;

"More recently , natural gas has been found in the Corrib Gas Field . It is estimated that this find will provide about 20 years continuous gas supply to the country ".

Who writes these books ? What research have they done ?

by jm Thu Aug 31, 2006 17:54

1_ What does credible look like ?.
2_ Is 5 Million pittance in an area which has been in the backwater for investment over the years ?.
3_ Health and safety ?.

by Joe Thu Aug 31, 2006 18:13

Does this mean that with in that pipeline there is an other pipeline which which will import gas from the uk while the gas from the corrib field will be exported ? .
So we can import gas from the uk and export gas from the corrib at the same time using one pipeline ..... Brilliant .