Shell’s Big Dirty Secret

The report claims Shell is the most carbon-intensive oil company globally, with its production intensity projected to rise by 85% due to a shift toward oil sands, oil shale, and liquefied natural gas (LNG). It documents a history of gas flaring in Nigeria, alleging that internal documents show Shell prioritized profit over ending the practice. The report further asserts that Shell engages in 'greenwashing' by promoting limited renewable initiatives while lobbying against fuel quality directives and emissions trading reforms in the European Union and climate legislation in the United States.

• Shell is identified as the most carbon-intensive oil company in the world based on its total resources, with the average carbon intensity of its oil and gas production projected to increase by 85%.
• The increase in carbon intensity is attributed to Shell's strategic focus on unconventional and heavy oil, specifically oil sands and oil shale, as well as its reliance on LNG and gas flaring in Nigeria.
• Shell's oil shale extraction technology is described as extremely energy-intensive, with carbon intensity estimates ranging from 176.8 to 292.2 kg CO2e per barrel.
• Internal documents from the 1990s reveal that Shell Nigeria prioritized financial returns over the environmental and health costs of gas flaring, deciding it was more profitable to continue the practice.
• Despite public claims of reducing flaring, the report argues that Shell's reductions in Nigeria are deceptive, representing only a 12% decrease from 1999 levels after accounting for production shutdowns due to security issues.
• Shell has significantly scaled back its renewable energy portfolio, divesting from wind and solar power to focus almost exclusively on biofuels, which the report claims pose their own environmental risks.
• The report alleges that Shell uses the European Round Table of Industrialists and other bodies to lobby against EU greenhouse gas reduction targets and the reform of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
• In the United States, Shell is accused of using its membership in the US Climate Action Partnership to weaken the American Clean Energy Security Act, specifically by removing provisions that would limit imports of oil sands oil from Canada.

APA

Stockman, L., Rowell, A., & Kretzmann, S. (2009). Shell’s Big Dirty Secret. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/shellbigdirtysecret_June09.pdf

Chicago

Stockman, Lorne, Andy Rowell, and Steve Kretzmann. Shell’s Big Dirty Secret. Friends of the Earth International, 2009. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/shellbigdirtysecret_June09.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Stockman |first1=Lorne |last2=Rowell |first2=Andy |last3=Kretzmann |first3=Steve |title=Shell’s Big Dirty Secret |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=June 2009 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/shellbigdirtysecret_June09.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockman2009shells, author = {Stockman, Lorne and Rowell, Andy and Kretzmann, Steve}, title = {{Shell’s Big Dirty Secret}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2009}, month = jun, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/shellbigdirtysecret_June09.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }