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Shell Energy POLITICAL

POLITICAL AUDIT UPDATED 2026-06-17
Political Score 2.00 /10 E Shell Energy - BDS-1000 143
Political 2.00

Evidence-only forensic audit. Scoring happens downstream - see the main dossier for the composite assessment.

Political Audit: Shell Energy

Corporate Communications & Public Stance

Shell plc has issued no public press release, media statement, or social-media communication addressing Gaza, Palestine, or the Israel-Palestine conflict as of the date of this compilation 12. Shell’s annual report risk-factor language references “the conflict in the Middle East” generically as a business risk but does not identify Gaza or Palestine specifically 12. Shell’s publicly archived press releases include statements on the Russia-Ukraine conflict (March 2022, including apology, profit donation, and full exit announcement) and on the Iran conflict (March 2026, covering Qatar operations), but no Gaza-equivalent statement exists 123. Shell plc issued a detailed March 2022 statement apologizing for a Russian crude spot purchase, donating profits to a Ukraine humanitarian fund, and announcing a full exit from Russian equity, service stations, aviation fuels, and lubricants 12. Shell plc has issued two statements in 2026 addressing the US-Israel military campaign against Iran and its impact on Qatar LNG operations 34. No Shell plc statement addresses the ICJ advisory opinion (July 2024) or ICC arrest warrants (November 2024) in relation to Gaza 123. Shell’s annual reports and public filings frame Israeli operations within standard global energy-market risk disclosures; no unique geopolitical partnership framing for Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territory is documented 15. Shell’s crude supply to Israel is documented as ongoing through October 2025 per the November 2025 Oil Change International update, covering 12 months post-ICJ advisory opinion (January 2024) and approximately 11 months prior to the November 2024 ICC arrest warrants 678. Shell explicitly declined to respond to a BHRRC inquiry about fuel supply for violent conflict following the ICJ ruling 19.

Operations in Occupied or Contested Territories

Shell plc has no confirmed corporate entity registered in Israel as a subsidiary 1. Shell’s Gaza Marine gas field equity was fully exited in 2018; the sole remaining equity holders are the Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) and Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) 101112. Shell is documented as a supplier of approximately 5% of Israeli crude oil imports (October 2023 – July 2024) via the Oil Change International/Data Desk August 2024 report 16. Shell crude is sourced from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Italy, and routes through Israeli refiners Paz, Delek, Sonol, and Bazan Group, which operate petrol stations in OPT settlements 67. Paz Oil Company Ltd. (restructured to Paz Retail and Energy Ltd.) operates petrol stations in at least 13 OPT settlement locations: Karnei Shomron, Alfei Menashe, Ma’ale Adumim, Ariel, Kiryat Arba, Mishor Adumim Industrial Zone, Shilat Junction, Ramat Eshkol, Gilo, Ramot, Pisgat Ze’ev, Tunnel Road, Katzrin, and Merom Golan; plus Palestinian neighbourhoods al-Aizariya, Beit Hanina, and al-Sawana 1314. Delek Group and Sonol operate petrol stations in OPT settlements including Ariel, Ma’ale Adumim, Kedumim, and occupied East Jerusalem (Ramot Alon, Sheikh Jarrah) 15. Paz Aviation Services (wholly-owned subsidiary of Paz Oil Company) holds a jet fuel supply contract with the Israeli Ministry of Defense for seven Israeli Air Force bases; the contract was won in 2016 and extended through December 2026 13. Paz holds active fuel contracts with the Israeli Civil Administration (Beit El settlement headquarters), DCL Gaza, Israel Police, and Israel Prison Service as of 2023–2024, including NIS 12.1M (Separation Wall work, 2022), NIS 4.5M (ICA fuel, 2023), NIS 519K (DCL Gaza, 2023), NIS 16.6M (IPS, 2021), and Israel Police tender renewed 2025 13. Shell plc is not listed in the UN OHCHR settlement database (A/HRC/60/19, 158 companies, September 2025) 1617. Al-Haq filed a Dutch criminal complaint against Shell under the International Crimes Act for settlement complicity; the complaint was dismissed by the Dutch Public Prosecutor 1617. Paz Oil Company Ltd. was listed on the UN OHCHR settlement database from February 2020 (resolution A/HRC/31/36 iteration) but was delisted in the A/HRC/60/19 update (September 2025); footnote (i) of A/HRC/60/19 states “Formerly Paz Oil Company Ltd.” and indicates the restructured entity (Paz Retail and Energy Ltd.) was delisted following information that the new entity was no longer involved - despite conducting identical operations including OPT settlement petrol stations 161718. KLP (Norway’s largest private pension fund) excluded Paz Oil Company in June 2021 citing settlement links 1419. Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global excluded Paz in May 2024 citing “unacceptable risk” of contributing to serious rights violations in the conflict 14. Shell was a target of anti-apartheid boycotts in the 1980s–1990s for South Africa operations; Shell’s UK petrol market share fell 6.6% during the boycott campaign 20. Current Gaza-related boycott campaigns explicitly invoke the anti-apartheid precedent against Shell 20. No active organized BDS campaign naming Shell Energy specifically was documented in the search period 20.

Internal Governance, Content & Retail Policies

James Hunkin (Shell investment manager) published a book titled “The Gaza Marine Story: The Politics and Intrigue Behind Palestine’s Untapped Gas Wealth” (2025) via LinkedIn 21. No HR disciplinary action against this publication was documented 21. One Shell US employee (Hammad Ali) posted pro-Palestine content on LinkedIn including IDF comparisons; no documented HR action against this post was found 21. No documented HR enforcement action, termination, or disciplinary proceeding against any Shell employee for pro-Palestinian speech or advocacy was identified 21. No independent reports, academic studies, or regulatory inquiries regarding Shell’s algorithmic moderation or editorial stances related to the Israel-Palestine conflict were identified 21. No public reports or regulatory actions regarding labeling, sourcing, or categorization of settlement-origin products in Shell Energy’s retail operations were identified 1.

Brand Heritage & State Partnerships

Shell Energy Stadium (Houston Dynamo/Dash; naming rights held since January 2023) carries the Shell Energy brand 22. No evidence of Israeli Embassy co-sponsorship, CFI/AIPAC events, or Israeli community programming through this venue was identified 22. No accepted state honors, formal non-commercial partnerships with Israeli governmental or academic institutions, or corporate sponsorships of Brand Israel cultural campaigns involving Shell or Shell Energy were documented 22.

Lobbying, Advocacy, Financing & Logistics

Shell USA Inc. is registered for US LDA lobbying disclosure; its 2024 Q1 and 2025 Q1 filings disclose lobbying on Venezuela/OFAC (Dragon gas field), NDAA §804, USMCA, maritime shipping, Section 232 tariffs, IEEPA, advanced recycling, and renewable energy/LNG 23. No lobbying on Israel, boycott, BDS, or divestment legislation is disclosed in Shell’s US LDA filings 23. Shell plc is registered in the EU Transparency Register (REG 05032108616-26) with estimated annual lobbying costs of €4,500,000–€4,999,999 (2025) 24. No Israel, Palestine, boycott, or BDS-specific lobbying topics appear in Shell’s disclosed EU interests 24. Shell’s corporate political engagement policy references LDA (US), EU Transparency Register, and German Lobbying Transparency Regulation; no Israel-specific lobbying disclosure was identified 24. Shell’s position on the UK Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill (the “anti-boycott bill,” 2023–2024) is not documented in parliamentary Hansard transcripts or committee evidence sessions 2526. Shell Foundation (EIN 98-0368454) received $14.3M unrestricted and $10.9M restricted (FCDO) from Shell Group in FY2024 per its own accounts, with net assets of $672M 2728. No Israel-Palestine programme was documented in Shell Foundation’s available content 2728. Wael Sawan (Shell CEO from January 2023) appeared as an unpaid named Trustee of Shell Foundation on IRS 990 filings for FY2020, 2021, and 2022; he ceased appearing as trustee after FY2022 27. No personal philanthropy vehicle controlled by Wael Sawan was identified 29. The “Sawan Foundation” (EIN 47-1431265) is an unrelated entity established in 2014 by Gurmej Sandhu in Alabama 29. Andrew Mackenzie (Shell plc Chairman) is a named Director of the Mackenzie Family Foundation (EIN 20-5700615) on IRS 990-PF filings for FY2020–2024 30. The Mackenzie Family Foundation has net assets of approximately $52–57M and annual charitable disbursements of $1.6–5.1M 30. No grant recipient data was available in extracted ProPublica summaries; no Israel-specific programme was confirmed for the Mackenzie Family Foundation 30. No Shell corporate humanitarian response to Gaza - including donations, crisis response programmes, or aid partnerships - was documented 228. Shell has not participated in or funded the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) 228.

Corporate Structure & Primary Mission

Shell plc is a UK-incorporated multinational oil and gas company listed on the London Stock Exchange, New York Stock Exchange, and Euronext Amsterdam 15. It rebranded from Royal Dutch Shell in 2023 1. Its corporate mission, as stated in founding documents and annual reports, is commercial energy production and supply 5. No corporate mission tied explicitly to advancing state geopolitical goals was identified 5. Shell Energy UK Limited is a B2B energy supply subsidiary of Shell plc operating in the UK, US, Australia, and Germany under a separate commercial brand 15. No corporate mission related to state geopolitical goals was identified for Shell Energy 15. Shell’s historical interest in the Gaza Marine offshore gas field (discovered by British Gas in 2000; Shell inherited 55–60% stake on BG acquisition in 2016) was fully exited in 2018 101131. The 25-year Palestinian Authority license (granted 1999) would expire approximately 2024 1132. Israel has blocked development of this Palestinian asset since 2000 1132. A June 2023 preliminary Israeli approval for an Egyptian EGAS/Cheiron-led development consortium did not involve Shell 113132.

Executive & Leadership Footprint

Andrew Mackenzie (Shell plc Chairman) is a named Director of the Mackenzie Family Foundation (EIN 20-5700615), a US 501(c)(3) private foundation with net assets of approximately $52–57M, on IRS 990-PF filings for FY2020–2024 30. No Israel-specific grant activity was confirmed from available 990 summaries for the Mackenzie Family Foundation 30. Wael Sawan (Shell CEO) has no identified personal philanthropy vehicle in Israel/Palestine-related causes 29. The Sawan Foundation is an unrelated entity established in 2014 by Gurmej Sandhu in Alabama 29. No FIDF, JNF, KKL, CFI, AIPAC, or settlement-organisation donations by any named Shell plc executive or board member were documented 302729. No public statements, op-eds, or social media activity by Wael Sawan, Andrew Mackenzie, or other named Shell plc executives addressing the Israel-Palestine conflict were identified 23. Sir Nigel Sheinwald (Shell plc board member 2012–2021; chaired Safety, Environment and Sustainability Committee) is a former UK Ambassador to the United States 25. No FIDF/JNF/AIPAC/CFI affiliations were documented for Sir Nigel Sheinwald 25. No current Shell plc board member (post-2024) was identified with documented affiliations to geopolitical pressure groups, settlement-linked organisations, or pro-Israel advocacy bodies 302729.

End Notes

Footnotes

  1. https://investigate.afsc.org/company/shell ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14

  2. https://www.shell.com/media-statements.html ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  3. https://www.shell.com/news-and-insights/newsroom/news-and-media-releases/2026/impact-of-middle-east-conflict-on-shell-activities.html ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  4. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/shell-cuts-gas-production-outlook-citing-middle-east-conflict-2026-04-08 ↩

  5. https://www.shell.com/sustainability/people/human-rights.html ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  6. https://oilchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/behind-the-barrel-august-2024-v3.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  7. https://oilchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Behind-the-Barrel-3.pdf ↩ ↩2

  8. https://oilchange.org/behind-the-barrel ↩

  9. https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/shell-nonresponse-to-fuel-supply-for-violent-conflict-following-icj-ruling ↩

  10. https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2018/3/6/pa-shell-pulls-out-of-gazas-gas-field ↩ ↩2

  11. https://www.gem.wiki/Gaza_Marine_Gas_Field_(Palestine) ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  12. https://www.ccenergyltd.com/operations/gaza ↩

  13. https://www.whoprofits.org/companies/company/3703 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  14. https://investigate.afsc.org/company/paz ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  15. https://www.kairosresponse.org/companies_in_umc_investments.html ↩

  16. https://www.un.org/unispal/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/a-hrc-60-19-aev.pdf ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  17. https://www.ohchr.org/en/business/bhr-database ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paz_Oil_Company ↩

  19. https://www.klp.no/en/corporate-responsibility-and-responsible-investments/exclusion-and-dialogue/Decision%20to%20exclude%20companies%20with%20links%20to%20Israeli%20settlements%20in%20the%20West%20Bank.pdf ↩

  20. https://www.aamarchives.org/campaigns/barclays-and-shell.html ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  21. https://uk.linkedin.com/in/james-hunkin-9b784110b ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_Energy_Stadium ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  23. https://lda.senate.gov/filings/public/filing/d767c4b2-92bd-4832-b66b-97bc47c6deb9/print ↩ ↩2

  24. https://www.shell.com/sustainability/advocacy-and-political-activity/corporate-political-engagement-policy-and-lobbying-spend.html ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  25. https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-09-12/debates/de2edd97-bb3a-43af-96db-51340bb88cde/EconomicActivityOfPublicBodies(OverseasMatters)Bill(FifthSitting) ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  26. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmpublic/EconomicActivityPublicBodies/memo/EAPBB23.htm ↩

  27. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/980368454 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  28. https://shellfoundation.org ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  29. http://sawanfoundation.org/about-us.html ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  30. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/205700615 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  31. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/israel-gives-nod-gaza-marine-gas-development-wants-security-assurances-2023-06-18 ↩ ↩2

  32. https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/west-bank-and-gaza-energy ↩ ↩2 ↩3