Royal Dutch Shell is one of the largest players in tar sands, producing approximately 276 000 barrels per day or roughly 20% of total exports from Alberta. Shell has put forth applications to expand its capacity through new mines and in situ projects, to a projected 770 000 barrel per day capacity. However, strong community resistance to Shell has damaged their reputation with both shareholders and the public. Indeed, Shell has been named in five lawsuits related to tar sands developments and has faced shareholder resolutions demanding greater clarity over the risk of tar sands investments.
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation’s Case against Shell
On September 30, 2011 the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) filed a lawsuit against Shell Canada for unfulfilled terms of agreements between ACFN and Shell regarding Shell’s existing tar sands mines. These agreements were meant to ensure Shell would provide measures to lessen impact of these mines on ACFN, including agreements to address environmental issues and mitigation. Shell received permits to begin tar sands operations in 1956 and is now one of the largest operators producing close to 20% of overall production with projects directly on Indigenous lands.
Shell has not honoured these agreements with ACFN leaving many commitments outstanding. ACFN members and others have observed that Shell’s operations are harming the environment and ACFN’s rights and culture, the impacts of the failed agreements contribute to the following:
- lost opportunities to conduct environmental monitoring in the ACFN’s traditional territory during the development of Shell’s projects; and
- lost opportunity to mitigate impacts and potential impacts to ACFN aboriginal and treaty rights caused by the development of these projects.
Now, Shell is proposing to massively expand one of these existing projects, and also has plans for a completely new project in an area that is very important to ACFN’s traditional way of life. ACFN members fear that these mines will have catastrophic effects on First Nations rights and the environment. If Shell Canada’s proposals are approved it would more then double their production. ACFN is drawing the line, and taking a strong stand against Shell. ACFN wants no further developments until Shell is brought to justice and their broader concerns about the cumulative impacts in the region are addressed.
Find out more about the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation case against Shell and see the flyer we handed out.
You can learn more about Shell’s involvement in the Tar Sands by downloading our Get the Shell out of the Tar Sands briefing.
Recent Action
- On 30th November, the UK Tar Sands Network served papers to Shell UK executives on behalf of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN).
