Let's focus on that for just a second and forget right and left. Why is "big oil" such an easy joke, and why does everyone assume "of course they're bad?" I have worked for "big oil" for over 30 years. I have worked with very hard working people who love their families and try to do what is right. I have worked with liberals, conservatives, libertarians, atheists, agnostics, Christians, Muslims, Hindus - it's hard to find a more diverse work force than an international oil company.
My oil company is extremely responsible in terms of environmental impact (we report EVERYTHING, not just what we are required by law to report) and spend millions cleaning things up. We have brought power, hospitals, food, and clean water to places that have never had it before.
We invest millions in alternative energy. We are currently the largest producer in the world of wind power-generated energy, and we have huge investments in battery power and solar power.
I am currently sitting in Luanda, Angola, as I write this and in the short time I have been here I have seen us hold huge rallies to educate Angolan people (not employees, but just people in the city) about malaria and malaria prevention - something we spent thousands and millions on with no hope of return, other than good will and humanity.
When you pay higher prices for oil, so do we. Yes, our profits go up when the price of oil goes up, but this is probably the most capital intensive business around. Out last offshore rig in the Gulf of Mexico cost us over $5 billion and took 6 years to bring online. Without money coming in, we can't pay for that kind of investment - particularly when there is no return for over 6 years and the break even point is 10 years out.
People yell when the price of oil goes up that we are making obscene profits, but no one yells when the price of oil drops and we can't fund our core business.
But after over 30 years, I can see it's cyclic, so hopefully you make enough in the good years to get you through the lean - otherwise it's the mid 80s all over again and you lay off 40% of your work force. And when you employ 80,000 people like we did in the mid 80s, that's 32,000 families who lose their main source of income.
Sorry, I know we will continue to be villified, and I will be made fun of, but I really, really think its pretty one-sided and usually done without any critical thought.
We are just too easy a target, I guess.
Done. Just wanted to get that off my chest. Let the mocking being! ;)
reply
share
mariogdll-703-55668
14 years ago
the problem with oil companies is that they have too much power with the policies implemented in the US. there's a lot of money being invested in alternate fuel but it's a very small portion of the profits being made and not only that, the united states has gone to war with other countries just for the control over oil. that's why oil companies are easy targets...
there are so many alternative sources of energy that have already been invented but have not yet reached the market because oil companies want to capitalize on their oil supplies. yes they employ many people and invest a lot on charitable causes, but that is just for tax breaks and to keep specific interest groups off their backs...there is in no way any true humanitarian and noble causes for the money being spent into charitable causes.
the problem is that oil companies are being short-sighted and are very greedy. they know they have control over a resource that is used in nearly every industry and that gives them too much power. if they had no power whatsoever regarding government policy (or any other industry for that matter) people would not have such a big feud with them
reply
share