Whistleblowers make alarming claims about decades-long efforts to mislead public: 'Uniquely dangerous and underregulated'

Oil and gas companies' disinformation campaigns about the effects of dirty fuels on the climate have been ongoing for years — and despite statements to the contrary discussed in a new investigation, the industry is not part of the solution to rebalance our rapidly warming planet.

What's happening?

Oil and gas corporations are touting their role in fixing the climate crisis, but a federal investigation and whistleblowers indicate it's all for show, Vox reported with Drilled. 

Issues include misleading information surrounding the overarching benefits of carbon capture and storage, as well as enhanced oil recovery — which are being marketed as solutions and even ways to lead the United States' efforts to cut heat-trapping pollution. 

The report noted that carbon capture and storage, or CCS, will account for up to just 2.4% of carbon mitigation by 2030, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and it can be expensive. 

Still, in feedback on videos it funded for children about CCS, ExxonMobil told creators to "de-emphasize concept that catching carbon is difficult or hard," per Vox. 

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) — in which carbon dioxide is injected underground so more oil can be extracted — has turned into another revenue stream for the flush companies after industry lobbying — and only some of the carbon it sequesters stays sequestered, per the reporting. 

Instead, it results in more pollution when the extracted oil is burned. Moreover, this method uses naturally occurring carbon 70% of the time rather than human-produced carbon, per the reporting, and oil companies can now get $85 per metric ton (about 1.1 U.S. ton) in a tax credit for carbon capture instead of the $10 per ton sequestered for the initial payouts in 2008.

The pipelines used to transport and store carbon are incredibly dangerous, too, according to Drilled and Vox. No one seems to know how much carbon goes into them, how much escapes, or how much comes out. One time this came to a head was during a mysterious 2020 leak in Mississippi.

"These are not your grandmother's pipelines," Science and Environmental Health Network executive director Carolyn Raffensperger said in the Vox article. "They could be lethal. We talk about the kill zone or a fatality zone around a CO2 pipeline. We don't talk about that with oil and gas pipelines. These are uniquely dangerous and underregulated."

Why is this important?

Much of the reporting was based on documents and information obtained by congressional representatives from a three-year investigation. 

The oil companies stonewalled requests for information, providing heavily redacted documents when they gave up anything at all — and even sabotaged their own compliance. An Exxon employee said it submitted only "a truly random assortment of unimportant documents," per Vox.

Taken together, this — the industry's pollutive nature, with its knowledge of that harm, and its disinformation operation to make it seem like business can carry on as usual — is known as greenwashing. The tying of CCS to EOR and efforts to further profit without regard to the consequences is particularly of concern. 

In addition to Exxon, Chevron, BP, and Shell are on the cusp of "peak oil" and declining production rates — and now "need EOR more than ever," Drilled and Vox stated of the polluting process. "By rebranding it as a climate solution and tying it to a tax credit, they've not just made the process cheaper, they've created a new revenue stream," the report explained. 

What's being done about the oil and gas industry?

Efforts have been made by lawmakers and journalists to hold these companies accountable. The report repeatedly returned to the idea that not extracting oil and gas in the first place is the best solution for the climate. This divestment, of course, is the last thing the industry wants.

You can contribute to reducing dependence on dirty energy and pollution by making even just small changes. Opt for an induction stove, an electric heat pump, or community solar. Cut your consumption of plastic, and eat more plant-based meals. We can clear a path to a cooler, safer future by working together.

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