Drilling for Answers on Oil and Gas Prices, Profits, and Alternatives
News Update:
5.13.08 --House passes legislation to assist consumers on rising gas prices
5.7.08 -- Markey, Pelosi and 91 others send letter to President on Strategic Petroleum Reserve
5.1.08 --Markey to Introduce Legislation Against Exxon Stock Buyback Practice
4.24.08 --Select Committee Hearing with Consumer Advocates and Truckers on Rising Gas Prices
4.24.08 -- On Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), Bush sides with Big Oil not consumers
Select Committee Hearing Brings Top-Level Oil Execs to Capitol Hill
On Tuesday, April 1, 2008, Chairman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) brought in top-level executives from the five largest oil companies to discuss the current state of oil and gas prices, oil company profits, and the need for clean, renewable fuels to ease demand for oil and cut global warming pollution. The Select Committee heard from the number two officers worldwide for the three United States-based oil companies and the presidents of U.S. operations for the foreign companies.
ExxonMobil reported record profits of $40.6 billion in 2007, and the other top four oil companies like BP and Shell made billions more. These same companies are fighting to keep $18 billion in tax breaks that Congress is attempting to shift towards renewable energy incentives for wind, solar, biomass and other climate-friendly sources. The House recently passed the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008, but President Bush and the top oil companies are fighting to defeat the measure in the Senate.
WHAT: Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming hearing entitled, “Drilling for Answers: Oil Company Profits, Runaway Prices and the Pursuit of Alternatives.”
WHEN: 12 PM, Tuesday, April 1, 2008
WHERE: 210 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC (Media Overflow Room located in 304 Cannon)
OPENING STATEMENT: Edward J. Markey (watch)
WITNESSES:
* Mr. J. Stephen Simon, Senior Vice President, Exxon Mobil Corp.
* Mr. John Hofmeister, President, Shell Oil Company
* Mr. Robert A. Malone, Chairman and President, BP America, Inc.
* Mr. Peter Robertson, Vice Chairman, Chevron
* Mr. John Lowe, Executive Vice President, ConocoPhillips
VIDEO:
Chairman Ed Markey opening statement.
Markey questions Exxon's Simon.
Rep. Jay Inslee questions panel.
PHOTOS:
(To enlarge and download, please right click on each picture.)
Full Select Committee opens hearing.
Members of the press ready for Oil Executives testimony.
Markey looks for answers from Exxon's Simon.
ConocoPhillips takes questions from the media.
Picture of the hearing room.
Rep's Cleaver, Herseth-Sandlin and Solis.
Exxon's Simon replies to a question from Select Committee.
Select Committee Members listens to testimony.
LEGISLATION:
HR 5351 -- the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008
CHARTS
Return to Select Committee Hearing Testimony from the 110th Congress »
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090813080321im_/http://globalwarming.house.gov/assets/img/icon_print.gif)