Oil industry failure to improve public perception

July 9, 2001
Mr. Edison's letter in (OGJ, June 25, 2001, p. 10) concerned the alleged "failure of the oil industry to improve its horrible public perception." Mr. Edison lacked some information about the industry's efforts in public relations when he made his caustic attack on the industry.

Mr. Edison's letter in (OGJ, June 25, 2001, p. 10) concerned the alleged "failure of the oil industry to improve its horrible public perception." Mr. Edison lacked some information about the industry's efforts in public relations when he made his caustic attack on the industry.

The State of Oklahoma legislature just recently extended funding for a very successful, industry-funded remediation and education organization called the Oklahoma Energy Resource Board. The stated purpose of this group is to "restore abandoned or orphaned oil sites and educate the community on the contributions of the oil and natural gas industry." The OERB has restored over 2,000 sites since 1994 and continues to support public education through advertising and teaching children about the industry through its Petro Pros program. These efforts are funded and supported by voluntary contributions from the oil and gas producers and royalty owners.

Another group called the Energy Advocates spends a portion of it's time informing and educating the public about the industry and how it might impact their lives. These are only two examples of ways in which our industry is attempting to improve its public image.

I am sure that the industry can always do more than it does, but it is not like we are just "sitting around in our petroleum clubs and cussing the government and tree huggers." However, I will validate a portion of Mr. Edison's complaint by saying that it is difficult to change an image that is propagated by a few radical environmentalists and consumer groups, that prove time and time again to have weak facts, and a select part of the political climate that attempts to promote an anti-business environment. Not all oil companies are antienvironment, greedy, and poor citizens!

Many oil companies, both independents and majors, put forth a large effort to contribute to their communities and create programs that benefit the population directly and indirectly. If it were not for the energy that this industry produces, the quality of life that we enjoy today would not exist.

Maybe Mr. Edison can come out of retirement and assist our industry in its efforts to educate our seemingly uninformed population.

Doug Cleary
President
Cleary Petroleum Corp.