EnvironmentalChallengesConfrontingtheOilIndustry

Sincethelate1980s,whenthecurrenttideofenvironmentalconcernbegantorise,everyimprovementmadebytheoilindustryhasbeenfollowedbynewdemandsforfurtherprogress.Newproblemshavebeenplacedontopoftheoldones;firstsmogintheinnercitiesandoilspillsonthebeaches,thenacidrainandforestdiebackfollowedbymajortankdisastersandrenewedattentiontourbanairqualityandfinally,climaticchange.Thepurposeofthisbookistoinvestigatewhethertheoilindustryisabletoextendandrenewitssociallegitimacyasitfacesitstoughestagendainacenturythechallengesstemmingfromitsimpactontheenvironmentandtheconsequentpublicquestioningofitsroleinsociety.Tofindoutwhetherandhowtheoilindustryhasrespondedtoenvironmentalissuesingeneralandclimaticchangeinparticular,fiveindicatorsofchangevision&image,R&D,investments,andgovernmentrelationshavebeenselected.Thesehavebeenassumedtobeexpressionsofanenvironmentalstrategywhichcanbeidentifiedasreactive,cautiousorcreative.Theempiricalanalysisbeginswithcasestudiesoftheenvironmentalresponseoffivemajoroilcompanies:Shell,Exxon,BP,AmocoandStatoil.Thenextstepisacasestudyoftherefinerysector,whichisthemostenvironmentallysensitivepartoftheindustryinmanyways.Inaddition,abriefdescriptionofhowthreeindustryassociationshavetackledthesameenvironmentalissuesisincluded.Themainreadershipforthisbookwillbepolicymakers,plannersandresearchersintheoilindustry,andenvironmentalconsultants.