Grijalva Statement on Second Allegation of Big Oil Collusion with OPEC
WASHINGTON – U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today released the following statement on a complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleging that Scott Hess, CEO of Hess Corporation, colluded with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), to raise gas prices for American consumers. In May, the FTC filed a similar complaint alleging that Scott Sheffield, former CEO of Pioneer Natural Resources, colluded with OPEC as well.
“A pattern emerges,” said Ranking Member Grijalva. “Big Oil already benefits from hundreds of billions of dollars in federal subsidies each year, and Hess Corporation — much like Pioneer — is one of the top users of our public lands and waters. The sheer possibility that these companies are using taxpayer resources to collude with international oil cartels and rob hardworking Americans’ pockets to pad their own is beyond reprehensible. It is time for Congress to work together to hold Big Oil accountable.”
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND
Earlier this month, Vice Ranking Member Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), along with several other Committee Democrats, held a roundtable with expert panelists titled, “Holding Big Oil Accountable for Extortion, Collusion, and Pollution.” The Members and panelists discussed the collusion allegations, Big Oil’s well-documented climate disinformation tactics, and other environmental attacks, as well as the impacts of these actions on the American people and how Congress can hold Big Oil accountable.
On May 23, Ranking Member Grijalva sent a letter to Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) urging him to open an investigation into the FTC collusion allegations against Pioneer Natural Resources. Chair Westerman has not responded to that letter.
On July 9, a dozen Committee Democrats, led by Ranking Member Grijalva, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) requesting information about Pioneer Natural Resources and seven other oil companies, including Hess Corporation, implicated in a class action lawsuit alleging market manipulation with OPEC. The companies all hold oil and gas leases on our public lands, public waters, or both.
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