$331 billion
If this figure represented a country’s GDP, it would rank 36th in the world, between Denmark and Malaysia.
Instead, $331 billion is the profit made in 2013 by companies involved in extracting, transporting, refining, distributing and trading in fossil fuels in the United States and Canada. Despite these massive profits, the fossil fuel industry continues to receive tens of billions of dollars in subsidies every year at the expense of U.S. taxpayers. While these companies reap their benefits, communities across the country suffer the impacts of climate change, oil spills and water contamination from fracking, drilling and mining.
This includes many foreign companies – like Shell and BP – that, although they do not earn the majority of their profits in North America, are major players in American and Canadian oil, gas and coal industries.
| Sector | 2012 profits (million USD) |
| Coal mining | -$1,218 |
| Oil & gas producers | $158,128 |
| Oil & gas royalty trusts | $1,308 |
| Oil & gas equipment & services | $48,511 |
| Oil & gas refineries | $17,145 |
| Midstream (natural gas) | $13,482 |
| Midstream (other) | $5,641 |
| Fuel sales & distribution | $2,115 |
| Oil, gas & coal utilities | $39,469 |
| Oil, gas & coal engineering & consulting | $3,888 |
| Other oil, gas & coal | $42,752 |
| Investment & trading | $309 |
| Total | $331,349 |
Source: Bloomberg
However, profits from major Chinese companies, including PetroChina and China National Petroleum Corporation, were not included despite their significant interests in Canadian tar sands because to date their North American activities make up a tiny share of their total profits.
The utility companies included for this analysis are natural gas utilities, as well as electric utilities and power producers that generate or purchase a major share of their electricity from oil, gas and coal. Similarly, only investment and trading firms that deal primarily with fossil fuel companies have been counted.
Because private companies are not required to disclose their financial information, a large share of fossil fuel industry profits cannot be counted. Only 35 out of 60 private oil, gas and coal companies reported profits in 2013. Profits for these companies totaled more than $20 billion, a fraction of likely private fossil fuel company profits. Notably, Koch Industries (the second largest privately held company in the United States) profits are not included, though Forbes estimates the company’s annual revenue at $115 billion.
Many of these companies contribute millions of dollars in campaign finance to representatives and senators in the U.S. Congress, as well as to delegates and senators in State houses in key fossil fuel states around the country. This ensures that U.S. politicians represent the fossil fuel industry’s interests above those of the people that elected them. Fossil fuel industry lobbying expenditure and contributions to the U.S. Congress amounted to over $326 million in the 113th Congress (2013-14).
I think that all oil comp. would steal anything from there mother. I think that all oil comp. should pay 30% of there profits in taxes and not alowed to give to any politician a dam dime.
The annual cost of climate change is now estimated to be $1.2 trillion.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/sep/26/climate-change-damaging-global-economy
So an industry making $271 billion in profits annually is costing society $1.2 trillion annually. How does that make sense?
Here we see not a large profit this is only posted because of the usage of dumb americans to think their being stolen from how long have americans used coal and oil for dont be folded by oboma
So the combined fossil fuel industry makes $331 billion in profits, and you’ve added up their “cost to society”, but never touch on the benefits, such as providing energy for manufacturing, agriculture, and residential needs. Without the fossil fuel industry, and with no viable replacement in sight, billions of people would die….or, is that a good thing in your mind? I suppose as long as it isn’t you, such losses would be acceptable.
As for the annual $1.2 trillion in costs due to climate change…the cost is closer to $1.5 trillion, and it isn’t because of climate change, it’s being paid to the climate change industry. And what do they produce? Alarmist propaganda that proclaims every storm, every drought, every heat wave and cold snap as caused by global warming/climate change. There used to be “weather”, today, there are only “effects of climate change”.
The oil industry lies, frequently, while producing and distributing their product. The globalwarmist lies ARE their product, and we pay $1.5 trillion annually for them. Great job, guys! Why don’t you take over health care next, and world population can be reduced to zero in one generation!!