Does oil&gas producers only think about profit?
This was selected as Best Answer This issue is a complex issue and to answer it in such a short form is nearly impossible but I will provide highlights. Yes companies need profit to survive. No the oil and gas industry does not make profit margins that are any larger than any other company and in some cases much less (i.e. Microsoft has a much larger profit margin or Google or many others). Speculators are certainly playing a role in the higher prices we are currently seeing, but so does the weak dollar. The supply of oil and gas peaked I think in 1985, yet demand is increasing (although US demand is decreasing). In addition it is getting harder and harder for oil and gas companies to get oil out of the ground to help meet those needs. Many Oil companies are converting oil from other sources like shale, this is VERY expensive. Yes for years OPEC kept oil prices artificially high, but at this point it is in their best interest to keep them lower, because they want us to remain dependant
