Patriarchical Petroculture
By Jocelyn Livier
​
The global oil industry is characterized by the fact that it was founded, expanded, and run by men. It is also characterized by the deadly, destructive, climate-changing pollution produced in the extraction and use of its primary products, oil and gas. In light of this, it should be unsurprising that women have been disproportionately negatively affected by the oil industry and that they have organized time and again to fight for regulations, oversight, and responsibility.
In 1964, oil became the world’s largest energy source.[1] 63 years earlier, the Spindeltop oilfield was discovered in Jefferson County, Texas, marking the birth of the oil industry.[2] By 1919, gasoline sales had skyrocketed, as most military machinery and vehicles were powered by oil.[3] Petroleum (which includes crude oil and products, whereas oil simply refers to crude oil) would soon grow to be one of the most male-dominated industries.
It’s important to note the origin of oil. The industry was, after all, founded by men. It has been difficult to overcome the male ownership of what is now one of the most crucial natural resources in politics. Articles, such the PBS piece “Who Made America,” credit Edward Drake as one of the individuals responsible for leading America to its current “greatness.”[4] Drake is also credited with the discovery of oil in [year].[5] Despite praise, the exploration and extraction of oil and gas pose significant threats to our natural landscapes and local communities. These drilling operations run incessantly, spewing pollution, exacerbating climate change, disturbing wildlife habitats, and destroying public lands. Within a decade of the discovery of oil, John D. Rockefeller and the Standard Oil Company would dominate the industry across the US.[6] And in 1938, the first Saudi Arabia oil well was drilled, tapping into the world’s largest oil source.[7]
Male elected officials made historical decisions about oil. The sex industry burgeoned around oil fields. And when issues about environmental costs were raised, male oil industry executives mobilized to counteract the global warming and then climate change narratives, with Exxon’s think tank and claims of greening the industry. But no matter their claims, the oil industry is hugely polluting.
Oil drilling is extremely detrimental to the environment. The decade average of oil spills from 2000-2010 and 2011-2020 remained close to 6.8 per year, revealing what little technological improvements have done to prevent oil spills.[8] In 1989, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill killed an estimated 250,000 seabirds, nearly 3,000 sea otters, and billions of salmon and herring eggs.[9] In 2023, 10 oil spills were recorded.[10] Every oil spill poses a threat to both wildlife and the community. Not only does it kill thousands of sea creatures, it also contaminates seafood, creating a public health hazard.
It also hurts people. A study from The Guardian revealed that in 2018, fossil fuel pollution was found to have been the cause of death for 8.7 million people globally.[11] The study also revealed that the world’s average life expectancy would increase by more than a year if the oil industry ceased to exist.[12]
The UN predicts that up to 80% of people displaced by climate change are women.[13] However, women's representation in national and global climate negotiating bodies typically falls below 30%.[14] In 2021, the Boston Consulting Group reported 22% of women working in the oil and gas industry, the same percentage reported in 2017.[15] Even more revealing, the percentage of women in senior-level decision-making roles dropped from 26% in 2017 to 13% in 2021.[16] Yet the number of women entering the industry as university graduates has risen from 26% to 28% which indicates that women are slowly but increasingly entering the oil industry and remaining without promotion once in[17] Most likely, these women are finding themselves stuck in entry or mid-level positions unable to reach executive roles.
However, once inside it can be difficult to climb the ranks to a role capable of making a direct impact on climate change. In 2018, a study by the Petroleum Equipment and Services Association, PESA, found that only 3.6% of women in the industry held offshore, or corporate roles, and only 1% were CEOs.[18] Yet, the study also found that companies with at least 30% “female leaders” reported 6% higher net margins and 24% higher total return to shareholders.[19] While these statistics demonstrate the monetary incentive for more women representation in the industry, very little exists to demonstrate the environmental impact of having a more diverse industry. Unfortunately, seemingly, financial incentives are the only convincing statistic to incorporate women. A look at Exxons proud statistics of 28% of women in their entire global workforce was revealed in a 2022 annual report.[20] Many oil giants hold a similar statistic.
The industry is heavily political, dictating the direction of trade agreements, sanctions, and alliances. However, all ranks are heavily infatuated with masculine norms. At the entry-level, work on oil rigs and fields remains laborious, attracting men with the infallible mindset that dangerous working conditions are signs of masculinity.
Furthermore, “man camps” or company-provided housing by the likes of oil giants such as Exxon and Shell are notorious for sexual assault and trafficking. In 2015, fracking rushed oil giants into North Dakota, bringing workers with them. As a result, North Dakota, to date, has the highest ratio of men to women, following Alaska.[21] A six-weeks-on, two-weeks-off schedule promotes camp-like behavior with heroin, meth, and drug arrests rising in the areas where oil companies have set up camp.[22] In Williston, North Dakota, a boomtown resulting from oil discovery, the local battered women's shelter reported an increase in victims by 300% from 2009 to 2011, the years in which oil arrived in the area.[23] To combat human trafficking in the boomtown, law enforcement conducted ​​ Operation Vigilant Guardian in which officers went undercover to arrest pedophiles. The operation was ultimately closed due to the maximum capacity at the local prison as a result of the investigation.[24]
Indigenous women also face the brunt of the issue. On January 14, 2021, indigenous women leaders wrote an open letter to President Joe Biden in an effort to prevent the Dakota Access Pipeline Project, a pipeline that transports crude oil from the Bakken field in North Dakota to Illinois, citing increased violence against indigenous women wherever Big Oil was present.[25] They also made note of increased murders and missing indigenous women.[26] The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Database (MMIP) recorded 529 cases in 2019 just between Montana, South and North Dakota, and Nebraska, states in which the Keystone Oil Pipeline system extends.[27] These represent the explicit reasons as to why it is difficult for women to enter the industry.
This means voices with a stake in the well-being of the environment are not being heard. However, women have historically fought against environmental oppression in the oil industry.
The first movement can be noted as early as the 1900s when the first oilfield was discovered. Unable to vote, women, specifically those from Indianapolis, often referred to as Hoosier women assembled against the oil giants of the time. In 1910, the Smoke Abatement Association was formed.[28] Their slogan, “Better and Cleaner Indianapolis” aimed to get housewives and large manufacturers from burning bituminous coal ( a type of coal characterized by its relatively high carbon content and suitability for use in various industrial applications, including electricity generation and steel production).[29] Hoosier women quickly became a part of a larger nationwide movement of upper-class women who practiced “civic motherhood” by promoting a mother’s role to protect her household, including protection from unclean air and health issues.[30] This promoted the participation of women in political discussions surrounding pollution and health. The Association encouraged women to decrease household smoke by installing smoke control devices, providing demonstrations on proper coal firing, and publishing reports on local sources of heavy smoke emissions.[31] Their efforts culminated in the successful passage of a city ordinance in 1913, prohibiting the burning of bituminous coal within a designated downtown area.[32] The state of Utah had a similar organization. Members of the Ladies’ Literary Club, the Women’s Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Salt Lake Council of Women banded together to promote clean air in the Salt Lake Valley, citing their distaste for sooty homes and polluted neighborhoods.[33] Efforts included the handing out of pamphlets with tips on how to reduce clouds of smoke from household appliance usage. Nearly a century later, Utah is still home to a similar group called “Utah Moms for Clean Air”.[34] While external organizations have worked to promote clean air, it still remains difficult for women to rise the ranks in the oil industry.
Despite such a strong example of women’s historical fight for protection around petroleum pollution, the industry remains highly patriarchal, resulting in devastating environmental impacts that disproportionately affect women. The voices of women, however, have historically continued to speak out against oil giants and their wrongdoings. Besides increased violence, rape, murder, and other barriers associated with the presence of Big Oil’s “man camps” women continue to strive and enter the industry against all odds. Once within, they face very little opportunity for advancement or promotion, silencing the voices of those most impacted by the industry.
​
References
Adler, K. W. (2015, August 18). Crude Awakening: The Sex Trafficking Crisis That’s Right in Our Backyard. Marie Claire. https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a15466/sex-trafficking-north-dakota/
Afolayan, T. (2021, October 1). The Role of Females in the Oil and Gas Industry. Www.linkedin.com. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/role-females-oil-gas-industry-tunbosun-afolayan/
Beck, A. (2019, October 5). Why Aren’t Fossil Fuel Companies Held Accountable for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women? YES! Magazine. https://www.yesmagazine.org/environment/2019/10/05/native-fossil-fuel-missing-murdered-indigenous-women-mmiwg
Cierzniak, L. (2014, November 29). Indianapolis Collected: Coal smoke brought Indy’s darkest hour | Historic Indianapolis | All Things Indianapolis History. Historic Indianapolis. https://historicindianapolis.com/indianapolis-collected-coal-smoke-brought-indys-darkest-hour/
EKT Interactive. (2023). History of Oil - A Timeline of the Modern Oil Industry. EKT Interactive. https://ektinteractive.com/history-of-oil/
Exxon. (2022). • 2022 HIGHLIGHTS • A PLACE TO THRIVE • ATTRACTING THE BEST TALENT • ENABLING EMPLOYEES TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL • DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS • HARNESSING DIVERSITY Relevant SDGs 1 tied to this section Investing in people. https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/-/media/global/files/sustainability/social/investing-in-people-2022.pdf
Gilbert, S. J. (2006, November 27). Manly Men, Oil Platforms, and Breaking Stereotypes. HBS Working Knowledge. https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/manly-men-oil-platforms-and-breaking-stereotypes
Gross, S. (2020, June). Why are fossil fuels so hard to quit? Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-are-fossil-fuels-so-hard-to-quit/#:~:text=Oil%20overtook%20coal%20to%20become
Halton, M. (2018, March 8). Climate change “impacts women more than men.” BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43294221
ITOPF. (2022). Statistics - ITOPF. Itopf.org; ITOPF. https://www.itopf.org/knowledge-resources/data-statistics/statistics/
Jayswal, P. (2023, April 24). Women in Utah have been advocating for clean air for a century. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2023/04/24/utahs-bad-air-quality-goes-back/
Kiersz, A. (2018, December). There are only 10 states in the US with more men than women - Business Insider. Business Insider; Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/men-women-united-states-map-2018-11
Lelieveld, J., Pozzer, A., Pöschl, U., Fnais, M., Haines, A., & Münzel, T. (2020). Loss of life expectancy from air pollution compared to other risk factors: a worldwide perspective. Cardiovascular Research, 116(11). https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvaa025
Milman, O. (2021, February 9). “Invisible killer”: fossil fuels caused 8.7m deaths globally in 2018, research finds. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/09/fossil-fuels-pollution-deaths-research
NOAA. (2020, August 17). Exxon Valdez | Oil Spills | Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program. Darrp.noaa.gov. https://darrp.noaa.gov/oil-spills/exxon-valdez
PBS. (2019). Who Made America? | Innovators | Edwin Drake. Pbs.org. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/drake_hi.html
Scherber, A. A. (2017, March 17). Hoosier Women’s Fight for Clean Air. The Indiana History Blog. https://blog.history.in.gov/hoosier-womens-fight-for-clean-air/
The Wilderness Society. (2021, July 9). 7 ways oil and gas drilling is bad for the environment. The Wilderness Society. https://www.wilderness.org/articles/blog/7-ways-oil-and-gas-drilling-bad-environment
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2022, September 16). Where Our Oil Comes from - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Eia.gov. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/oil-and-petroleum-products/where-our-oil-comes-from.php
Von Lonski, U., Syth, A., Trench, S., Goydan, P., Reimer, Dr. P., Fjaeran, T., Miras, P., Merchant, W., & Gauthier-Watson, C. (2021, December 7). Untapped Reserves 2.0: Driving Gender Balance in Oil and Gas. BCG Global. https://www.bcg.com/publications/2021/gender-diversity-in-oil-gas-industry#:~:text=The%20percentage%20of%20women%20working
Women's Earth and Climate Action Network, International. (2021, January 14). Indigenous Women Call Upon Biden to Stop Pipelines and Uphold Indigenous Rights in the Wake of Escalating Climate Chaos and Covid-19 Crises. WECAN International. https://www.wecaninternational.org/PressReleases/indigenous-women-call-upon-biden-to-stop-pipelines-and-uphold-indigenous-rights-in-the-wake-of-escalating-climate-chaos-and-covid-19-crises
[2] EKT Interactive. (2023). History of Oil - A Timeline of the Modern Oil Industry. EKT Interactive. https://ektinteractive.com/history-of-oil/
[3] Ibid.
[4] PBS. (2019). Who Made America? | Innovators | Edwin Drake. Pbs.org. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/drake_hi.html
[5] EKT Interactive. (2023). History of Oil - A Timeline of the Modern Oil Industry. EKT Interactive. https://ektinteractive.com/history-of-oil/704
[6] Ibid.
[7] Gilbert, S. J. (2006, November 27). Manly Men, Oil Platforms, and Breaking Stereotypes. HBS Working Knowledge. https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/manly-men-oil-platforms-and-breaking-stereotypes
[8] Ibid.
[9] NOAA. (2020, August 17). Exxon Valdez | Oil Spills | Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program. Darrp.noaa.gov. https://darrp.noaa.gov/oil-spills/exxon-valdez
[10] ITOPF. (2022). Statistics - ITOPF. Itopf.org; ITOPF. https://www.itopf.org/knowledge-resources/data-statistics/statistics/
[11] Milman, O. (2021, February 9). “Invisible killer”: fossil fuels caused 8.7m deaths globally in 2018, research finds. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/09/fossil-fuels-pollution-deaths-research
[12] Lelieveld, J., Pozzer, A., Pöschl, U., Fnais, M., Haines, A., & Münzel, T. (2020). Loss of life expectancy from air pollution compared to other risk factors: a worldwide perspective. Cardiovascular Research, 116(11). https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/cvaa025
[13] Halton, M. (2018, March 8). Climate change “impacts women more than men.” BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-43294221
[14] Ibid.
[15] Von Lonski, U., Syth, A., Trench, S., Goydan, P., Reimer, Dr. P., Fjaeran, T., Miras, P., Merchant, W., & Gauthier-Watson, C. (2021, December 7). Untapped Reserves 2.0: Driving Gender Balance in Oil and Gas. BCG Global. https://www.bcg.com/publications/2021/gender-diversity-in-oil-gas-industry#:~:text=The%20percentage%20of%20women%20working
[16] Ibid.
[17] Ibid.
[18] Afolayan, T. (2021, October 1). The Role of Females in the Oil and Gas Industry. Www.linkedin.com. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/role-females-oil-gas-industry-tunbosun-afolayan/
[19] Ibid.
[20] Exxon. (2022). • 2022 HIGHLIGHTS • A PLACE TO THRIVE • ATTRACTING THE BEST TALENT • ENABLING EMPLOYEES TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL • DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS • HARNESSING DIVERSITY Relevant SDGs 1 tied to this section Investing in people. https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/-/media/global/files/sustainability/social/investing-in-people-2022.pdf
[21] Kiersz, A. (2018, December). There are only 10 states in the US with more men than women - Business Insider. Business Insider; Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/men-women-united-states-map-2018-11
[22] Adler, K. W. (2015, August 18). Crude Awakening: The Sex Trafficking Crisis That’s Right in Our Backyard. Marie Claire. https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a15466/sex-trafficking-north-dakota/
[23] Ibid.
[24] Ibid.
[25] Women's Earth and Climate Action Network, International. (2021, January 14). Indigenous Women Call Upon Biden to Stop Pipelines and Uphold Indigenous Rights in the Wake of Escalating Climate Chaos and Covid-19 Crises. WECAN International. https://www.wecaninternational.org/PressReleases/indigenous-women-call-upon-biden-to-stop-pipelines-and-uphold-indigenous-rights-in-the-wake-of-escalating-climate-chaos-and-covid-19-crises
[26] Ibid.
[27] Beck, A. (2019, October 5). Why Aren’t Fossil Fuel Companies Held Accountable for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women? YES! Magazine. https://www.yesmagazine.org/environment/2019/10/05/native-fossil-fuel-missing-murdered-indigenous-women-mmiwg
[28] Cierzniak, L. (2014, November 29). Indianapolis Collected: Coal smoke brought Indy’s darkest hour | Historic Indianapolis | All Things Indianapolis History. Historic Indianapolis. https://historicindianapolis.com/indianapolis-collected-coal-smoke-brought-indys-darkest-hour/
[29] Ibid.
[30] Scherber, A. A. (2017, March 17). Hoosier Women’s Fight for Clean Air. The Indiana History Blog. https://blog.history.in.gov/hoosier-womens-fight-for-clean-air/
[31] Ibid.
[32] Ibid.
[33] Jayswal, P. (2023, April 24). Women in Utah have been advocating for clean air for a century. The Salt Lake Tribune. https://www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2023/04/24/utahs-bad-air-quality-goes-back/
[34] Ibid