Human Rights in the Oil and Gas Industry: When Are Policies and Practices Enough to Prevent Abuse?

2021 ◽  
pp. 000765032110174
Author(s):  
Tricia Olsen ◽  
Kathleen Rehbein ◽  
Michelle Westermann-Behaylo ◽  
Annie Snelson-Powell
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Human Rights Abuses ◽  
Original Dataset ◽  
Holistic Understanding ◽  
Oil And Gas Firms ◽  
Policies And Practices

Multinational enterprises are aware of their responsibility to protect human rights now more than ever, but severe human rights violations, including physical integrity abuses (e.g., death, torture, disappearances), continue unabated. To explore this puzzle, we engage theoretically with the means-ends decoupling literature to examine if and when oil and gas firms’ policies and practices prevent severe human rights abuse. Using an original dataset, we identify two pathways to mitigate means-ends decoupling: (a) while human rights policies alone do not reduce human rights abuses, firms with a high-quality human rights policy over the long-term reduce severe human rights abuses; (b) firms that combine preparedness—which we define as a firm’s capabilities, practices, and engagement—with a long-term human rights policy also reduce the likelihood of human rights abuses. Preparedness, we argue, can lead to reinforcement dynamics between long-term policy efforts and additional capabilities that provide a more holistic understanding of firm behavior.

Trends and Prospects of Development of the Oil and Gas Sector in the Context of Digitalization

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Kazanin
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Global Market ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Business And Society ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Exploration And Production ◽  
Oil And Gas Sector

The modern oil and gas industry is heavily dependent on the processes and trends driven by the accelerating digitalization of the economy. Thus, the digitalization of the oil and gas sector has become Russia’s top priority, which involves a technological and structural transformation of all production processes and stages.Aim. The presented study aims to identify the major trends and prospects of development of the Russian oil and gas sector in the context of its digitalization and formation of the digital economy.Tasks. The authors analyze the major trends in the development of the oil and gas industry at a global scale and in Russia with allowance for the prospects of accelerated exploration of the Arctic; determine the best practices of implementation of digital technologies by oil and gas companies as well as the prospects and obstacles for the subsequent transfer of digital technologies to the Russian oil and gas industry.Methods. This study uses general scientific methods, such as analysis, synthesis, and scientific generalization.Results. Arctic hydrocarbons will become increasingly important to Russia in the long term, and their exploration and production will require the implementation of innovative technologies. Priority directions for the development of many oil and gas producers will include active application of digital technologies as a whole (different types of robots that could replace people in performing complex procedures), processing and analysis of big data using artificial intelligence to optimize processes, particularly in the field of exploration and production, processing and transportation. Digitalization of the oil and gas sector is a powerful factor in the improvement of the efficiency of the Russian economy. However, Russian companies are notably lagging behind in this field of innovative development and there are problems and high risks that need to be overcome to realize its potential for business and society.Conclusions. Given the strategic importance of the oil and gas industry for Russia, its sustainable development and national security, it is recommendable to focus on the development and implementation of digital technologies. This is crucial for the digitalization of long-term projection and strategic planning, assessment of the role and place of Russia and its largest energy companies in the global market with allowance for a maximum number of different internal and external factors.

scholarly journals The Human Right to Water and Unconventional Energy

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (9) ◽  
pp. 1858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Palmer ◽  
Damien Short ◽  
Walter Auch
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Governmental Organization ◽  
United Nations General ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
The Right

Access to water, in sufficient quantities and of sufficient quality is vital for human health. The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (in General Comment 15, drafted 2002) argued that access to water was a condition for the enjoyment of the right to an adequate standard of living, inextricably related to the right to the highest attainable standard of health, and thus a human right. On 28 July 2010 the United Nations General Assembly declared safe and clean drinking water and sanitation a human right essential to the full enjoyment of life and all other human rights. This paper charts the international legal development of the right to water and its relevance to discussions surrounding the growth of unconventional energy and its heavy reliance on water. We consider key data from the country with arguably the most mature and extensive industry, the USA, and highlight the implications for water usage and water rights. We conclude that, given the weight of testimony of local people from our research, along with data from scientific literature, non-governmental organization (NGO) and other policy reports, that the right to water for residents living near fracking sites is likely to be severely curtailed. Even so, from the data presented here, we argue that the major issue regarding water use is the shifting of the resource from society to industry and the demonstrable lack of supply-side price signal that would demand that the industry reduce or stabilize its water demand per unit of energy produced. Thus, in the US context alone, there is considerable evidence that the human right to water will be seriously undermined by the growth of the unconventional oil and gas industry, and given its spread around the globe this could soon become a global human rights issue.

scholarly journals A Review of Job Role Localization in the Oil and Gas Industry

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Pegram ◽  
Gioia Falcone ◽  
Athanasios Kolios
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Critical Discussion ◽  
Future Application ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Local Content ◽  
Job Role ◽  
Key Terms

Job role localization is a strategic local content solution used by countries bearing natural resource stocks to maximize the long-term benefits of exploring and producing them. Currently, there is significant variation in how countries and organizations plan and implement local content and job role localization strategies; hence, this paper aims to gather, classify, and discuss relevant literature with a view to identify best practices for future application. After a multi-dimensional discussion of key terms relevant to the topic, the drivers and theoretical underpinnings of local content are examined, followed by an assessment of job role localization literature qualifying enablers and barriers to localization. A critical discussion on the means of evaluating local content policies summarizes the findings of this critical review.

scholarly journals How Oil Contracts Affect Human Rights

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Maria João Mimoso ◽  
Clara da Conceição de Sousa Alves ◽  
Diogo Filipe Dias Gonçalves
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
The Social ◽  
Oil Contracts ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
The Impact

Since the beginning of the 19th century, we have assisted major proliferation of the oil and gas industry. This phenomenon of exponential growth is due to the fact that oil companies hold the world’s oil monopoly on the extraction, processing and commercialization. Therefore, as being one of the most influential sectors in the world, is crucial to strictly regulate how oil and gas contracts concerns the potential environmental and social impacts arising from the conduct of petroleum operations and how such behavior affects the human rights. As a matter of fact, the social issues field is an emerging area, and despite such importance, oil contracts do not often deal with them in great detail, corresponding to an actual emptiness of the human rights provisions. In terms of responsibly, oil companies, have an inalienable obligation to ensure that their actions do not violate human rights or contribute for their violation. This study aims to trace a detailed analysis of the impact of the oil and gas agreements in human rights. In order to fully comprehend the deep effects of this industry, we will examine, in detail, numerous of published oil and gas agreements, as well as, decode which are the real standards and practices accepted by this industry. We will use a deductive and speculative reasoning. We will try to demonstrate how incipient and short protection is given to human rights and what responsible conducts must urgently be developed.

Governance in the oil and gas industry

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 710
Author(s):  
Andrea Hall
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Governance Structures ◽  
Capital Management ◽  
Effective Governance ◽  
Greenfield Investments ◽  
Value Propositions

One of the outcomes of the global financial crisis is the re-focus on the governance of organisations: do they understand the risks they are facing, and the efficiency and effectiveness of their control environment? Well run businesses achieve long term success. Effective governance structures protect brand and value propositions; they are also key to maintaining the trust of business partners and financial stakeholders. While the need for good governance is well understood, the achievement of good governance is still unattainable for some. Do you, as directors, executives and managers, understand the governance of your organisation? How have you shaped the governance of your organisation to enhance its value? Particularly in the following areas: Does the governance of the business model align with the strategy and do the respective divisions work towards a common purpose? Use of governance to drive value from activities in new markets, JVs, greenfield investments and M&A. Consideration of effective governance structures for major projects to achieve business, cost and desired timeframe outcomes. Use of good governance in determining capital structures and capital management, including cash flow and working capital management. Integration of governance, risks and compliance activities and their integration with business as usual activities. Do the risk and governance processes strengthen the resilience of your company, including its ability to evade, adapt end respond to new risks? These and other issues will be discussed to gain a perspective on how effective governance can help achieve long-term organisational success. We will draw on oil and gas case studies when considering these topics.

Aboriginal employment—Chevron's journey

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 425
Author(s):  
Camis Smith
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Long Term Results ◽  
Corporate Leadership ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Internal Support ◽  
Employer Of Choice ◽  
Energy Companies

Advancing Aboriginal participation in the workplace comes with its challenges, and those experienced in the oil and gas industry are unique. Barriers to participation need to be regularly evaluated and addressed for success. Although Chevron Australia's focus on Aboriginal employment is fairly recent, it receives strong internal support from senior and corporate leadership. It will be important in the future to further this commitment and build ownership throughout the organisation to achieve long-term results and meet business needs and skills gaps. Camis Smith, Chevron Australia's Aboriginal Employment Strategy Manager, will share Chevron's experiences, lessons and challenges in advancing Aboriginal participation in the workplace, and reinforce its reputation as an employer of choice. Chevron is one of the world's leading integrated energy companies and through its Australian subsidiaries, has been present in Australia for more than 60 years. With the ingenuity and commitment of more than 4,000 people, Chevron Australia leads the development of the Gorgon and Wheatstone natural gas projects, and has been operating Australia's largest onshore oilfield on Barrow Island for more than 45 years.

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