Dear EarthTalk: How do oil and gas companies foil efforts by climate activists?
-- J.L., via email
kAmx? C646?E J62CD[ >2?J 4=:>2E6 24E:G:DED 92G6 AC@E6DE65 282:?DE @:= 2?5 82D 4@>A2?:6D 7@C E96:C C@=6 :? 6I246C32E:?8 4=:>2E6 492?86 2?5 >@C6] #646?E 6I2>A=6D :?4=F56 E96 F3:BF:E@FD “yFDE $E@A ~:=� AC@E6DED[ H9:49 92G6 D9@H? FA 7C@> E96 {@FGC6 |FD6F> E@ t2DE6C xD=2?5] ~:= 2?5 82D 4@>A2?:6D 5676?5 E96:C 24E:@?D 2D ?646DD2CJ 7@C 6?6C8J D64FC:EJ[ 3FE 4C:E:4D 244FD6 E96> @7 F?56C>:?:?8 4=:>2E6 AC@8C6DD]k^Am
kAm~?6 H2J 6?6C8J 4@>A2?:6D 7:89E 4=:>2E6 24E:G:DED :D =@33J:?8] p44@C5:?8 E@ ~A6? $64C6ED[ >@C6 E92? Sa 3:==:@? 92D 366? DA6?E @? =@33J:?8 :? E96 &]$] D:?46 a___[ H9:49 9:89=:89ED E96 9F86 C@=6 =@33J:?8 A=2JD 2?5 9@H @7E6? A@=:4J 492?86D] x? E9:D C682C5[ >2?J 7@DD:= 7F6= =@33J:DED 4@@C5:?2E6 H:E9 =2H>2<6CD E@ AFD9 =2HD E92E 5:D:?46?E:G:K6 4=:>2E6 24E:G:D>[ H:E9 D@>6 2?E:\AC@E6DE:?8 =2HD 42CCJ:?8 `_\J62C A6?2=E:6D]k^Am
kAmp?@E96C H2J 6?6C8J 4@>A2?:6D 7:89E 4=:>2E6 24E:G:D> :D 3J 7F?5:?8 C6D62C49 E@ D92A6 E96 AF3=:4 ?2CC2E:G6] u@C 564256D[ A6@A=6 92G6 <?@H? E96 56EC:>6?E2= 67764ED E92E 6?6C8J 4@>A2?:6D 92G6 @? E96 6?G:C@?>6?E] x? 2EE6>AED E@ 56=2J 24E:@?[ tII@?|@3:= 2?5 @E96CD 92G6 DAC625 >:D:?7@C>2E:@? =:<6 �4=:>2E6 92D 492?865 ?2EFC2==J :? E96 A2DE[ D@ E@52J’D 4=:>2E6 492?86 >FDE 36 ?2EFC2=]� x? 2?@E96C 6I2>A=6[ E96 w62CE=2?5 x?DE:EFE6[ 2 7C66\>2C<6E E9:?< E2?<[ D6?E A24<286D E@ ad[___ D4:6?46 E62496CD 6G6CJ H66<] %96 A24<286 4@?E2:?65 2 3@@< HC:EE6? 3J E96 @C82?:K2E:@? E:E=65 �(9J $4:6?E:DED s:D28C66 p3@FE v=@32= (2C>:?8[� 2?5 2 s's E92E H@F=5 A=2J 2 G:56@ C6;64E:?8 E96 C@=6 @7 9F>2?D :? E96 4=:>2E6 4C:D:D]k^Am
kAm%96D6 4@>A2?:6D 2=D@ FD6 =2HDF:ED 2?5 =682= DEC2E68:6D E@ :?E:>:52E6 56EC24E@CD] ~?6 :?DE2?46 :?G@=G65 r96GC@? H96? :? a_``[ :E H2D 7@F?5 8F:=EJ @7 <?@H:?8=J 5:D492C8:?8 42?46C\:?5F4:?8 H2DE6 2?5 496>:42=D :?E@ E96 ?@CE96C? t4F25@C:2? p>2K@?] s6DA:E6 E96 :?:E:2= H:? 7@C E96 :?5:86?@FD 2?5 p>2K@?:2?D[ E96 564:D:@? H2D @G6CCF=65 D6G6? J62CD =2E6C 2E 2? 2C3:EC2E:@? 4@FCE[ H96C6 >2?J 36=:6G65 r96GC@? FD65 :ED 7:?2?4:2= 5@>:?2?46 E@ :ED 25G2?E286]k^Am
kAm%@52J[ r96GC@? 92D DE:== ?@E A2:5 324< t4F25@C 7@C E96 :CC6A2C23=6 52>286 5@?6 J62CD 28@] (9:=6 E96 4@>A2?J D66>D E@ 92G6 366? =6E @77 E96 9@@<[ E96C6 2C6 DE:== A6@A=6 H9@ 56>2?5 ;FDE:46 7C@> r96GC@?]k^Am
kAm(:E9 8C@H:?8 6?G:C@?>6?E2= D6?E:>6?E 24C@DD E96 8=@36[ >@C6 A6@A=6 2C6 ;@:?:?8 >@G6>6?ED E@ F?4@G6C E96 F8=J ECFE9 23@FE @:= 2?5 82D 4@>A2?:6D] }6IE E:>6 J@F 7:== FA J@FC 82D 7C@> 2 DE2E:@?[ 4@?D:56C H96C6 E9:D 82D 42>6 7C@>] (92E DE@CJ 9:56D 369:?5 E96 >F=E:>:==:@?\5@==2C 724256 E92E 4@>A2?:6D <66A FA E@ 6?DFC6 2 =F4C2E:G6 3FD:?6DDn r2D6D =:<6 E96 w62CE=2?5 x?DE:EFE6 9:89=:89E E96 =6?8E9D E@ E96 :?5FDECJ H:== 8@ E@ >2:?E2:? E96:C @A6C2E:@?D[ 2?5 :E :D :>A6C2E:G6 E@ DE2J :?7@C>65 2D 4:E:K6?D 2?5 4FDE@>6CD]k^Am
