Do petroleum engineers struggle with ethical dilemmas?

[astroman707]

Petroleum engineers are smart, educated individuals. Therefore, I’d assume they’re well aware of the environmental impacts caused by the work they do.
Do they ever struggle with any ethical issues regarding the matter? Is it the money? Is it the possibility of making oil drilling processes more environmentally friendly?

 

[phinds]

... the less than ethical exploits of the company they work for.

So, you consider providing the energy needs of the world unethical?

 

[astroman707]

So, you consider providing the energy needs of the world unethical?

Of course not. But it is well known that oil companies use their financial power to try and spread misinformation about climate change, and influence politicians.

 

[Mark44]

Do they ever struggle with any ethical issues regarding the matter?

Do the engineers who design windmills struggle with ethical issues with regard to the number of birds that are killed when they fly into a whirling windmill blade?

Is it the possibility of making oil drilling processes more environmentally friendly?

If you read up on the technology of oil drilling, you'll find that companies are very attuned to doing things to reduce the impact on the environment, including such techniques as slant drilling, in which a single drill rig with a small footprint can extract oil from an enormously large area.

 

[phinds]

Of course not. But it is well known that oil companies use their financial power to try and spread misinformation about climate change, and influence politicians.

That statement will just start a long, pointless argument that is political / philosophical and has nothing to do with science which is what this forum is about.

 

[astroman707]

That statement will just start a long, pointless argument that is political / philosophical and has nothing to do with science which is what this forum is about.

You’re right. I don’t want that. I’ll cut that from the post.

 

[anorlunda]

I think the whole thread is silly. No matter what the industry, we engineer to make it as safe and efficient as possible.

IMO climate change is merely a symptom of overpopulation. Should I question the morality of the health care industry that helps people live longer?

 

[Rive]

I wonder if you do have a car?
Whether you have ethical struggles over the CO2 footprint of this thread you started...

 

[anorlunda]

This thread can do nothing but go downhill. There are no engineering issues.

Thread closed.