Big oil is normally not the first thing anyone thinks of when asked to imagine a perfect customer for renewable energy resources. Yet in 2019 this is exactly the case. The fossil fuel empire could in fact stand to gain big by partnering with the greenest energy of all: wind power and solar power.
Offshore oil platforms are easily recognizable. Giant machines of metal that glow on the distant horizon at night. This is where hardy crews of men and women work long hours for weeks at a time to make sure that operations run smoothly. Drilling for oil is serious business.
Serious business requires serious energy. In order to mine the earth of its minerals oil companies pour tons of money (and oil products) into powering these stations. This is not cost effective or good for the environment but it has to be done. Not anymore.
The rise of solar and especially wind power has lead to all sorts of breakthroughs and innovations. These green energies produce no carbon footprint and are therefore seen as vastly superior to the dirty burning products that result from crude oil.
Big oil would be doing itself a big favor by transitioning its offshore platforms to the use of renewable energy. Wind turbines are even placed closed to oil rigs along the coast sometimes. Not only would this result in less oil product being wasted, it would also likely result in some sort of tax write off. It would also look very good in the public eye, even if it is a little bit ironic.
Oil as a source of energy is not going anywhere anytime soon, but there is no reason why it cannot be sourced in cleaner and more sustainable ways. One of the things people hate so much about fossil fuels is the negative impact that they have on the environment.
Oil products will never become emission free, but the sourcing of them can be. It would also likely result in a cleaner work environment for the people on board those rigs. That is a good way to attract future talent to work for the oil industry. There is no downside to the oil industry embracing the future of renewable resources. There is still plenty of money to be made.