If BP chief executive Bernard Looney described his company as a “cash machine” just before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent oil and gas prices soaring, what does that make it now? Big Oil’s coffers are overflowing. The top western energy companies raked in a record $219bn in profit last year, as the war led to a surge in prices and a renewed focus on energy security. Bumper revenues come as households weather a historic cost of living crisis amid painfully costly energy bills. Calls for even tougher windfall taxes are mounting. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the supermajors’ super profits; their fortunes sway with boom and bust cycles just like any industry. What is more problematic is how they actually plan to spend them.
如果说英国石油(BP)的首席执行官陆博纳(Bernard Looney)在俄罗斯入侵乌克兰导致石油和天然气价格飙涨前不久曾形容他们公司是“造钱机”，那么现在这家公司怎样了？石油巨头正富得流油。头部的西方能源公司去年实现创纪录的2190亿美元利润，原因是俄乌战争导致油气价格飞涨，并促使世人重新关注能源安全。能源公司获得丰厚收入之时，许多家庭正在应对历史性的生活成本危机，能源账单令人叫苦。要求征收更高暴利税的呼声高涨。巨头获取巨额利润本没什么错，和其他所有行业一样，石油巨头的财运也是跟着盛衰周期在变动。现在更大的问题是它们究竟打算怎么去用这些钱。