Chapter 37: Background To The Current Oil Wars

This next bit will require a little American oil history, so the Rockefeller associations are all made clear. By 1880, Rockefeller owned or controlled 95% of all oil produced in the United States. Rockefellers Standard Oil of New Jersey distributed the majority of the oil. (215) In 1911, after years of anti-monopoly activism by large portions of the population, Standard Oil was "dissolved" ... or so they thought. An oil historian records the "dissolution" this way;

"Standard oil of New Jersey, with almost half the total net value; it became Exxon -- and never lost it's lead. Next largest, with 9 percent of total value, was Standard Oil of New York, which ultimately became Mobil. There was Standard Oil (California), which eventually became Chevron; Standard Oil of Ohio, which became Sohio and then the American arm of BP; Standard Oil of Indiana, which became which became Amoco; Continental Oil, which became Conoco; and Atlantic, which became part of ARCO and then eventually of Sun. 'We even had to send out some office boys to head these companies,' one Standard official sourly commented." (216)

The companies were "separate" but continued to work together. Others have linked Rockefeller to Shell, Gulf, Union and Continental. (217) In 1998, Exxon and Mobile re-joined each other, a deal that was immediately called "Rockefeller's Revenge." (218) The growth hasn't stopped - in 2001 Chevron merged with Texaco. (219) The following briefly outlines the highlights of the connections between these Rockefeller oil companies and the current war for oil in the Middle East.

(215) Marrs, Jim, "Rule by Secrecy," 2000, Harper-Collins, pp. 45-46

(216) "The Prize - The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power," Daniel Yergin, 1992, p. 110

(217) "Death in the Air" p. 361

(218) www.lawrenceville.org/special/thelawrence/98/12_11_98/14.html

(219) www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/09/chevtex.htm

http://www2.exxonmobil.com/corporate/Newsroom/Publications/TheLampWntr2001/page_1.html

http://www.chevrontexaco.com/news/spotlight/merger_analysts_meeting_transcript.asp