Ethical Dilemmas in Natural Resource Extraction

This assignment delves into the ethical complexities surrounding natural resource extraction, focusing on the decision-making processes involved. It examines real-world scenarios like oil spills and shale gas development, analyzing their social, environmental, and economic impacts. The role of ethical leadership in navigating these dilemmas is also explored, drawing upon relevant theories and case studies.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 1
Ethical Leadership: Exxon, BP, and Hydraulic Fracturing Case Study
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ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 2
Executive summary.
This report mainly seeks to evaluate how ethical leadership is vital in risk management,
especially in the gas and oil industry. The gas and oil industry is faced with several risks which
encompass leaks, spills and explosions, financial and political risks, and risk of loss of reputation
among their stakeholders. The organizations may lose status when accidents occur. Most
accidents in the gas and oil companies happen due to unethical practices which the companies
are involved in. Some companies concentrate on making profits more than the safety of their
operations. The particular case study used in drafting this report contains evaluated discussions
about Exxon oil spill, the BP explosion case and the fracking activities.
Management of ethical risks in oil and gas industry helps in reducing accidents by
ensuring the provision of incentives used in changing the safety culture, certification and training
of employees so that they become more conversant with the nature of their jobs and the risks
involved and exploring proper change management so as to adapt to the operational
environment.
Ethical leadership plays a critical role in ensuring proper risk management. In this type of
leadership, the leaders must respect the values, beliefs, and interests of all the stakeholders of the
organizations that they lead. Ethical leadership ensures that a culture of transparency and
responsibility is created, environmental risks are adequately managed and that proper safety and
quality management procedures are put in place. All these aspects have been discussed in this
report. The report has been summarized by an overall conclusion that has explored an overall
overview of ethical leadership in the oil and gas industry.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 3
Table of Contents
Executive summary...................................................................................................................................2
Introduction...............................................................................................................................................4
How ethical risk management in gas and oil industries relate to the reduction of accidents...............4
Management of change.........................................................................................................................4
Proper preparedness for disaster.........................................................................................................5
Certification and training.....................................................................................................................5
Providing incentives to change the safety culture...............................................................................6
Proper corporate standards and practices...........................................................................................6
Comparison of the risks faced by Exxon, BP, and the Fracking industry as they strive to provide a
constant energy supply..............................................................................................................................7
They all face the risk of leaks, explosions, and spills...........................................................................7
They all face the risk of loss of reputation...........................................................................................8
They all face political risks....................................................................................................................8
They all face financial risks...................................................................................................................9
How ethical Leadership helps the oil and gas industry manage risk.....................................................9
Creates a culture of transparency and responsibility.........................................................................9
Environmental risk management.......................................................................................................10
Safety and quality management.........................................................................................................10
Ensures proper risk preparedness.....................................................................................................11
Conclusions..............................................................................................................................................11
References................................................................................................................................................12

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 4
Introduction
Oil and gas are the world's most valuable commodities. However, the oil and gas industry
is faced with various environmental risks. These may range from oil spills, leaks, explosions and
emission of dangerous gases into the atmosphere which may encourage global warming,
(Burnham et al., 2011, p. 619). Serious accidents that have faced gas and oil industries in the past
have resulted from unethical practices. These accidents include the Exxon oil spill which
happened in 1989 resulting in the contamination of the ocean, incapacitation of fishing activities
and liabilities to the company in terms of cleanups and compensation, BP explosion incident in
2010 which resulted in the death of eleven workers and the methane gas emissions which result
from fracking activities, (Gill, et al., 2012, p. 3). There is, therefore, need for oil and gas
companies to embrace ethical leadership and ensure ethical risk management activities are put in
place to reduce the accidents.
How ethical risk management in gas and oil industries relate to the reduction of accidents.
According to Thiel et al. (2012, p. 49), ethics refers to the right behavior expected of a
person, corporate body or group of individuals. It defines what is right or wrong in an
organization. When a company is faced with unethical practices, then it may be exposed to
several ethical risks. Moral risk refers to unexpected negative consequences that result from
immoral activities, (Ford & Richardson, 2013, p. p. 20). Ethical risk management deals with
several ways in which ethical risks can be identified, mitigated and transformed, (Valentine et
al., 2011, p. 358). Ethical risk management in the oil and gas companies relates to the reduction
of accidents in the following ways:
Management of change.
Change management enables the company to adjust to risk. When a corporation has
transparent change management procedures, it will be able to identify the dangerous areas of the
business and adapt to them before any accidents occur, (Craft, 2013, p. 228). Change
management closely relates to the strategy formulation. Companies should formulate strategies
that allow for change. Whenever there is a change in operations, proper policies should be put in
place to support such changes, (Hartman et al., 2014, p. 108). Changes can be exerted on
employees, technology or the management structure of the organization as a whole.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 5
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill gives an example of improper change management,
which led to a fatal explosion. In this case, the emergency responder had died five years ago
before the accident happened, yet there was no replacement made, (Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p.
426). The emergency responder would play a vital role in responding to unusual occurrences like
an explosion. This shows that the organization did not embrace change, as the employees were
not properly evaluated to determine whether they handled their activities.
Proper preparedness for disaster.
The gas and oil industry may be faced with various risks. These may result from
unethical practices in the firms. Companies must embrace ethical leadership, and formulate strict
risk policies to deal with ethical risks, (Crane & Matten, 2016, p. 201). Some ethical risks like an
explosion, leakage and oil spillage are common in gas and oil industries, (Finkel & Law, 2011, p.
784). However, if proper preparation and safety procedures are put in place, then such
occurrences may easily be tackled.
A good example to illustrate this point can be derived from the case of Deepwater
Horizon spill. In this case study, the oil rig was not well-maintained as it lacked a remote control
shut off switch that could be used to plug the leakage, (Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p. 428). The
blowout on the rig was also faulty. This showed clearly that the company was not prepared to
handle emergencies such as explosions in case they occurred. Exxon’s case is also not an
exemption. There is a clear evidence of unpreparedness. APSC which was operating the shipping
terminal and the Alaska Pipeline at Valdez was not effectively prepared to contain the spillage,
(Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p. 427). Therefore, it took several hours to put together the
equipment. It was also not sure whether to use a tug or barge for containing the spillage, (Ferrel
& Fraedrich, 2015, p. 427). This resulted in a lot of time wastage in containing the spillage.
Certification and training.
Organizations can offer on-the-job training to the employees to ensure that they have the
right skills to handle activities extended to them. Proper training and certification also ensure that
workers are fully qualified to do their jobs and that they fully understand the risks that they may
be exposed to while handling different tasks in the firm, (Shapiro & Stefkovich, 2016, p. 99).

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 6
In Exxon Valdez disaster, the third mate who steered the tanker ship did not have a license.
This showed that the captain was not competent and certified to handle the activities of a captain.
This could be one of the causes of the accident that resulted into the oil spillage
Providing incentives to change the safety culture.
During the extraction of crude oil, dangerous gases may be emitted into the atmosphere.
This may cause air pollution. Oil may also spill on the oceans posing threats to the health and
safety of aquatic life, (Finkel & Law, 2011, p. 784). The employees may also be exposed to
health risks, whenever they inhale the gases emitted. Accidents such as explosions may also
result into loss of lives of the employees, (North et al., 2014, p. 8389). Therefore, ethical risk
management is necessary for reducing accidents and risk exposure levels, through prioritizing on
safety and sustainability. Sustainable operations are operations geared towards reducing adverse
effects to the environment. Companies which major on the sustainability of their activities,
usually ensure that they do not pollute the environment, or expose their employees to health
risks, (Elsenbeiss, 2012, p. 792).
In the case of Exxon, the rupturing of the hull could have been prevented if the company
could use a double hull in the tanker. However, the company could incur 22 million in costs. BP
also used a faulty blowout preventer on the rig, (Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p. 428). This only
showed disregard to safety, which later led to an explosion.
Proper corporate standards and practices.
Employees should follow proper codes of behavior to operate efficiently in the
organization. Codes of conduct dictate how employees should handle themselves in the
organization, (Thiel et al., 2012, p. 50). Proper ethical considerations ensure that workers adhere
to the company rules.
It is evident from Exxon’s case study that the captain's system had a considerable quantity of
alcohol, (Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p. 426). Therefore, he was not supposed to be allowed to
operate the ship. The captain who had the credentials to run the ship was also asleep at the time
of the accident. This showed clear ethical lapse which may have contributed to the worsening of
the situation during the spillage.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 7
Comparison of the risks faced by Exxon, BP, and the Fracking industry as they strive to
provide a constant energy supply.
Some of the risks faced by Exxon, BP and the fracking industry in their attempt to
provide sufficient energy supply are leaks, explosions, and spills. The companies are also faced
with the loss of reputation due to the accidents, political risks, and financial risks. These are
discussed as follows:
They all face the risk of leaks, explosions, and spills.
Spills occur when oil finds their ways out of the cargos and into the oceans. Many of the
world's largest oil reserves are located beneath the sea, (Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p. 426).
Therefore companies must take adequate measures to reduce spills during extraction. The Exxon
oil spill which happened in 1989 illustrates one of the risks that oil and gas companies face. The
spill had important effects which included the death of sea birds, interference with fishing
activities and loss of reputation of the firm among its customers, (Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p.
427). The company also incurred legal expenses and other cleanup costs.
Oil and gases are always highly flammable. Therefore the companies face a risk that the
gases and oil may explode, (Michel et al., 2013, p. 65087). This is precisely demonstrated in the
case of BP, whereby there was an explosion in 2010 that led to the loss of lives of eleven
employees. The oil also continued leaking into the Gulf, for three months, (Ferrel & Fraedrich,
2015, p. 429). Thousands of aquatic animals were killed in the oily waters, and most of the
people who derived their income from the Gulf of Mexico lost all or parts of their earnings. The
also beaches turned black because of the oil.
Hydraulic fracturing results in the emission of methane gases into the atmosphere. These
may cause safety risks to the employees. However, most companies have not carried out proper
education to the community regarding the adverse effects of hydraulic fracturing, (Brandt et al.,
2014, p. 733). The risk of emissions makes fracking activities more harmful than beneficial to
the communities living in the areas where fracking is conducted, (North et al., 2014, p. 8389).
While oil extraction industries pose substantial effects to the environment through emission of
harmful gases, spills, leakages, and explosions, fracking activities expose individuals living near
the fracking sites to safety risks through emission of radioactive gases like methane.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 8
They all face the risk of loss of reputation.
As stated by Thiel et al. (2012, p. 50), reputation refers to the respect a company holds
among its stakeholders such as the customers, employees, creditors, and suppliers. Whenever a
company operates ethically, then it may derive respect from the community, (Valentine et al.,
2011, p. 354). However unethical operations may lead to deterioration of a company’s
reputation.
The best example can be extracted from BP's case study. The company was formerly respected
by its customers and employees as it concentrated on safety and sustainability of its operations
especially after learning from Exxon oil spill, (Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p. 428). This was until
the 2010 explosion occurred, leading to the death of eleven employees when it lost its reputation.
The company could therefore not defend its preparedness regarding the safety of its employees in
times of emergency.
Hydraulic fracturing activities may also not hold reputation in the community as the
emissions of gases like methane into the atmosphere expose their employees and the community
as a whole to safety and health risks. Exxon also lost its reputation after the 1989 oil spill, which
led to the death of sea birds, incapacitation of fishing activities and liabilities in the form of
clean-ups and other legal liabilities in the form of compensation, (Ritchie, 2012, p. 188). These
examples only show how the accidents faced by Exxon, BP and the fracturing continue to reduce
the level of reputation they hold in their operational environment.
They all face political risks.
Political risks are always faced by states, investors or organizations, when the political
decisions made have a high tendency of making them incur losses. Political risks may arise from
liabilities that emanate from unethical practices conducted by firms, (Ford & Richardson, 2013,
p. 20). Exxon, BP and the fracking have continued to face different political risks in the course
of their operations. To start with, Exxon was exposed to liabilities worth 10 billion due to the
spill, (Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p. 426). These included clean-up, fines and compensation
expenses. BP also had to spend 36.5 billion dollars for cleanup and plugging the leakage, (Ferrel
& Fraedrich, 2015, p. 429). These are political risks that face the oil and gas industries.
Fracking activities also lead to the emission of methane gas into the atmosphere. The
fracking companies may, therefore, be exposed to liabilities related to compensation, whenever
they expose the employees to health and safety risks, (Vangosh et al. 2014, p. 8334).

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 9
They all face financial risks.
Financial risk is the possibility an enterprise or its shareholders may make some loses
when they invest in a business that has a debt. Debts may be caused by unethical practices that a
company involves in, (Craft, 2013, p. 222). For example, if a company exposes its employees to
health risks, making the employees sick or get injured, then the company may be forced to
compensate such workers.
After the spill, Exxon was forced to pay for cleanup costs. It also paid legal expenses to
inform of fines and compensation, (Palinkas, 2012, p. 220). Therefore, the company lost money
in the process. This is a clear example of a financial risk. BP was also forced to pay cleanup
costs and other compensation costs after the 2010 explosion, (Gill et al., 2012, p. 23). Fracking
companies are also not exempted from financial risks. This is because they may lose money,
paying for compensations to their injured employees and community members as a result of
dangerous gases emitted through their operations.
How ethical Leadership helps the oil and gas industry manage risk
Leadership involves getting things done through people. A good leader must be able to
motivate and inspire the workers to achieve the desired organizational goals, (Schaubroeck et al.,
2012, p. 1053). Ethical leadership is usually directed by respect of beliefs, values, rights, and
dignity of others, (Pless & Maak, 2011, p. 10). It is, therefore, related to concepts like
consideration, charisma, fairness, and trust. Ethics is usually concerned with the virtuousness of
individuals and their motives, (Thiel et al., 2012, p. 49). The following are how ethical
leadership may help oil and gas industry in managing risk:
Creates a culture of transparency and responsibility.
Transparency involves doing things in the right way and as required by the organization.
Responsibility, on the other hand, refers to a situation whereby, employees are held accountable
for their actions, (Shapiro & Stefkovich, 2016, p. 98). Ethical leadership enables employees to be
motivated to be responsible for conducting their duties in the right manner. The case of Exxon
reflects an example of unethical leadership. The captain who was entrusted with operating the
ship was fast asleep at the time of the spill, (Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p. 426). This shows how
irresponsible the captain was. The third mate who operated the tanker ship did not have a license,

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 10
hence was not qualified for the job, (Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p. 426). In the case of BP, the
emergency responder had died five years before the explosion occurred. These examples show
cases of unethical leadership.
Environmental risk management
Environmental risk refers to the potential or actual adverse effects on living organisms
and the environment by resource depletion, emissions, wastes and effluents arising out of the
activities conducted by an organization. Proper ethical leadership would ensure that the company
adopts sustainable operations to minimize emissions into the atmosphere, (Schaubroeck et al.,
2012, p. 1053). The oil and gas companies are faced with the risk of emissions, spills, and
leakages, (Finkel & Law, 2011, p. 785). These risks can only be controlled through exhibiting
ethical leadership.
Proper detoxification procedures should be taken in place to ensure the emissions are not
hazardous to the environment. Leaders should make sure adequate preparedness is respected to
ensure emergencies are handled accordingly. The BP explosion that occurred in 2010 could be
controlled if the company had prepared adequately for emergencies. In the case of Exxon, if the
company concentrated on safety, then it could have acquired enough emergency equipment,
which could be used to conduct cleanups, during the spill. However, it was evident that there was
lack of preparedness, (Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p. 426). The company also depended on
skimmer boats to clean up the oil spills, which broke down frequently.
Safety and quality management.
Safety of the employees and the community as a whole should be considered by every
company before venturing into any activity. Enterprises should put in place safety measures to
control health risks that the employees may be exposed to in the course of their operations,
(Crane & Matten, 2016, p. 200). Proper equipment should be installed to control accidents.
Organizations should also ensure that its equipment is properly inspected for any faults, (Crane
& Matten, 2016, p. 200). Quality of the material used by businesses should be monitored to
ensure that they do not expose the workers and the organization generally to any form of risk.
In Exxon's case, if the company could use a double hull in the tanker, then it could have
prevented the hull from getting ruptured which resulted into oil spillage. The company also
lacked proper communication channels, (Ferrel & Fraedrich, 2015, p. 426). This inhibited the
communication between the shore and APSC crew during the spill.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 11
Ensures proper risk preparedness.
Ethical leadership ensures that companies are fully prepared to handle risks. This can be
enhanced through the creation of a risk policy, (Craft, 2013, p. 222). The risk policy statement
states the level of risk accepted by the company and the level beyond which the organization
should not take a risk, (Craft, 2013, p. 222). Taking risk without proper evaluation is one of the
leading causes of accidents. In Exxon and BP's cases, there is an apparent show of
unpreparedness for risk. This reflects unethical leadership. If the companies in the oil and gas
industry formulate adequate risk policies and put in place proper machinery to handle risk, then it
could help in managing their risk exposure.
Conclusions
The activities of oil and gas companies are as socially and politically complex. In the last
two decades, some oil and gas companies have made commendable strides in doing their
businesses in more sustainable and socially responsible ways. However, most accidents in the oil
and gas industries have been caused by unethical leadership. Oil and gas companies should,
therefore, embrace ethical leadership to ensure the promotion of a culture of transparency and
responsibility, proper environmental risk management and avail adequate safety and quality
control measures to ensure they operate responsibly and reduce ethical risks. In the case study,
Exxon, BP, and the fracking industry continue to face similar risks, in their attempts to provide
adequate energy supply. These risks which include leaks, spills and explosions, reduction of
reputation from customers and the community in which they operate, political risks and financial
risks can only be managed through embracing ethical leadership.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 12
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ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: EXXON, BP, AND HYDRAULIC FRACTURING CASE STUDY 13
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