For the poor, help with heat
Now that they are comfortable with their roles as corporate Medicis, sponsoring museum exhibitions and importing culture from the BBC for educational television, the oil companies appear to be going into social welfare programs. When Getty Oil last week signed a consent decree with the Department of Energy, which had accused the company of violating federal price regulations on crude oil, natural gas liquids and refined products, the $75 million settlement included a novel provision. Getty agreed to pay one third, or $25 million, into an escrow account to be administered by the DOE...