Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM), Chevron Corporation (CVX), Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY): Where’s The Money?

Marine, Boats, and Fisheries (MAR): This is a bit of an obscure issue group, but it’s no surprise to see Royal Dutch Shell show up here. The company filed four reports focusing on three issues falling under this designation, including “Maritime shipping and transport issues related to Alaska offshore energy development,” and “NOAA-NMFS Supplemental Draft EIS for Arctic Activities.”

Naturally, this is far from a complete list. When it comes down to it, there is an awful lot going on behind the scenes at these businesses, and lobbying disclosures give us great insight into many of the issues oil companies are facing.

Bottom line
It’s always worth examining the LDA forms your company files to see what’s going on behind the scenes. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) doesn’t make a mention of lobbying in its 10-K filing, nor does Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), or Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY). BP plc (ADR) (NYSE:BP) and Royal Dutch Shell leave it out of their 20-F filings as well.

As a result, investors are clueless, until they turn to this database. Flipping through these filings once every quarter or so can give you insight into the issues management thinks is necessary to shower in millions of dollars. Money talks, and if the LDA forms don’t match up with what management has been preaching, you know there’s a problem.

The article Big Oil’s Big Lobby Dollars originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Aimee Duffy.

Fool contributor Aimee Duffy has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Chevron.

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