Houston Chronicle: Exxon Mobil chief urges industry to battle untruths

Exxon Mobil Corp. CEO Rex Tillerson told an energy industry audience Friday that government confusion and widespread misinformation are hampering energy companies, and he urged the industry to respond aggressively to both.

Tillerson spoke on the final day of the IHS CERAWeek energy conference at the Hilton Americas-Houston. He was the last in a parade of top energy executives at the week-long event who preached the promise of the shale gas boom for transforming the world's energy future, while condemning government delays and potential public backlash. 

Talk of natural gas dominated the conference, with industry leaders from around the globe speaking with admiration about abundant new supplies. Vast quantities of North American natural gas, unlocked by advances in drilling technology, have reshaped the world's energy landscape and created substantial opportunities, they said.

To capitalize on the potential of natural gas, executives repeatedly called for more transparency within the industry to allay public concerns about the environmental effects of new technologies. They also criticized efforts to add federal disclosure mandates to ones that already exist in some states, including Texas.  MORE