Originally Posted by Dark Messiah

Oil companies are run by people who are going to be on the job maybe 2-3 years. The initial cost of implementing any new technologies would not be likely to be made up before their retirement, so could only hurt their end payment. In the meantime, they have scientists who are paid to make statements like, "That's silly, of course if that was viable we would be doing it".

Large companies are designed to keep on doing what they're already doing. They're horrible at implementing change. Any large institution is. Your faith is misplaced.