Petroleum accounting : the Financial Accounting Standards Board and Securities Exchange Commission controversy

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Authors
Greene, Janice M.
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Issue Date
1981
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Thesis (M.B.A.)
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Abstract

Over 120 years ago the discovery of the first oil well by Edwin L. Drake heralded the beginning of the petroleum era. 1 Since that time, the oil industry's growth has been nothing short of phenomenal. Todal, the oil industry's profits account for approximately 40% of the total profits of the manufacturing sector. 2 While the industry has experienced substantial growth in the past, it is predicted that future earnings will grow at an ever accelerating rate. In comparison to the industry's great technological progress and growth, the accounting profession's development of generally accepted accounting principles for the petroleum industry has been at a much slower pace. Oil and gas companies for years have been free to choose and adapt that accounting method most suited to their needs. This has created many variations to the two basic methods of full cost and successful efforts required by generally accepted accounting principles. The existence of so many accounting options for petroleum producers has reduced the comparability of oil and gas accounting reports. The need for a uniform system of accumulating. and comparing relevant energy information derived from domestic oil and gas producers is undeniable. But, at the same time, no area of accounting has experienced the series of changes that the oil and gas companies have recently suffered.

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