For the latest full year i could find ....using Exxon as the example, they posted profits of 39 BILLION on sales of nearly 380 BILLION.... those are both enormous numbers, but when you look at it as a return on revenue..its just barely over 10%.... or 10cents on the dollar. In the MID 80's when oil had tanked as was selling for 12 dollars a barrel and the oil industry was laying people off by the tens of thousands..and summarily hurting the economy of texas and other states...... I DIDNT see people saying... damn the oil companies are in crisis lets pay MORE for gasoline to help them out.... its a business and as much as I dont like it they should be allowed to make a profit unconstrained.