Gov. Pritzker Demands Answers From Big Oil Companies Over Record Profits And High Prices Hurting Illinois Families

CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker sent a letter to the chief executives of the nation’s largest oil companies, demanding answers about why Illinois families are paying exorbitant prices at the pump while the companies report record profits as a result of President Trump’s ongoing, unlawful war with Iran.

In the letter, Governor Pritzker questions why oil companies are failing to help ease the burden on Illinois drivers while their businesses hoard additional revenue from the increased gasoline demand as the war in Iran enters its sixth month with no signs of ending.

“At a moment when Illinois working families continue to feel the burden of higher costs, these oil companies face a clear choice — help ease the burden for families or exploit the conflict to generate windfall profits,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Illinoisans have a right to know how these companies are profiting from this conflict, how much of those outsized profits Illinois families are being made to pay, and what steps they will now take to provide hardworking Illinoisans some relief at the pump.”

Since the beginning of President Trump’s war with Iran, the price of regular gasoline in Illinois has risen by more than $1.30 per gallon, averaging $4.34 per gallon across the state and costing Illinois residents an additional $2 billion so far. At the same time, oil companies are reporting their largest quarterly net profits ever, raking in billions while hardworking families suffer.

Illinoisans have a right to know who is profiting from this war and at what cost to their families, so Governor Pritzker has requested information and detailed justification to the below questions from each of the CEOs:

• State whether your company is prepared to return any portion of its wartime windfall to consumers in the state via price reductions at the pump, direct refunds, or other means. If not, explain why.
• Provide the company’s refining margins, wholesale pricing decisions, and retail pass-through practices for gasoline and diesel fuel sold in Illinois from the start of the war on February 27, 2026, until now.
• Provide operational information for the Illinois-based Joliet Refinery, including throughput, product mix, and gross margin per barrel refined, and outline operational decisions that affected the volume of gasoline and diesel fuel available to consumers from the start of the war on February 27, 2026, until now.
• Provide the total compensation amounts of the company’s five highest earning executives and identify any metrics that reward executives for the earnings generated during calendar years 2024, 2025, and so far in 2026.
• Provide the company’s 2026 capital expenditure plans for facilities in Illinois and how it factors into your company’s commitment to our state.

Governor Pritzker looks forward to receiving prompt and detailed responses from the following CEOs by Friday, August 21, 2026:

• Darren W. Woods, Exxon Mobil Corporation
• Mike Wirth, Chevron Corporation
• Robert D. Lawler, Continental Resources, Inc.
• Colette Hirstius, Shell USA, Inc.
• Orlando Alvarez, bp America, Inc.
• Ryan Lance, ConocoPhillips
• Richard A. Jackson, Occidental Petroleum Corporation

Read the Governor’s full letter here:

Gov. Pritzker's Letter to Big Oil Executives

More like this:

Gov. Pritzker Signs Nation-leading Legislation To Protect Illinois Children On Social Media

3 days ago

Gov. Pritzker Cuts Ribbon On $250 Million Incobrasa Expansion

Jun 22, 2026

Gov. Pritzker Urges Congress to Provide Long-Term Market Certainty to Illinois Farmers

Apr 2, 2026

Gov. Pritzker Cuts Ribbon at Amrize’s Chicago Headquarters

Jun 23, 2026

Gov. Pritzker Announces ADM to Invest $103 Million to Modernize Decatur Operations

Jun 23, 2026