Shale oil magnate Scott Sheffield has alleged Exxon Mobil collaborated with the Federal Trade Commission in a “smear campaign” to block him from joining the supermajor’s board following its $60bn acquisition of his company, Pioneer Natural Resources, in 2024. In his forthcoming autobiography, Sheffield claims Exxon officials leaked damaging stories to the media, attempted to block a lobbying group from supporting him, and “orchestrated” with the FTC. The FTC barred Sheffield from the board as a condition of approving the Pioneer deal, citing allegations he colluded with Opec to push up oil prices during the pandemic.

Sheffield, considered a father of the US shale revolution, rejected the claims and took legal action. A Republican-controlled FTC reversed the order in July 2025, calling the original decision a departure from precedent. Sheffield described Exxon’s culture as “notoriously cut-throat and dysfunctional,” and accused then-FTC Chair Lina Khan of ideologically driven enforcement.

Exxon did not comment on the allegations. CEO Darren Woods stated the merger was highly successful and that many former Pioneer executives now hold senior roles at Exxon, including its former CEO who runs Permian operations. Douglas Farrar, a former FTC official, defended the commission’s evidence against Sheffield, noting it was Trump appointees who vacated the order.