The head of Exxon Mobil’s shale oil and gas business, David Scott, was arrested last week at a Texas hotel on a sexual assault charge, according to police. Scott, who oversees the unit involved in merger talks with rival Pioneer Natural Resources, faces a second-degree felony that could carry up to 20 years in jail.
Alleged assault at a budget hotel
Scott, 49, was arrested early Thursday morning at a La Quinta Inn & Suites hotel in Magnolia, Texas, the Montgomery Sheriff’s Office said. He was in the room with two women, one of whom left and called the police from the lobby, a hotel worker who saw a security video told Reuters. Rooms at the hotel cost about $120 a night.
The police did not provide any details about the alleged assault or the identity of the victim. Scott was released on a $30,000 bond, according to jail records. Efforts to reach Scott were unsuccessful. It was not immediately clear if he had legal representation.
Exxon’s response and merger talks
Exxon Mobil said in a statement that it was aware of the allegations and that Scott would not continue work responsibilities as the investigation proceeds. The company also said that all its employees, officers and directors are accountable for observing the highest standards of integrity and code of conduct.
Scott’s arrest came as Exxon Mobil was in advanced talks to acquire Pioneer Natural Resources, a shale producer valued at about $60 billion. An agreement could be disclosed in coming days, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing three people familiar with the matter.
Scott’s role in the merger talks was not clear, as he was not part of Exxon Mobil’s top management team. A person familiar with the matter said that he would not necessarily be involved in the negotiations.
Scott’s career and background
Scott joined Exxon Mobil in 1997 as an engineer in Melbourne, Australia, his home country. He moved to jobs in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi, where he was president of Exxon Mobil’s United Arab Emirates affiliate.
He became head of Exxon Mobil’s Permian Basin operations in 2020 and was promoted to senior vice president earlier this year in charge of all its shale oil and gas business. He oversees more than 10,000 employees and contractors in the U.S., Canada and Argentina.
Scott has been involved in some of Exxon Mobil’s most important oil and gas projects around the world, such as the Sakhalin-1 project in Russia, the Kearl oil sands project in Canada and the Upper Zakum project in Abu Dhabi.
