The common thoughts around "big oil" is that they are huge monolithic entities, most are in fact a collection of operating companies and service organizations with their own P/L. The IT company is one such service organization and as such has often to feed on the scraps of the opcos. Another challenge in the IT org is the Houston vs San Ramon (us and them) philosophical, technical and managerial differences.
Struggling acceptance for an IT organization within an energy company is a challenge. Seen by some as a service (parasitic) organization by peer operating companies - most challenging in a down economy.
Forging alliances and contacts throughout the federation of operating companies is a critical means to survival at Chevron and over the years a significant sub-culture has emerged. To any newcomer, contractor or external partner, the sub-culture can be daunting. Funding/budget cycles set by the corporation do not fit at all with the fiscal agility required in the IT space.
The IT space is fraught with politics, a number of individuals use personal agendas to drive the use (and overspending) of a technology well beyond their ability to support it and wihout the realized benefits.
BTW - You can't have my job until I get fired or retire (unfortunately a lot of peers feel the same way)!
