Big oil goes back alot further than that, like to their beginnings. A good book is The Seven Sisters, The Great Oil companies, or something like that. Big oil isn't much different than most companies.
I suppose if most companies are willing to exploit workers, poison surrounding habitats, push presidents to wage wars and do coups, etc.... sure why not. I can think of a handful in that category (Firestone, United Fruit Company, Dutch East India Company, etc...) and yes, I'm aware Big Oil's been asshole for a while (Iran, Iraq (tho gulf war was justified), Colombia, Mexico, etc..)