Strange , Not really. I wouldn't underestimate the power of the greens to get their 'message' out.
Also, most lobbyists are not where they are because they are smart, imo. They are there because they are opportunists and out to make a buck, and bottom line, could usually care less about the outcome of their efforts for one side or the other..
Enviros, on the other hand , are the most gullible of the lot. They are led by the hype of the limousine liberals and anti-growth advocates, all believing that their motives are pure and thus unquestionable.
You do raise a good point worth considering, that Big Oil, may be better served by keeping things as they are refinery and production-wise, but long term, even oil producers see the folly in that with aging plants and fields.
Growth for them means more than stagnating in place, no matter where the price or profit levels are at present, imo.
Renewable energy is the rage or so it seems these days, be it primarily solar or wind, or incorporates hydrogen or fuel cell technology. They seem to be getting the bulk of the popular support, while the quietest most efficient form of energy sits churning away in nuclear reactors yet sadly is the ugly duckling on the energy scene. But that's a whole other can of worms, even tho it has proven itself to be a reliable producer of much needed energy for years.
All in all, it's a mess, a mess a lot of folks make money and political livings off of and some do quite well at..
IF Congress substantially relaxed regulations on new refineries, and IF the NIMBY attitudes could be overcome, oil companies would still have little incentive to build a new refinery. Expanding capacity of existing refineries makes a lot more sense.
That's why refiners aren't launching a public opinion campaign to build new refineries.