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The oil and gas sector, once worth a combined $3 trillion, is now worth less than Apple’s $1.5 trillion market capitalization. If it wanted, the Cupertino, California technology company could purchase the world’s most expensive private oil and gas firm, ExxonMobil, for $198 billion with cash to spare. 曾经，石油天然气行业总价值为3万亿美元，但现在却低于苹果1.5万亿美元的市值。这家位于加利福尼亚州库比蒂诺的技术公司如果愿意，它可以收购全球市值最高的私人石油天然气公司埃克森美孚公司，还能剩1980亿美元。 That’s quite a reversal of fortunes. For years, the oil and gas industry delivered consistent returns to Wall Street. Its lucrative dividends, around 6% at leading firms, gave investors a reason stick with the stocks despite a darkening outlook and the looming threat of climate policies. With oil hovering around $60 per barrel, nothing seemed to phase investors. 真是命运轮回。石油天然气公司多年来持续为华尔街带来收入。约占龙头企业利润6%的丰厚红利让投资者在前景黯淡和气候政策会造成威胁的情况下，仍坚持投资股票。稳定在60美元每桶的石油价格似乎牢牢抓住了投资者。 But in 2016, fracking opened up the taps on cheap US shale oil. Then the coronavirus pandemic crushed demand just as a price war between Russia and Saudia Arabia flooded the world with cheap oil. That drove the price of benchmark crude, briefly, into negative territory, and it now hovers at about $40 per barrel, where it seems destined to stick. | 
