 Meanwhile , Mr. Burns learns of the school 's oil and immediately decides that he must have it , even as Smithers voices his disapproval . After failing to convince Skinner to give him the oil through a poor deception , Mr. Burns establishes a slant drilling operation and beats the school to tapping the oil well . The school is told they have no legal recourse , and Willie and Puente are laid off to cover the school 's losses . 
