Many have questioned the EROI for Biodiesel, when the low energy trans esterification process is used, how can green diesel have a better EROI when using the same starting material plus requiring much higher temperatures for reactions? The glycerine co-product of biodiesel has energy and value so this shouldn't be discounted when comparing energy returns for the two fuels.

Two answers to this one. First, while the transesterification itself may be low energy, it requires methanol (or another alcohol). That is where the energy balance takes a big hit. But if you look even at the Pimentel and Patzek paper where they came up with an energy balace of less than 1 for soybean biodiesel, if you look at just the process to get the oil, that energy balance was quite a bit above 1.

Second, whereas biodiesel makes a low-value glycerine by-product, green diesel makes a propane by-product.

On your second question, I think oil companies in general recognize the need to diversify away from oil. Most have some alternative energy projects underway. ExxonMobil perhaps being an exception.