Metrics and data

We assess our performance to support continual improvements throughout the company.

Report Jan. 8, 2024

In this section

Metrics and data

Greenhouse gas emissions performance data

We assess our performance to support continuous improvement throughout the organization using our Environmental Performance Indicator (EPI) process. The reporting guidelines and indicators in the Ipieca, the American Petroleum Institute (API), the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers Sustainability Reporting Guidance for the Oil and Gas Industry (4th edition, 2020, revised February 2023), and key chapters of the GHG Protocol inform the EPI and the selection of the data included in this performance table. The following data table is based upon IPCC AR6.1,2

Indicator

Units 2016 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Operated Basis

GREENHOUSE GAS

  GHG emission intensity (Scope 1 + Scope 2)*                       

(metric tons CO2e per 100 metric tons of throughput or production)

26.4 26.5 25.6 25.0 24.4 23.4

        Upstream*

(metric tons CO2e per 100 metric tons production)

29.3 30.1 26.7 24.8 23.6 22.5

        Downstream

(metric tons CO2e per 100 metric tons of throughput)

20.0 19.4 19.8 20.2 20.2 19.4

        Chemical

(metric tons CO2e per 100 metric tons production)

52.6 51.7 52.6 51.2 48.9 47.9

   GHG emissions (Scope 1 + Scope 2)

(million metric tons CO2e)

117 115 109 102 103 100

         Upstream

(million metric tons CO2e)

53 51 47 44 43 40

         Downstream

(million metric tons CO2e)

46 44 42 40 41 41

         Chemical

(million metric tons CO2e)

19 20 19 19 19 19

   Scope 1 GHG emissions3

(million metric tons CO2e)

109 106 101 95 97 96

     CO2

(million metric tons CO2)

99 97 94 90 92 92

     CH4

(million metric tons CO2e)

9 9 7 5 5 4

     Other gases

(million metric tons CO2e)

<1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1

   Scope 2 GHG emissions (location-based)4

(million metric tons CO2e)

8 8 8 7 7 7

   Scope 2 GHG emissions (market-based)5

(million metric tons CO2e)

8 8 8 7 7 4

             Energy attribute certificates (RECs, GOOs)

(million metric tons CO2e)

0 0 <1 <1 1 3

   Net GHG (Excludes exported power and heat)6

(million metric tons CO2e)

114 112 106 100 101 98

   GHG Emissions from exported power and heat

(million metric tons CO2e)

3 3 2 2 2 2

   CO₂ - captured for storage7

(million metric tons CO2)

6 7 6 6 6 6

METHANE

  Methane (CH4) Intensity*

(metric tons CH4 per 100 metric tons of throughput or production)

0.07 0.07 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.03

  Methane (CH4)

(million metric tons CH4)

0.30 0.31 0.22 0.16 0.16 0.14

FLARING

   Hydrocarbon flaring Intensity*

(m³ per metric tons of throughput/production) 12 10 10 8 7 6

   Hydrocarbon flaring

(million standard cubic feet per day) 530 410 430 320 280 250

           Africa/Europe/Middle East

(million standard cubic feet per day) 400 250 230 170 170 130

           Americas

(million standard cubic feet per day) 70 100 160 120 80 80

           Asia Pacific

(million standard cubic feet per day) 60 50 40 30 30 30

  Scope 1 - Greenhouse gas emissions from flaring

(million metric tons CO2e)

16 12 12 10 8 7

ENERGY

   Energy use

(billion gigajoules) 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5

   Upstream Energy Intensity

(gigajoules per metric tons production) 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.4 2.1

   Downstream Energy Intensity

(gigajoules per metric tons throughput) 2.9 3.0 3.1 3.3 3.4 3.3

   Chemical Energy Intensity

(gigajoules per metric tons product) 10.3 9.7 10.2 11.3 10.0 11.1

Equity Basis

GREENHOUSE GAS

  GHG emission intensity (Scope 1 + Scope 2)                                    

(metric tons CO2e per 100 metric tons of throughput or production)

26.0 26.3 25.8 25.7 25.5 24.2

           Upstream

(metric tons CO2e per 100 metric tons production)

26.6 27.4 25.7 24.9 24.6 22.9

           Downstream

(metric tons CO2e per 100 metric tons of throughput)

20.2 19.6 19.8 20.3 20.6 19.9

           Chemical

(metric tons CO2e per 100 metric tons production)

54.7 54.4 55.4 54.7 51.8 50.8

  GHG emissions (Scope 1 + Scope 2)

(million metric tons CO2e)

129 128 123 115 118 113

           Upstream

(million metric tons CO2e)

59 59 56 52 52 49

           Downstream

(million metric tons CO2e)

47 44 43 40 42 42

           Chemical

(million metric tons CO2e)

22 24 24 23 23 23

   Scope 1 GHG Emissions3

(million metric tons CO2e)

120 120 114 108 111 109

        CO2

(million metric tons CO2)

111 111 107 102 105 104

        CH4

(million metric tons CO2e)

9 9 7 6 5 5

        Other gases

(million metric tons CO2e)

<1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1

  Scope 2 GHG emissions (location-based)4

(million metric tons CO2e)

8 8 8 8 8 7

  Scope 2 GHG emissions (market-based)5

(million metric tons CO2e)

8 8 8 7 7 4

              Energy attribute certificates (RECs, GOOs)

(million metric tons CO2e)

0 0 <1 <1 1 3

  Net GHG (Excludes exported power and heat)6

(million metric tons CO2e)

125 125 120 112 115 110

  GHG Emissions from exported power and heat

(million metric tons CO2e)

3 3 3 3 3 3

  CO₂ - captured for storage7

(million metric tons CO2)

6 7 7 7 7 7

METHANE

  Methane (CH4) intensity

(metric tons CH4 per 100 metric tons of throughput or production)

0.06 0.06 0.05 0.04 0.04 0.03

  Methane (CH4)

(million metric tons CH4)

0.29 0.30 0.24 0.19 0.18 0.15

We are working to provide third-party assurance as a part of the GHG Data Supplement expected to be published in 2024.


*ExxonMobil announced greenhouse gas emission-reduction plans8 compared to 2016 levels.

FOOTNOTES FOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS PERFORMANCE DATA:

  1. Based on Scope 1 and 2 emissions of ExxonMobil operated assets through 2022 (versus 2016). ExxonMobil’s reported emissions, reductions, and avoidance performance data are based on a combination of measured and estimated emissions data using reasonable efforts and collection methods. Calculations are based on industry standards and best practices, including guidance from the American Petroleum Institute (API) and Ipieca. There is uncertainty associated with the emissions, reductions, and avoidance performance data due to variation in the processes and operations, the availability of sufficient data, quality of those data, and methodology used for measurement and estimation. Performance data may include rounding. Changes to the performance data may be reported as part of the company’s annual publications as new or updated data and/or emission methodologies become available. We are working to continuously improve our performance and methods to detect, measure and address greenhouse gas emissions. ExxonMobil works with industry, including API and Ipieca, to improve emission factors and methodologies, including measurements, and estimates. Scope 1 and 2 emissions and intensity totals are calculated using market based method for Scope 2. 
  2. IPCC, 2021: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, 2391 pp. doi:10.1017/9781009157896.
  3. Scope 1 (direct emissions) include emissions from exported power and heat.
  4. Includes indirect emissions from imported electricity, heat, steam, and cooling.
  5. Includes indirect emissions from imported electricity, heat, steam, and cooling; incorporates the purchase of energy attribute certificates (renewable energy certificates, guarantees of origin).
  6. The net GHG metric includes Scope 1 GHG emissions and Scope 2 GHG emissions (market-based), excluding emissions from exported power and heat.
  7. Mass of CO2 that was captured for applications such as geologic sequestration, acid gas injection, enhanced oil and gas recovery, including capturing CO2 for third parties or customers.
  8. ExxonMobil 2030 GHG emission-reduction plans are intensity-based and for Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions from operated assets compared to 2016 levels. These plans include actions that are also expected to achieve absolute reduction in corporate-wide greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 20%, compared to 2016 levels. See https://corporate.exxonmobil.com/news/news-releases/2021/1201_exxonmobil-announces-plans-to-2027-doubling-earnings-and-cash-flow-potential-reducing-emissions.

Portfolio life-cycle emissions intensity

We are pursuing third-party carbon emissions reductions of more than 50 million metric tons per year by 2030

We see the opportunity to help other essential industries and customers achieve their goals to lower emissions. Estimates of greenhouse gas emissions are on a life-cycle basis and include avoided and abated emissions from hydrogen, lower-emission fuels, and carbon capture and storage.

For example, customers could avoid up to 25 million metric tons per year of their greenhouse gas emissions if all of ExxonMobil’s projected 2030 supply to the market of lower-emission fuels displaces conventional fuel refined from crude oil. This calculation is an ExxonMobil analysis illustrating the general benefits of lower-emission fuels based on estimated fuel carbon intensity from various third-party sources (such as Argonne National Labs’ GREET model) as compared against its conventional fuel alternate on a life-cycle basis. The calculation is an estimate that represents a range of potential outcomes based on certain assumptions. Estimates are based on the potential implementation of projects or opportunities that are at various stages of maturity.

Individual projects or opportunities may advance to a final investment decision by the company based on a number of factors, including availability of supportive policy and permitting, technology and infrastructure for cost-effective abatement, and alignment with our partners and other stakeholders. Actual avoided and abated emissions may differ.

For more information on the potential impact of our investments see our Corporate Plan Update.

Using an LCA approach and applying it to ExxonMobil’s business plans through 2030, we expect an 11% reduction in full life-cycle emissions intensity, the result of which is expected to be an estimated 10% reduction in full life-cycle absolute emissions. These are in comparison to 2016 levels.*

*A life-cycle approach was used to develop our proprietary portfolio life-cycle intensity model, which estimates elements of Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions for our Upstream, Product Solutions, and Low Carbon Solutions businesses. The estimated figures are based on our projected 2023 corporate plan volumes for 2030. The portfolio life-cycle emissions intensity calculation is based upon the emissions associated with the mass of products delivered to the market.

 

Scope 3 emissions

The table below provides Scope 3 estimates associated with the use of our natural gas and crude production in alignment with Category 11 of Ipieca’s methodology, which contemplates accounting for products at the point of extraction, processing, or sales. Scope 3 estimates represent three approaches for accounting and are not meant to be aggregated, as this would lead to duplicative accounting.

Estimated Scope 3 emissions from the use of ExxonMobil’s crude and natural gas production for the year ending Dec. 31, 2022, as provided under Ipieca’s Category 11 were 540 million metric tons.

For example, for completeness, the Scope 3 estimates associated with the combustion of the crude processed, produced, or sold from our refineries are provided; however, to avoid duplicative accounting, these Scope 3 estimates are not included in our Scope 3 Category 11 total, since the associated Scope 3 emissions would have been reported by the producer of those crudes.

Applied CO2 emission factors were obtained from EPA or derived from API calculations; where applicable, emission factors for specific fuel products were applied. Non-fuels products are not combusted by the end user and therefore are not included in these Scope 3 estimates. Ipieca’s Scope 3 methodology includes 15 categories of activities along each product’s value chain. Due to lack of third-party data, Scope 3 emissions for categories other than Category 11 could not be estimated. Scope 3 guidelines are based on the GHG Protocol.

ExxonMobil 2022 Scope 3 estimates

(Million metric tons CO2-equivalent)

Ipieca Category 11 Scope 3 potential estimates

Upstream production

Refining throughput

Petroleum product sales

Natural gas production
170  540 640 720
Crude production
370

We do not set Scope 3 targets. As we discuss in the Life Cycle Approach module, using the GHG Protocol to understand how societal activities drive emissions is appropriate and useful; using it to measure and manage company or sector-wide emissions is flawed and counterproductive. It also ignores growing energy demand, enabling no comparison of alternative ways to meet that demand.

To meet a net-zero goal, it is essential that companies fully understand their net emissions and have a means of comparing themselves against others in their industry. Most importantly, the approach needs to equip and incentivize companies to make investments that will reduce their emissions – not simply encourage companies to back away from meeting society’s needs and pass portions of their carbon footprint to someone else.

Sustainability performance data

Performance data table1

Consistent with industry, we are reporting the data below over a 5-year period.  The reporting guidelines and indicators of Ipieca, the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) Sustainability Reporting Guidance for the Oil and Gas Industry (4th edition, 2020, revised February 2023) informed the selection of the data included in this performance table. For additional resources see the following: Sustainability and Reports, and the content index.

ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE2

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Freshwater

Freshwater withdrawn, millions of cubic meters 470 460 460 440 450
Freshwater consumption, millions of cubic meters 310 300 300 270 290

Freshwater intensity, metric tons of water consumed per metric tons of throughput or production

Upstream 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3
Downstream 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7
Chemical 1.8 1.9 2.2 1.9 2.2

Discharges to water

Controlled hydrocarbon discharges to water, thousands of metric tons 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.7
Upstream 0.7 0.5 0.7 0.6 0.6
Downstream 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

Spills to the environment

Marine vessel (owned and long-term leased) hydrocarbon spills >1 barrel, number 0 0 0 0 0
Hydrocarbon spills (not from marine vessels) (oil spilled), number 287 309 181 159 171
Hydrocarbon spills (not from marine vessels) (oil spilled) volume, thousands of barrels 11.3 7.5 2 21.6 10.7
Other spills (not from marine vessels) (non-hydrocarbon), number 48 43 43 50 43
Other spills (not from marine vessels) (non-hydrocarbon) volume, thousands of barrels 0.7 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.7

Air Emissions

Sulfur oxides (SOx) emitted, millions of metric tons 0.1 0.09 0.07 0.08 0.08
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted, millions of metric tons 0.12 0.12 0.1 0.1 0.11
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted, millions of metric tons 0.17 0.15 0.1 0.12 0.11

Material management

Total hazardous waste generated from remediation, millions of metric tons 1.2 1.4 0.9 0.9 0.5
Total hazardous waste disposed from remediation, millions of metric tons 1.1 1.4 0.9 0.9 0.5
Total hazardous waste beneficial reuse from remediation, millions of metric tons 0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1
Total non-hazardous waste generated from remediation, millions of metric tons 0.4 0.9 0.4 0.7 0.6
Total non-hazardous waste disposed from remediation, millions of metric tons 0.4 0.8 0.4 0.7 0.5
Total non-hazardous waste beneficial reuse from remediation, millions of metric tons 0.1 0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1
Total hazardous waste generated from operations, millions of metric tons 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.5
Total hazardous waste disposed from operations, millions of metric tons 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.3
Total hazardous waste beneficial reuse from operations, millions of metric tons 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
Total non-hazardous waste generated from operations, millions of metric tons 0.7 1.7 0.8 0.7 0.5
Total non-hazardous waste disposed from operations, millions of metric tons 0.5 0.7 0.4 0.6 0.4
Total non-hazardous waste beneficial reuse from operations, millions of metric tons 0.2 1 0.4 0.2 0.1

Environmental expenditures

Environmental expenditures, billions of dollars 4.9 5.2 4.5 4.6 5.7
Total dollars spent on environmental penalties, fines and settlements, billions of dollars 0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 0.002

SAFETY PERFORMANCE2

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Safety

Fatalities - employees 0 0 1 0 0
Fatalities - contractors 3 1 0 1 3

Fatal accident rate - total workforce (per 1,000,000 work hours)3

0.007 0.002 0.003 0.003 0.008

Fatal incident rate - total workforce (per 1,000,000 work hours)3

0.007 0.002 0.003 0.003 0.008

Lost-time incident rate - employees (per 200,000 work hours)4

0.04 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.03

Lost-time incident rate - contractors (per 200,000 work hours)4

0.03 0.03 0.02 0.03 0.02

Lost-time incident rate - total workforce (per 200,000 work hours)4

0.03 0.03 0.02 0.02 0.02

Total recordable incident rate - employees (per 200,000 work hours)4

0.15 0.15 0.1 0.11 0.12

Total recordable incident rate - contractors (per 200,000 work hours)4

0.25 0.25 0.17 0.19 0.18

Total recordable incident rate - total workforce (per 200,000 work hours)4

0.21 0.21 0.14 0.16 0.16
Process Safety Tier 1 Events (API RP 754 guidance) 73 74 63 44 54

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Workforce composition

Number of regular employees at year end, thousands5

71 75 72 63 62

Percent international — global workforce5

60 60 60 64 64

Percent women — global workforce5

29 29 29 29 28
Percent professional women — global 34 34 34 34 34
Percent executive women — global 20 22 24 27 29
Percent professional United States minorities 26 27 28 27 29
Percent executive United States minorities 17 18 20 22 23

Percent United States veterans6

4 5 5 5 5

Hiring (percent professional new hires)7

Women - global 37 37 40 40 38
United States minorities 35 37 43 47 43
United States Asian 13 14 16 20 17
United States Black/African-American 7 8 9 8 8
United States Hispanic/Latino 12 11 14 14 14

Training

Number of participants in corporate and technical training, thousands 87 88 78 73 69
Total corporate and technical training expenditures, millions of dollars 62 77 34 19 31

SOCIAL INVESTMENTS2

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Community Investments, millions of dollars8

Global 211 252.5 202.8 163.4 158.3
United States 112 117.4 91.6 60 62.5
Rest of World 99 135.1 111.2 103.4 95.8

ExxonMobil spending with United States diverse suppliers, millions of dollars9

2267 2727 2732 2366  4189

ExxonMobil spending with United States certified, tier 1, diverse suppliers, millions of dollars10

643 620 513  665

OTHER

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Number of Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) participating countries11

19 21 20 16 16
Corporate political contributions — United States state campaigns and national 527s, millions of dollars 0.62 1.13 0.54 0.52 0.49
Percent of shares represented at Corporation’s Annual Meeting 85.5 86.7 82.2 72 80.4

FOOTNOTES FOR SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE DATA:

  1. Performance data is based on a combination of measured and estimated data using reasonable efforts and collection methods. Any calculations are based on industry standards and best practices, including guidance from the API and Ipieca as applicable. There is uncertainty associated with the performance data due to variation in the processes and operations, the availability of sufficient data, quality of those data and methodology used for measurement and estimation.  Performance data may include rounding. This table reflects performance data as of November 10, 2023 for Safety. This table reflects performance data as of November 10, 2023 for “Spills to the environment” and “Total dollars spent on environmental penalties, fines and settlements, billions of dollars” and as of December 1, 2023 for the other Environment performance data. Changes to the performance data may be reported as part of the company’s annual publications as new or updated data and/or methodologies become available. Environment and Safety is reported for ExxonMobil operated assets only. "Other spills (not from marine vessels) (non-hydrocarbon)" include chemical and water-based drilling fluid spills.
  2. Some historical performance data were updated to reflect the best available information at the time of this report.
  3. Workforce includes employees and contractors. Accidents or incidents include both injuries and illnesses. From 2018 through 2022, all fatalities were injury-related.
  4. Incidents include injuries and illnesses. Workforce includes employees and contractors.
  5. Global workforce is defined as all active, regular executive, management, professional, technical (EMPT), and wage employees who work full-time or part-time for ExxonMobil and are covered by ExxonMobil’s benefit plans and programs. Employees at our company-operated retail stores are not included.
  6. United States workforce is defined as all active, regular EMPT, and wage employees on the United States payroll who work full-time or part-time for ExxonMobil and are covered by ExxonMobil’s benefit plans and programs. Employees at our company-operated retail stores are not included. United States workforce is a broader definition than EEO-1 report scope, which excludes United States payroll employees on assignment outside the United States.
  7. Professional employees and hires are defined as EMPT.
  8. Total contributions include donations from Exxon Mobil Corporation, our divisions and affiliates, the ExxonMobil Foundation, as well as employee and retiree giving through ExxonMobil’s matching gift and volunteer programs.
  9. Our spending encompassed an expanded set of diverse classifications that includes: minority-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, small business-owned, lesbian-, gay-, bisexual- and transgender-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses and businesses owned by peoples with disabilities.
  10. ExxonMobil spending with United States certified, tier 1, diverse suppliers, millions of dollars was added as a new metric in 2019 and reported as of that year.
  11. In countries where ExxonMobil has an upstream business presence.