Aviation

Lower emissions at high altitude

New solutions from takeoff to touchdown

Lower emissions at high altitude

Lowering emissions and improving performance

Planes are an integral part of the global movement of people, goods and trade, and with demand projected to increase through 2040, finding new, lower-emission fuels to power those flights is crucial to reducing the risk of climate change. With decades of experience in the aviation sector, we are pushing for new breakthroughs that improve overall performance and lower emissions.

The future of flying

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a lower carbon intensity alternative to traditional jet fuel made from a blend of renewable sources and jet fuel. It can be produced from several sources, including bio-derived feedstocks such as fats, oils, greases, sugar or materials such as municipal solid waste and recycled industrial gases, that reduce the need for fuel produced from conventional sources.

ExxonMobil is already distributing SAF to customers in France, Singapore and the UK with plans to produce 200,000 barrels per day of lower-emission fuels by 2030. 

Learn more about ExxonMobil’s plans in this space
closeup of airplane turbine

A dream oil: Mobil Jet Oil™ 387

A decade in the making, ExxonMobil’s Mobil Jet Oil™ 387 plays its part in helping air carriers more efficiently transport passengers and cargo. Designed to operate in extreme temperatures while providing consistent protection, the Mobil Jet Oil™ 387 is an innovation wonder that will help enhance aircraft reliability and minimize downtime.

As airlines and engine manufacturers look to create new aircrafts that reduce fuel burn and emissions, ExxonMobil continues to innovate to meet industry demands.

Nose-to-tail solutions

A boarding pass may be your ticket to a new adventure, but that flight would not be possible without a suite of fuel and lubricant products flowing throughout the plane. Together, these products help allow for a flight with fewer emissions. Here’s an inside look at the fuels, oils, fluids and grease that make all that possible.

Jet engine oils

ExxonMobil’s jet engine oils support the high-performance requirements of the most-advanced jet engines, helping long-term reliability and minimizing downtime.

Aviation fuels

ExxonMobil aviation jet fuel supports commercial, general and military aviation. They’re readily available and continuously tested and upgraded, and supported by our commitment to the environment, safety and security.

Hydraulic fluids

ExxonMobil hydraulic fluids are fire-resistant and provide long-term protection against wear and corrosion.

Greases

ExxonMobil aviation greases provide strong performance in some of the most extreme temperatures. Their longevity minimizes wear and tear, which helps aircraft operators minimize waste.

Innovation: from Kitty Hawk to biofuels

For more than a century, ExxonMobil has helped the industry reach new heights. Its work is rooted in science and in a commitment to engineer solutions that advance performance.
letter from Orville Wright

Yesterday

In 1903 when the Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville, took that first step off a sand dune at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, they created a breakthrough of innovation that continues today. On that day, Jersey Standard fuel and Mobil oil products were used in that first flight.

Today

Fast forward to today, where ExxonMobil is working with a number of outside organizations  to help develop biofuels that could change the future of aviation. It’s a lineage based on a belief that new ideas are worth pursuing, and sometimes those ideas can change the world.
woman scientist holding test tubes

A deeper dive

Cars on highway

Let's deliver reduced transportation emissions

Key takeaways:

  • A diverse mix of technologies is vital to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.
  • We need policy that encourages investments in all technologies to reduce emissions.
  • Lower-emission fuels offer the potential for customers who cannot or do not want to purchase an EV to still play their part in reducing GHG emissions.

Lower-emission transportation Viewpoints Jan. 23, 2024

Lets deliver sustainable aviation fuel  with our existing infrastructure in France

Let’s deliver sustainable aviation fuel – with our existing infrastructure in France

Three key takeaways:

  • Global air travel demand is increasing.
  • Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) presents an opportunity to reduce emissions.
  • Co-processing can help accelerate the energy transition.

Lower-emission transportation Article Dec. 5, 2023

Landscape image of NREL campus with mountains in the background

Knock on wood: turning biomass into fuel

  • The energy transition will require multiple solutions and collaborations.
  • ExxonMobil and the National Renewable Energy lab are testing the conversion of wood waste to bio-oil.
  • This oil has the potential to be upgraded into a biofuel for the vehicles we drive today.

Technology and collaborations Article Nov. 13, 2023

Two employees talk at the Strathcona Refinery.

Strathcona: The road to renewable fuel

Renewable fuel production is ramping up at the Strathcona refinery. With hundreds of employees and contractors, and the capacity to fill 500,000 vehicles per day, this facility could deliver more than 6 million barrels of renewable diesel per year. 

Lower-emission transportation Perspective Aug. 3, 2023

The future of lower emission transportation fuels

The future of lower emission transportation fuels

For 30 years, Russ Green has worked primarily in ExxonMobil’s fuels and lubricants businesses. Today Russ is focused on developing lower-emission fuels for the highest emitting industries. Energy Factor recently spoke with Russ about the future of transportation and innovations he’s working on to help lower emissions.

Lower-emission transportation Perspective May 13, 2022

Imperial Oil’s Strathcona Refinery in Alberta, Canada surrounded by fall colored trees

Renewable diesel for our changing world

Diesel plays a critical role in enabling modern life. This high-energy fuel packs the power needed for trucking, aviation and maritime transportation – which help move people around the world, and goods from manufacturing sites to our doorsteps.

Lower-emission transportation Perspective April 7, 2022

Scientist with blue lab coat and purple gloves in lab

The ‘aha’ moment: Meha Shah

In any scientific endeavor, coming up with the idea is just the first step in the journey to a breakthrough. The finish line of innovation requires the curiosity, patience and resolve to keep working through unexpected setbacks and technical challenges.

Lower-emission transportation Perspective Feb. 24, 2022

The aha moment: Sheryl Rubin-Pitel and Ken Kar

The ‘aha’ moment: Sheryl Rubin-Pitel and Ken Kar

In any scientific endeavor, coming up with the idea is just the first step in the journey to a breakthrough. The finish line of innovation requires the curiosity, patience and resolve to keep working through unexpected setbacks and technical challenges.

Lower-emission transportation Perspective Feb. 24, 2022

Women wearing a lab coat with safety goggles in lab

The ‘aha’ moment: Krystal Wrigley

In any scientific endeavor, coming up with the idea is just the first step in the journey to a breakthrough. The finish line of innovation requires the curiosity, patience and resolve to keep working through unexpected setbacks and technical challenges.

Lower-emission transportation Perspective Feb. 24, 2022

ExxonMobil expands interest in biofuels, acquires stake in Biojet AS

IRVING, Texas – ExxonMobil is expanding its interests in biofuels that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, acquiring a 49.9% stake in Biojet AS, a Norwegian biofuels company that plans to convert forestry and wood-based construction waste into lower-emissions biofuels and biofuel components.

News News releases Jan. 11, 2022

From farm leftovers to biofuel

From farm leftovers to biofuel

Imagine turning agricultural leftovers into low-emission biofuel. That is, taking plant parts like inedible cornstalks and fueling our cars, trucks, boats and planes. ExxonMobil and its partners at Clariant and Genomatica are working together as part of an ambitious research program to do just that.

Advanced biofuels Perspective Feb. 13, 2020

One-of-a-kind partners working on breakthrough innovations

One-of-a-kind partners working on breakthrough innovations

No single company, organization or institution has all the answers when it comes to developing tomorrow’s low-emission energy. That’s why global energy company ExxonMobil is partnering with a range of organizations – including a leading biotechnology company to develop next-generation biofuels and a boutique technology company looking to vacuum carbon dioxide straight from the sky.

Advanced biofuels Perspective Oct. 25, 2019

red semi truck

Heavy duty with a lighter CO2 footprint

Moving the world’s goods with fewer emissions

Lower-emission transportation Topic

Cargo ship at sea with red and green bins

High science on the high seas

Advancing new technologies for lower-emission fuels

Lower-emission transportation Topic

blue car on road

Hitting the road with fewer emissions

The innovations fueling today’s products and tomorrow’s solutions

Lower-emission transportation Topic

Transforming transportation

Transforming transportation

Continuing to reduce emissions today and into the future

Lower-emission transportation Topic

Racecar

A new breed of racing, built on new technology

Fans rarely see the fluids inside a race car, but they are the hidden workhorses for race day success. Same for the engineers developing those fluids and lubes. And, activating the dynamic science behind race car performance requires the very same dedication and precision found on the racetrack itself.

Automotive Perspective