A look inside Downstream

Advantaged investments will increase production and sales of key products globally. These include diesel and commercial jet fuel, and lube basestocks, where demand is projected to grow by more than 25 percent and 10 percent, respectively, by 2040.1 Our growth plans include seven major projects, including three completed in Antwerp, Rotterdam, and Beaumont.

Downstream Value Chain

The Downstream business, organized along fuels and lubes value chains, provides high-value products and services to customers, supported by a global supply chain and manufacturing network. Our commitment to innovation, technology, brand, and sustainability drives value for customers and shareholders.

Fuels

The integrated fuels value chain includes crude acquisition, manufacturing, distribution, and sales of fuels products through retail, commercial, and supply channels. The fuels business is organized around geographic ;markets, providing line-of-sight on market dynamics at the local level, while retaining regional and global oversight for the complete end-to-end business.

Manufacturing operations and logistics

ExxonMobil is one of the world’s largest refiners, and has nearly 5 million barrels per day of distillation capacity at 21 refineries. An integrated, global manufacturing and logistics footprint enables reliable supply of high-quality, high-value products. We also have extensive optimization capabilities, and approximately 80 percent of our refining capacity is integrated with chemical or lube basestocks.

Advantaged manufacturing and logistics investments

In the past two years, we completed three major projects, including the Beaumont hydrofiner, Antwerp coker, and Rotterdam hydrocracker. Four additional projects are in development, including a hydrofiner at Fawley, light crude expansion at Beaumont, resid upgrade facilities in Singapore, and the Permian-to-U.S. Gulf Coast joint venture pipeline. Investments in these projects leverage our integrated manufacturing and logistics footprint, scale, and proprietary process and catalyst technology. These projects are expected to deliver long-term earnings growth and improved competitiveness by upgrading low-value raw materials into higher-value products and lube basestocks.

Expanding retail and commercial fuels

Our high-quality fuels are sold through a global network of more than 21,000 retail stations under the Exxon, Mobil, and Esso brands, and through commercial channels. We selectively enter new growth markets where we leverage supply from our advantaged manufacturing and logistics footprint, including market expansions in Mexico and Indonesia.

The retail fuels network is primarily operated through branded wholesalers with long-term supply agreements. We invest in the Exxon, Mobil, and Esso fuel brands, including through the development of digitally enabled marketing offers and high-quality products, such as Synergy gasoline and Synergy Diesel Efficient fuels.

A diverse commercial fuels offering serves marine, aviation, road transportation, mining, and wholesale customers who value the reliability and product quality ExxonMobil provides. We are also growing commercial market sales, including expanding Asia Pacific activities, by leveraging our integrated refining complex in Singapore.

These fuels value chain investments support improved market and brand positioning.

Lubes

The lubes value chain includes crude acquisition and the development, production, and sale of basestocks and finished lubricant products. The lubes business is organized into two global business units: basestocks and specialties, and finished lubricants. This global structure enables consistent, market-facing execution and reliable supply.

Our finished lubricants business is further divided into five geographic businesses that enable us to develop and deliver targeted lubricant solutions to meet customer needs in those markets. ExxonMobil is integrated across the entire lubes value chain, with six lube basestock refineries and 21 finished lubricant blending facilities.Leading brands and proprietary technology support
the wide-ranging offer of products and services we provide to customers in markets and industry sectors around the world.

Expanding basestocks

As the world’s largest manufacturer of basestocks, ExxonMobil brings some of the most efficient production capacity to the base oils marketplace – enabling reliable supply of innovative lube basestocks that provide consistent quality. Product integrity and supply reliability form the foundation of our basestock production. 

We develop basestock products leveraging leading-edge technology and significant ongoing investment in research and development. More than 50 percent of our global basestock supply is produced using proprietary catalyst technology. With the recent completion of the advanced hydrocracker at our Rotterdam refinery, ExxonMobil is now the largest Group I and Group II basestocks producer in the world.