Report Dec. 15, 2022
Improving air quality
ExxonMobil recognizes the importance of clean air to our communities and implements emission-reduction initiatives, including those that reduce nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds at our operated assets. From 2016 to 2021, total reportable emissions of volatile organic compounds, sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides decreased by approximately 24% at operated assets.
Report Dec. 15, 2022
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Approach
As part of our approach to improving air quality, we evaluate the potential impact of our emissions to the communities where we operate. Based on these insights, we advance appropriate capital projects and initiatives while working with regulatory agencies to assess and address potential air quality issues.
Our environmental management approach includes policies and procedures at our operational sites to identify and control air emissions. For new projects, we apply our Project Environmental Standards, which guide our facility designs and operations as we produce energy and products to meet society’s needs.
Objectives
ExxonMobil’s approach to air quality management includes:
- Understanding the composition and extent of our emissions.
- Meeting or exceeding environmental regulations.
- Reducing air emissions to minimize potential impacts on local communities.
- Monitoring the science and health standards related to air quality.
Management and application
Our corporate-wide initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity also have the potential to further improve air quality by lowering non-GHG emissions.
We install controls at combustion sources to reduce nitrogen oxides emissions. In addition, sites such as Imperial Oil Ltd.’s Canadian refineries have invested in equipment upgrades to reduce sulfur oxides emissions. Our affiliate's refinery in Antwerp, Belgium, changed the configuration of its sulfur recovery unit in 2019 and reduced its sulfur oxides emissions by more than 50%.
Performance
From 2016 to 2021, total reportable emissions of volatile organic compounds, sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides decreased by approximately 24% at operated assets. Operational throughput at ExxonMobil operated sites decreased as a result of lower demand during the global pandemic. This had a directional impact on air emissions. As throughput increased during 2021, air emissions also increased, but at a lower than historical level as a result of emission-reduction initiatives.
Air emissions
Air emissions from ExxonMobil operated assets only.
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Access the full Advancing Climate Solutions 2023 Progress Report, including important cautionary statements.
Environment Report • Dec. 15, 2022
Reducing impacts to land and habitats
The way we manage land and habitats, and their effect on biodiversity, is critical to the communities in which we operate. ExxonMobil works to mitigate potential impacts to ecosystems and the value those ecosystems provide. In new projects and ongoing operations, we build land and habitat management plans featuring protective measures specific to the location and scale of operations.
Environment Report • Dec. 15, 2022
Conserving water resources
We value water as an essential resource for human development and for the support of the world’s ecosystem. That is why ExxonMobil works to manage water resources used in our operations, in a manner that helps protect human health and the environment. We strive to be a leader in safeguarding water resources and we try to understand water stress at the local level, as well as the potential impact of our operations. We also endeavor to integrate this understanding into our project design and operational practices.
Environment Report • Dec. 15, 2022