ExxonMobil Goes Deeper Into the Battery Supply Chain
This Week:
ExxonMobil expands into synthetic graphite while its Saltwerx affiliate drills test wells in Columbia County. Plus, we’ve got fresh details on the upcoming Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit.
ExxonMobil acquires Superior Graphite’s assets and enters the synthetic graphite market
Saltwerx drills into the Smackover near Magnolia.
Let’s dive in!
ExxonMobil Expands Into Synthetic Graphite with Acquisition
ExxonMobil, the global energy giant that has taken an interest in Arkansas lithium, is taking another step into the battery materials supply chain.
The company announced Sept. 8 plans to acquire the technology and U.S.-based assets of Superior Graphite, a century-old leader in the graphite industry. The deal includes select international offices and marks Exxon’s official entry into the synthetic graphite market, a key component for EV and energy storage batteries.
Why It Matters: Graphite is the largest single material in a lithium-ion battery, used in the anode. Synthetic graphite can be made with Exxon’s existing refining byproducts, offering higher consistency and performance than natural graphite. The company says its products could enable faster charging and longer-lasting batteries.
What They’re Saying:
In a news release, ExxonMobil said the acquisition will “build a robust, synthetic graphite supply chain — right here in the U.S.” and support American jobs.
Jesse Edmondson, the director of government relations for Arkansas DLE pioneer Standard Lithium Ltd., said of the announcement on LinkedIn: “Looks like things are heating up again for domestic battery materials. My phone has rang more in the last 30 days from folks looking for critical mineral projects in the U.S. than in all of the last year combined.”
The Bottom Line: ExxonMobil is already a player in South Arkansas through its Saltwerx LLC affiliate exploring lithium-rich brines in the Smackover Formation. By adding graphite, Exxon is building positions on both the cathode (lithium) and anode (graphite) sides of the battery supply chain.
More: Get more from the New York Times, Bloomberg and the Kentucky New Era newspaper.
ExxonMobil’s Saltwerx Test Drilling Lithium-Rich Brine in Columbia County
Speaking of ExxonMobil affiliate Saltwerx, that company has begun appraisal drilling southwest of Magnolia, the Magnolia Reporter reports:
The Hayden James 1 well will reach more than 10,000 feet into the Smackover Formation.
The project is focused on brine sampling to test for lithium content.
No commercial extraction will occur; the well will be plugged after testing.
Big Picture: If results confirm sufficient lithium, Saltwerx could seek a Brine Unit for large-scale production.
What We’re Reading, Watching
Here’s a quick sample of other lithium-related news we’re reading and watching:
Mining.com reports that Smackover Lithium, the joint venture between Standard Lithium Ltd. and Norway’s petroleum company Equinor, announced results of a definitive feasibility study for its South West Arkansas (SWA) project. | Read the article
KTBS-TV, Channel 3, of Shreveport, Louisiana, reports on EnergyX’s plans for a lithium plant in the TexAmericas Center in Hooks, Texas. | Read the article and watch the report
2025 Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit Adds 4 Speakers
🗓 Oct. 28-29, 2025
📍 Statehouse Convention Center, Little Rock, Arkansas
Organizers of the Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit have announced four new speakers
Andy Robinson, president and COO of Standard Lithium
Dan Blondal, CEO of NanoOne (a company that participated in the Arkansas Lithium Technology Accelerator)
Gracelin Baskaran, director of critical minerals security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
Aaron Poon, vice president of technology at ILiaD Technologies
They join a growing roster of keynote and feature speakers that includes Ernie Ortiz, president and CEO of Lithium Royalties Corp.; Rahim Bapoo, managing director at BMO Capital Markets for Metals, Mining & Critical Minerals; Chris Berry, founder and president of House Mountain Partners; Gary Stanley, managing director at Global Mineral Strategies and retired director of the Office of Critical Minerals and Metals at the U.S. Department of Commerce; Garrett Krall, critical minerals and lithium business lead at Koch Technology Solutions (KTS); David Park, CEO and director of Standard Lithium; Joe Lowry, founder and president, Global Lithium LLC; Morgan Bazilian, director, Payne Institute for Public Policy, Colorado School of Mines; Simon Moores, founder and CEO of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence; and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Why attend the summit?
✅ Learn from national experts
✅ Connect with startups, investors and global companies
✅ Explore opportunities in workforce, technology and infrastructure
Secure your spot now! GET TICKETS
Previously: A look at last year’s inaugural summit: Video | White paper
(This week’s cover image, of the ExxonMobil headquarters in Spring, Texas, is by Lanza0o1, via Creative Commons license. We edited it to add the ExxonMobil logo.)
