September 15, 2025: Oil and gas major ExxonMobil has acquired privately-owned US-based Superior Graphite for an undisclosed sum.

Exxon confirmed on September 9 that it was acquiring key assets and technology of Superior Graphite, ahead of the fossil-fuel giant’s planned entry into the battery anode graphite market.

Synthetic graphite powers EVs and BESS systems and Exxon said the move marked a major milestone in its strategy to build a robust, synthetic graphite supply chain in the US.

Exxon said it believed synthetic graphite can play a critical role in the energy transition and the firm expects the demand for higher performance batteries will continue to grow, increasing demand for higher performance graphite materials.

The company said synthetic graphite was a game-changer because, compared to traditional mining operations, it is less labour-intensive, more consistent in quality, and can be made with carbon-rich feedstocks from Exxon’s existing refining streams.

“This isn’t a step in, it’s a full-scale launch with power and purpose,” an Exxon spokesperson said.

“When our product enters the market, we expect it will deliver faster charging and longer life than existing graphite materials today.”