Environmental performance

Conscientious practices. Rigorous standards.

Imperial is committed to finding innovative and integrated solutions to delivering environmentally responsible energy. Through our relentless dedication to research, we are driving the development of technologies and practices to continually reduce our environmental footprint. Guided by our Environmental Policy, the following are three key areas in which we’re concentrating our efforts.

At Esso™- and Mobil™-branded service stations

We are continuing to install energy conservation technology at retail sites. As of 2015, 125 of our largest sites have been upgraded. The automated building systems are designed to manage and reduce electricity and energy consumption. In addition, all sites built since 2009 are equipped with energy efficient LED exterior lighting. We also have started a program to retrofit the exterior lighting of pre-2009 stations with LED lighting systems.

At Imperial plants and refineries

Through the use of energy-efficient cogeneration at Imperial facilities we are reducing the energy needs of our operations in Canada, reducing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted and minimizing our dependence on less efficient local energy grids. Cogeneration is the use of waste steam and heat to produce electricity.

• In Ontario, our cogeneration plant is providing about 60 percent of the Sarnia site’s electricity needs through clean-burning natural gas – reducing our dependence on the Ontario electricity grid.
• In Alberta, our Cold Lake cogeneration plant has reduced CO2 emissions by 40 percent, and we are investing in new units as part of the Nabiye expansion.
• At our Kearl oil sands operation, the use of cogeneration will help reduce CO2 emissions by half a million tonnes per year compared to using purchased power from the local energy grid. That’s the equivalent of removing about 125,000 cars from Canadian roads.

We’re continually innovating to develop products that enable consumers and industries to reduce their energy use and related greenhouse gas emissions. For example, we introduced Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy motor oil, which enhances engine efficiency and improves fuel economy by up to 1.2 percent.

Imperial is conducting scientific research to discover innovative approaches to developing existing and next-generation energy sources, while at the same time developing products and processes that can enable more efficient energy consumption. In fact, we are among the top companies in Canada in terms of dollars invested in research and technology. Since 2005 Imperial has invested more than $380 million in research – $100 million of which has been spent in research to reduce the environmental footprint of oil sands operations. Here are just a few examples.

Esso™ is a registered trademark of Imperial Oil Limited. Imperial Oil, licensee.

Mobil is a trademark of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries. Imperial Oil, licensee.