Exxon Mobil Corporation

U.S.-based oil and gas company formed in 1999 through the merger of Exxon Corp. and Mobil Corp. It has investments and operations in petroleum and natural gas, coal, nuclear fuels, chemicals, and ores. It also operates pipelines and one of the world's largest fleets of tankers. Exxon Mobil engages in every phase of the petroleum industry from oil fields to service stations. Both Exxon and Mobil had their origins in Standard Oil (see Standard Oil Co. and Trust) and were founded in the late 1800s. In 1926 the New Jersey subsidiary of Standard Oil, Exxon's predecessor, introduced the Esso brand name. The name was changed to Exxon in 1972. As of 2002 Exxon Mobil was the world's largest integrated oil company.