Oil company ExxonMobil to produce lithium for batteries
Listen to the story (American accent)
ExxonMobil, a major oil company, announced plans to become a leading producer of lithium. Lithium is an important material used in electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
The company is starting a drilling operation in Arkansas, USA to get lithium from underground.
Exxon hopes to begin producing lithium for batteries from the operation in Arkansas in 2027. The company wants to produce enough lithium to help make 1 million electric vehicles annually by 2030.
There is a lot of pressure on major oil companies to help stop climate change. Oil companies Shell and BP have decided to focus on renewable energy like wind and solar. However, Exxon is investing $17 billion until 2027 in biofuels, carbon capture and lithium.
Dan Ammann, an executive at ExxonMobil, says it’s important to increase production of lithium in the US. Now, most lithium in the US is from Argentina and Chile.
Ammann thinks that demand for lithium and electric vehicles will increase, and Exxon wants to be the biggest producer of lithium in the US. Every year, more and more people are buying EVs in the US.
The lithium is about 10,000 feet (3km) underground. To get the lithium, Exxon uses a process similar to the process used to get oil and gas.
A scientist at ExxonMobil invented the lithium battery in the 1970s, but the oil company did not continue working with the technology.
Vocabulary28 words
- Major
- very important, big or significant
- Announce
- share information openly; to tell the public; to make a statement; to report
- Lead
- to be at the front; to be ahead; to be winning
- Producer
- Someone who makes, creates or manufactures something
- Lithium
- A lightweight metal that is used in batteries
- Material
- a physical thing that you use to build or make other things (cotton is a common material used to make t-shirts)
- Electric vehicle (EV)
- A car that runs only on electricity, not gasoline.
- Drilling
- Making a hole in the ground using a drill; digging into the ground with a machine
- Operation
- business activities and processes; activities involved in a company producing goods or delivering services;
- Hope
- something good that you want to happen in the future; a confident feeling about what will happen in the future
- Million
- 1,000,000 - one-million
- Annually
- every year; yearly
- Pressure
- To apply force or influence to make someone do something or change their behavior
- Climate change
- the fast and dangerous change in weather happening around the world
- Focus on
- to give most of your attention to someone or something
- Renewable energy
- energy generated/created from renewable sources (wind, solar, water, etc.)
- Solar
- of or related to the sun; produced by or coming from the sun
- Invest
- put money into; spend money on a project or business
- Billion
- 1,000,000,000 = one-billion
- Biofuel
- Fuel/energy that is made from plants or other organic materials.
- Carbon capture
- The process/action of capturing/taking carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air or manufacturing processes
- Executive
- an important person at a company; someone in a high management position; director; head;
- Increase
- to go up; to make something larger; to make more of; expand
- Production
- the process of making or creating something, usually on a large scale/in large numbers
- Demand
- a need for goods or services that customers want to buy or use; a need or want; a need for something to be sold or supplied
- Process
- a procedure; a series of actions that you do to achieve a result/finish something; operation;
- Scientist
- a person who studies science or the natural world; researcher
- Invent
- to make something new that no one else has made before
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
ExxonMobil, a _____ oil company, announced plans to become a leading _____ of lithium. Lithium is an important material _____ in electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
The _____ is starting a drilling operation in Arkansas, USA to get lithium _____ underground.
Exxon hopes to _____ producing lithium for batteries from the operation in Arkansas in _____. The company wants to produce enough _____ to help make 1 million electric vehicles annually by _____.
There is a lot of _____ on major oil companies to help stop climate change. Oil companies Shell _____ BP have decided to focus on renewable energy like _____ and solar. However, Exxon is _____ $17 billion until 2027 in biofuels, carbon capture _____ lithium.
Dan Ammann, an _____ at ExxonMobil, says it’s important to increase production of lithium _____ the US. Now, most lithium in the US is from _____ and Chile.
Ammann thinks that _____ for lithium and electric vehicles will _____, and Exxon wants to be the biggest producer of lithium in the _____. Every year, more and more people are _____ EVs in the US.
The lithium is about 10,000 feet (3km) _____. To get the lithium, Exxon uses a process similar to the process used to get _____ and gas.
A scientist at ExxonMobil _____ the lithium battery in the 1970s, but the oil company did not _____ working with the technology.
Discussion questions
- Do you think it is important for oil companies to invest in renewable energy? Why or why not?
- What impact will the increasing demand for lithium have on the environment?
- What are some of the challenges that ExxonMobil may face in its efforts to become a leading producer of lithium?
- Do you think the world will eventually transition away from fossil fuels entirely? Why or why not?
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