ExxonMobil Challenges 'Core' Trademark as It Reasserts Focus on Hydrocarbons
Nov/11/2025
ExxonMobil has filed a U.S. opposition against Arch Resources’ 'Core' and 'Core Natural Resources' trademarks, which cover coal, fuels, and natural gas, arguing they conflict with Exxon’s own 'Core' mark registered in September 2013 for refined petroleum base stocks used in lubricants. Chief executive Darren Woods reiterated that hydrocarbons will remain essential for decades, even as the world transitions away from combustion-based energy use. Speaking at the Sustainable Innovation Forum in São Paulo ahead of the UN’s COP30 climate summit, Woods urged policymakers to adopt more accurate carbon accounting, warning that "net zero is just a slogan" without credible emissions tracking. Despite lower 2024 profits amid weak refining margins and softer oil prices, ExxonMobil’s liquids production hit record highs, underscoring the company’s enduring reliance on its "core" business—even as it defends that term in court.
