Chevron U.S.A. Inc., a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, has entered the domestic lithium sector with the acquisition of two leasehold acreage positions in Northeast Texas and Southwest Arkansas. Announced on June 17, 2025, the transactions include approximately 125,000 net acres from TerraVolta Resources—backed by an affiliate of The Energy & Minerals Group—and from East Texas Natural Resources LLC. These holdings lie within the Smackover Formation, a subsurface geologic system known for its high lithium concentrations.
The company plans to advance a commercial-scale lithium business in the United States by deploying direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies. DLE refers to a suite of processes that extract lithium directly from subsurface brines, offering potentially faster production rates and a reduced environmental footprint compared to conventional mining and evaporation techniques. Chevron intends to leverage its existing capabilities in subsurface resource development, drilling, and integrated value chain management to support this emerging operation.
“This acquisition represents a strategic investment to support energy manufacturing and expand U.S.-based critical mineral supplies,” said Jeff Gustavson, president of Chevron New Energies. “Establishing domestic and resilient lithium supply chains is essential not only to maintaining U.S. energy leadership but also to meeting the growing demand from customers. This opportunity builds on many of Chevron’s strengths including subsurface resource development and value chain integration.”
Lithium is a critical component in battery chemistries that underpin electrification trends across transportation and grid applications. A reliable and scalable domestic supply of lithium contributes to national energy security objectives, supports decarbonization goals, and helps balance system reliability with affordability.
Chevron’s entry into the lithium sector aligns with broader efforts by major energy companies to diversify their portfolios and invest in low-carbon and critical mineral projects. The company aims to build on its existing strengths in resource exploration and development while growing new businesses in renewable energy, carbon capture, and emerging technologies.
Source: Chevron Newsroom
