Two corporate lineages that met in 1999

1906: The federal government files a suit against Jersey under the Sherman Antitrust Act, charging it with running a monopoly. 1911: The U.S. Supreme Court upholds a lower court conviction of the company and orders that it be separated into 34 unrelated companies, one of which continues to be called Standard Oil Company (New Jersey). 1926: The Esso brand is used for the first time on the company's refined products. 1931: The merger of Standard Oil Company of New York and Vacuum Oil Company creates Socony-Vacuum Corp., Mobil's immediate predecessor company. 1946: A 30 percent interest in Arabian American Oil Company, and its vast Saudi Arabian oil concessions, is acquired. 1954: The company gains a 7 percent stake in an Iranian oil production consortium. 1960: Mobil Chemical Company is formed. 1966: Mobil Oil Corporation becomes the official corporate title of Socony-Vacuum. 1972: Standard Oil Company (New Jersey) changes its name to Exxon Corporation. 1973: OPEC cuts off oil supplies to the United States. 1976: Mobil Oil Corporation changes its name to Mobil Corporation. 1980: Exxon's revenues exceed $100 billion because of the rapid increase in oil prices. 1984: Mobil acquires Superior Oil Company for $5.7 billion, obtaining extensive reserves of oil and natural gas. 1989: The crash of the Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound off the port of Valdez, Alaska, releases about 260,000 barrels of crude oil. 1990: Exxon's headquarters are moved from Rockefeller Center in New York City to Irving, Texas. 1994: Federal jury finds company guilty of "recklessness" and orders it to pay $286.8 million in compensatory damages and $5 billion in punitive damages. 1997: Exxon appeals the $5 billion punitive damages award; it reports profits of $8.46 billion on revenues of $120.28 billion for the year. 1998: Exxon agrees to buy Mobil in one of the largest mergers in U.S. history. 1999: Exxon and Mobil complete their $83 billion merger, forming Exxon Mobil Corporation.