DETROIT, Aug. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Marathon Oil Corporation
(NYSE: MRO) announced today a $2.4 million grant to the Detroit Science
Center for the creation of a new Future Fuels Gallery at the museum. The
6,000 square-foot, three-story gallery will be one of the museum's largest
exhibit areas and the Midwest's only public, educational display of
petroleum and alternative fuels technology. It is planned to open at the
Science Center in 2010.
Future Fuels will give the public an up-close look into the complex
world of petroleum-based energy from the exploration and production of
crude oil through the refining and marketing of products that consumers use
every day. Future Fuels will be an integrated experience that contains 40
exhibits in an immersive experience clustered into four themed areas on
three different levels -- Exploring an Oil Reservoir, Production and
Transportation Technology, Inside a Working Refinery and Alternative Fuels.
"Marathon and the Detroit Science Center share a common mission of
encouraging young students to pursue careers in technical fields such as
science and engineering. There is no better way to get students excited
about the industry than having them experience it first hand. Students will
learn about an industry that plays a vital role in our world and one that
provides exciting and challenging careers today and well into the future,"
said Gary R. Heminger, Marathon executive vice president and president of
Refining, Marketing and Transportation operations. "Providing support for
the Science Center further reinforces our commitment to the city of Detroit
and to Michigan. We are delighted to partner with the Science Center in
this outstanding educational opportunity."
Future Fuels Gallery visitors will experience a dramatic elevator ride
simulating the movement of oil to the Earth's surface from a dark,
underground reservoir where they will learn how crude oil was formed and
the advanced technology necessary to produce and deliver this important
energy resource. With a scaled model of a refinery, the gallery will
include interactive exhibits on the steps and processes used to refine
crude oil into transportation fuels and thousands of other products. The
alternative fuels area will provide a look at evolving technologies that
have the potential to help meet our current and future energy needs.
"Alternative fuels hold great promise for the future, however
petroleum-based fuels will continue to be a primary source of energy that
supports our mobile lifestyle for many years. Future Fuels will expose
visitors to the amazing technology of oil discovery, production and
refining, as well as the challenges and potential of alternatives," said
Kevin F. Prihod, president & CEO of the Detroit Science Center. "The new
gallery will provide visitors with a glimpse into one of the greatest
engineering challenges of the future -- providing the energy to power a
growing world. From the depths of an oil reservoir, to an offshore
production platform, to a supertanker and through a refinery, visitors will
experience the complexities of meeting the world's energy needs and perhaps
be inspired to pursue a career as a petroleum engineer, chemist or another
related technical area critical to our energy future."
About Marathon
Marathon is the fourth-largest U.S.-based fully integrated
international energy company engaged in exploration and production;
integrated gas; oil sands mining; and refining, marketing and
transportation operations. The Company has exploration and production
activities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Angola, Canada,
Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Indonesia, Ireland, Libya and Norway. Marathon is
the fifth largest refiner in the U.S. with 1,016,000 bpd of crude
processing capacity in its seven-refinery system. The Company's retail
marketing system comprises approximately 6,000 locations in 18 states;
nearly three-quarters are Marathon brand locations. Marathon serves the
Midwest and Southeast as a petroleum products marketer with 87 light
product and asphalt terminals and the Company owns, operates, leases or has
an ownership interest in approximately 9,700 miles of pipeline. For more
information, visit the Company's Web site at http://www.marathon.com.
About the Detroit Science Center
The Detroit Science Center is a hands-on museum that inspires its
visitors to pursue and support careers in engineering, technology and
science. The Science Center features Michigan's only Chrysler IMAX(R) Dome
Theatre; the Dassault Systemes Planetarium; the DTE Energy Sparks Theater;
the Chrysler Science Stage; an 8,700 square-foot Science Hall for traveling
exhibits; hands-on exhibit galleries focusing on space, life and physical
science; the United States Steel Fun Factory; an exhibit gallery just for
pint-size scientists; and a Special Events Lobby. The Science Center has
served more than 2.1 million visitors since its grand re-opening on July
28, 2001. It is one of the 10 largest science museums in the country. For
more information, please call 313.577.8400 or visit the website,
http://www.detroitsciencecenter.org.
SOURCE Marathon
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Related links:
http://www.marathon.com
http://www.detroitsciencecenter.org
CONTACT:
Angelia Graves, Marathon Oil Corporation,
+1-419-421-2703; or Kelly Fulford, Detroit Science Center,
+1-313-577-8400, ext. 430, kfulford@sciencedetroit.org
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