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Marathon Petroleum Recognized by EPA for Energy Efficiency at Four U.S. Refineries

Release Date: 06/15/2007
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Tressa Tillman at 214-665-2200 or [email protected]

(Dallas, Texas – June 15, 2007) Marathon Petroleum Company, LLC, was recognized today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for superior energy efficiency with four plaques for four Energy Star refineries. To qualify, the refineries’ design, operations and maintenance practices placed them in the top 25 percent of refineries nationwide in terms of energy efficiency.

“I applaud Marathon Petroleum for achieving superior energy efficiency at these facilities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “Marathon Petroleum is helping improve our environmental future and inspiring other facilities to do the same.”

Earning ENERGY STAR recognition at multiple facilities reflects Marathon Petroleum's company-wide emphasis on efficient operations. The facilities recognized by EPA are its refining divisions in Texas City, Texas, Garyville, La., St. Paul Park, Minn. and Canton, Ohio .

“As a company, we are committed to improving energy efficiency in our operations,” said Jerry Welch, Marathon’s senior vice president of refining. “This award recognizes the successful efforts of our employees in demonstrating that with hard work, industry can enhance efficiency while improving the environment.”

ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program that helps businesses and consumers protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. In 2006 alone, American consumers and businesses, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved $14 billion and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to those from 25 million vehicles.

EPA awards an ENERGY STAR plaque to refineries that benchmark in the top 25 percent nationwide for energy efficiency based on the Solomon Associates Energy Intensity Index (“ Solomon-EII^TM ”). EPA works closely with the petroleum refining industry and eight other industries to promote strategic energy management at all levels across corporations. For more information on ENERGY STAR and its work with manufacturers, please visit energystar.gov/industry.

In addition to the successes in ENERGY STAR, Marathon is participating in EPA’s National Environmental Performance Track (P-Track) and National Partnerships for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) programs, and hosts an annual Refinery Air Inspector Workshop for EPA Region 6 and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality personnel at the refinery in Garyville, La. The Garyville facility has been a member of P-Track since 2002 and is still the only P-Track refinery in the nation.

The NPEP program encourages public and private organizations to go beyond regulatory requirements by forming voluntary partnerships with EPA to reduce the use or release of 31 priority chemicals. More than 100 partners across the nation have joined the NPEP program. More information about NPEP is available at epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/minimize/partnership.htm.

P-Track is a national public/private partnership recognizing top environmental performance among participating U.S. facilities. More information about the program is available at epa.gov/region6/6en/x/ptrack.htm . To learn more about activities in EPA Region 6, please visit www.epa.gov/region6.