Marathon Oil

Marathon Oil Corporation is an American independent energy company primarily engaged in the exploration, production, and marketing of crude oil and natural gas. It is one of the largest upstream oil and gas companies in the United States. Marathon Oil operates internationally, with operations in North America, Europe, and Africa. Founded in 1887 as The Ohio Oil Company, Marathon Oil has a long history in the petroleum industry. Over the years, the company has gone through various mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures to evolve into its current form. Marathon Oil's upstream operations involve the exploration and production of oil and natural gas reserves. The company explores for new reserves and develops existing ones through drilling wells and utilizing advanced technologies. It operates in several key U.S. shale plays, including the Bakken in North Dakota, the Eagle Ford in Texas, and the Oklahoma Resource Basins. In addition to its domestic operations, Marathon Oil has international exploration and production activities. The company has interests in Equatorial Guinea, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and the United Kingdom, among other countries. Marathon Oil has a diversified portfolio that includes both conventional and unconventional resources. The company has been increasingly focusing on high-margin, liquids-rich plays to drive its growth and profitability. While Marathon Oil is primarily an upstream company, it also has a downstream presence through its refining and marketing segment. However, in recent years, Marathon Oil has been shifting its strategic focus to concentrate more on its core exploration and production business.