Texan by Nature is excited to recognize Marathon Petroleum Corporation as a 2024 TxN 20 honoree for their leadership in conservation and sustainability. Marathon Petroleum Corporation‘s commitment to conservation, their projects, programs, best practices, and lessons learned are an example and inspiration for us all.

Honoree Name: Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Honoree Industry and Size: Energy, Enterprise

Company Overview: Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) is a leading, integrated, downstream energy company headquartered in Findlay, Ohio. The company operates the nation’s largest refining system. MPC’s marketing system includes branded locations across the United States, including Marathon brand retail outlets. MPC also owns the general partner and majority limited partner interest in MPLX LP, a midstream company that owns and operates gathering, processing, and fractionation assets, as well as crude oil and light product transportation and logistics infrastructure. More information is available at www.marathonpetroleum.com.

Marathon Petroleum Corporation plant. 

What is your conservation and sustainability mission and why is it important to Marathon Petroleum Corporation?
At MPC and MPLX, our commitment to sustainability means striving to create shared value with our stakeholders — empowering people to achieve more, contributing to progress in our communities and protecting the environment we all share. Our sustainability-driven approach supports our aspiration to be an ever-better company as we contribute to an evolving energy industry. We are working to strengthen the resiliency of our business, innovate for the future and embed sustainability in all we do.

Safety and Environmental Stewardship is one of MPC’s core values.  Protecting our people and the environment has been and remains a priority for MPC. We aim for an accident-free, incident-free workplace to ensure everyone goes home safely every day. We are committed to safe and environmentally responsible operations to protect the health and safety of our employees, contractors and communities.

What steps is Marathon Petroleum Corporation taking to address global natural resource challenges, and how are these efforts integrated into your overall business strategy?
To meet society’s current and future energy needs, we must do our part as responsible stewards of the environment we all share. We recognize that our business activities can impact the ecosystems and communities in which we operate and that these potential impacts must be managed and mitigated. Safety and Environmental Stewardship is one of our core values. We are committed to minimizing our environmental impact through advanced technologies, practices and investments that conserve natural resources.

We actively monitor water utilization throughout all operations, continually looking for ways to reduce our reliance on this shared resource and manage it more efficiently. To further our commitment to water conservation, in 2020, we set a companywide target to reduce freshwater withdrawal intensity 20% by 2030 from 2016 levels. Through 2023, we have achieved an 18% reduction in our freshwater withdrawal intensity from 2016 levels.

Our midstream pipeline organization, Marathon Pipe Line (MPL), is working toward its target to apply sustainable landscapes to approximately 10,000 acres (50%) of compatible rights of way by the end of 2025. Through 2023, 3,267 acres of sustainable landscapes have been applied to pipeline rights of way. As work continues to achieve this goal, MPL is harnessing the power of nature-based solutions — Integrated Vegetation Management and Integrated Habitat Management plans — through stakeholder partnerships and technology. Together, these practices help MPL operate its pipelines safely while enhancing habitat for pollinators and wildlife, reducing impact on operations and promoting long-term environmental health.

“Texan by Nature does such valuable work for our beautiful state, and we are honored to be recognized in the Texan by Nature 20. This recognition is a testament to our company’s and our employees’ commitment to conservation and sustainability. At Marathon, protecting the environment is not just a priority, it’s a responsibility that every one of us takes to heart. From enhancing local wildlife habitats to reducing emissions our efforts reflect the dedication of our employees to creating a safer and greener future for Texas and beyond,”

– Dave Leaver, Marathon’s Vice President of Refining at Galveston Bay Refinery

Who in Marathon Petroleum Corporation is leading your conservation and sustainability efforts and what are some examples of employee engagement in conservation and sustainability at Marathon Petroleum Corporation?
Conservation efforts at MPC are truly a team effort.  It takes participation from all our employees.  

In 2023, MPC employees volunteered approximately 9,000 hours in Texas, of which nearly 3,400 hours were focused on conservation-related events or causes.

Employee engagement efforts in Texas are numerous. Here are some examples:  

• The Galveston Bay refinery’s Wildlife Habitat Team– a group that volunteers to enhance local wildlife habitats and promotes environmental awareness, education and community outreach efforts– organized a tree planting event in partnership with 1) Trees for Houston, a local nonprofit dedicated to planting, protecting and promoting trees across the Greater Houston area and 2) volunteers from the Texas City Independent School District. The volunteers planted 83 trees in the facility’s greenbelt in Texas City. The Wildlife Habitat Team plans to make this an annual event.   
• MPC’s San Antonio campus annually participates in the Lights Out Texas initiative, facilitated by Audubon Texas. During peak bird migration periods, lighting inside our building is contained by shutting blinds on floors 1-12 and in the evening, landscape lighting is turned off (except for walkways) to reduce excess light pollution. Employees were also encouraged to participate in this initiative at home to raise awareness.   
• In 2024, MPC began participating in the state’s Adopt-a-Highway program. MPC volunteers maintain a 2-mile stretch of farm road with trash pick-up events four times per year.  
• MPC’s San Antonio office campus is Energy Star certified, and home to several recycling programs. In addition to our everyday paper, mixed materials and battery recycling, employees are invited to recycle electronic waste and donate household goods for reuse during our annual Earth Day fair.
  

Marathon Petroleum Corporation employees at a tree planting event. 

What conservation and sustainability programs and projects does Marathon Petroleum Corporation lead and participate in?
Our “Focus on Energy” program is our holistic approach to improving energy efficiency to drive continuous improvement and reduce GHG emissions. The program has helped us avoid the equivalent of over 1.5 billion Btu/hour of energy use, which saved over $45 million in 2023. This is roughly the same amount of energy used by over 90,000 homes or 160,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded 2024 ENERGY STAR® certifications to five of MPC’s refineries and one of its office buildings. This recognition not only honors these locations for energy efficiency performance in the top 25% of their nationwide peer groups, but it also marks the fifth consecutive year that all six have received certifications in the same year.

This year’s honors reflect performance throughout 2023. To qualify for certification, refineries must achieve energy efficiency that is superior to 75% of similar facilities across the country based on the Solomon Energy Intensity Index™, as well as meet strict requirements for environmental compliance. Additionally, a licensed professional engineer must verify the accuracy of their certification applications.

According to the EPA, ENERGY STAR-certified plants use less energy than similar plants,  emit fewer greenhouse gas emissionsand are less expensive to operate than their peers on an energy basis. Since refineries became eligible for ENERGY STAR certification in 2006, MPC has earned more certifications than all other refining companies combined.

Commercial buildings also must achieve energy efficiency in the top 25% of similar facilities nationwide to become certified. This amounts to a score of 75 or higher as calculated by the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager®, EPA’s online tool for measuring and tracking energy use. Building certification applications also must be verified by either a licensed professional engineer or a registered architect.

Data from the 659,000-square-foot office building that serves MPC’s workforce in San Antonio resulted in a score of 80, which earned this year’s certification.

Another program our company is committed to is applying sustainable landscapes to our pipeline rights of ways.  Marathon Pipe Line, part of our midstream organization, is working toward its target to apply sustainable landscapes to approximately 10,000 acres (50%) of compatible rights of way by the end of 2025. Through 2023, 3,267 acres of sustainable landscapes have been applied to pipeline rights of way. As work continues to achieve this goal, MPL is harnessing the power of nature-based solutions — Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) and Integrated Habitat Management plans — through stakeholder partnerships and technology. Together, these practices help MPL operate its pipelines safely while enhancing habitat for pollinators and wildlife, reducing impact on operations and promoting long-term environmental health.

What strategies does Marathon Petroleum Corporation use to educate and raise awareness among employees, customers, and stakeholders about the importance of conservation and sustainability?
MPC utilizes several strategies to educate and raise awareness among employees and stakeholders about the importance of conservation and sustainability.  Internally, we have a newsletter that goes out monthly to all refining employees called Focus on Sustainability.  This email newsletter shares a message from our Refining organization’s leadership along with stories and examples of energy efficiency, reduced emissions and water conservation.  Additionally, stories are shared on the company intranet and in a weekly email communication called MPC Weekly.

Externally, we share sustainability and conservation stories regularly on our website in the newsroom as well as on social media – Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.  We also have created site-specific Sustainability Highlights brochures for several of our refineries and share them on our website and pass them out at community events and meetings.  Here is an example of the Galveston Bay Refinery Highlights.  MPC Community Advisory Panels (CAPs) and multi-industry Community Advisory Councils (CACs) are made up of community representatives from various backgrounds and are established at all our major refining assets. These community advisory meetings are informative and engaging forums where members can learn more about MPC and our operational, sustainability and community initiatives and projects, as well as ask questions, raise concerns and highlight opportunities.

Can you share specific examples of successful partnerships or innovative collaborations Marathon Petroleum Corporation has formed with other organizations to enhance sustainability and conservation outcomes?
Through our MPLX Gathering and Processing business, we are presently piloting a new paradigm in midstream conservation and project management. We have partnered with TxN to generate site-specific guides that serve to go beyond environmental compliance. It’s a path to leadership in the conservation space and an opportunity to act as a model to encourage peer companies to adopt similar voluntary best management practices. The practices include resource efficiencies and cost reduction opportunities in water, biodiversity, energy, and waste, as well as improvements in community engagements. For each major construction project for both fixed facilities and gathering lines, we will calculate our “Return on Conservation” estimates for each opportunity. Findings from this initiative are expected to be presented publicly in calendar year 2025. Learn more – Collaboration with Texan by Nature aims for new conservation paradigm (marathonpetroleum.com).

MPC’s San Antonio campus annually participates in the Lights Out Texas initiative, facilitated by Audubon Texas. During peak bird migration periods, lighting inside our building is contained by shutting blinds on floors 1-12 and in the evening, landscape lighting is turned off (except for walkways) to reduce excess light pollution. Employees were also encouraged to participate in this initiative at home to raise awareness.

How does Marathon Petroleum Corporation quantify investment and return on conservation and sustainability?
We actively monitor water utilization throughout all operations, continually looking for ways to reduce our reliance on this shared resource and manage it more efficiently. To further our commitment to water conservation, in 2020 we set a companywide target to reduce freshwater withdrawal intensity by 20% by 2030 from 2016 levels. Through a variety of innovations, we have reduced our freshwater withdrawal intensity by 18% since 2016, which equates to over 3.7 billion gallons of fresh water saved per year. In 2023, we continued our company wide Focus on Water program to further assess water use, understand and mitigate water risks and identify opportunities to reduce water use. As a result, MPC refineries saved over 600 million gallons of fresh water in 2023. Across the company, we continued to further align water management practices to make significant progress toward our 2030 target.  In Texas specifically, in 2023 we saved ~10 million gallons of fresh water in El Paso, Texas, by replacing tank hydrostatic testing with an alternative method.  We also saved ~68 million gallons of fresh water at our Galveston Bay refinery by diverting more reverse osmosis reject water for reuse in 2023.

As a part of our Focus on Energy program, we have energy coordinators at our refineries who: 

• Identify and track energy operating parameters 
• Develop and implement energy conservation road maps 
• Consider energy efficiency in every new project scope

We have achieved energy efficiency improvements, GHG reductions and cost savings through our Focus on Energy 

program, including avoiding the equivalent of over 1.5 billion Btu/hour of energy use and over $45 million of energy costs in 2023. This is roughly the same amount of energy used by over 90,000 homes or 160,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles in one year. 

How do you see the future of conservation and sustainability evolving, and what role will Marathon Petroleum Corporation play in that progress?
Marathon Petroleum is committed to reducing the carbon intensity of our operations, and we have a successful track record of doing so. Several key initiatives that have had significant impacts include:

• Increasing the energy efficiency of our operations
• Reducing flaring emissions
• Reducing fugitive methane emissions

Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of any strategy to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth. It is one of the most cost-effective ways to enhance the security of energy supplies, boost competitiveness and reduce the environmental footprint of energy systems.

What is the one lesson that Marathon Petroleum Corporation has learned from your conservation and sustainability efforts that others can take back and think about applying within their own space?
Think about the “how” as well as the “what.” There is often more than one way to go about a project, so keep your options open and be flexible. Also, it’s okay to start small and then grow as you learn more.

Marathon Petroleum Corporation employees. 

Why is Texas an important home or base of operations for Marathon Petroleum Corporation?
Our Galveston Bay refinery is in Texas City, Texas, on Galveston Bay, off the entrance to the Houston Ship Channel. In 2018, Galveston Bay merged with MPC’s former Texas City refinery into a single world-class refining complex with a crude oil refining capacity of 631,000 barrels per calendar day.

The refinery can process a wide variety of crude oils into gasoline, distillates, natural gas liquids and petrochemicals, heavy fuel oil and propane. Products are distributed via pipeline, barge, transport truck, rail and ocean tanker. The refinery has access to the export market and multiple options to sell refined products.

Our El Paso refinery is located approximately three miles east of downtown El Paso, Texas.  The El Paso refinery has a crude oil refining capacity of approximately 133,000 barrels per day. The refinery processes sweet and sour crudes into gasoline, distillates, heavy fuel oil, asphalt, propane and natural gas liquids and petrochemicals, and has access to the Permian Basin shale region. Products are delivered from the El Paso refinery by truck, rail and pipeline.

In addition, we have four gas processing facilities in West Texas and another in Carthage, TX, along with significant gas and crude gathering mileage throughout the Permian and Haynesville basins.

Texas is also home to pipeline facilities, a marine facility, a Houston trading office and a San Antonio office. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share that makes Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s strategy and approach to conservation and environmental sustainability unique?
Remember to reach out and involve the community. We needed additional hands for our Tree Planting this spring, so we reached out to TCISD and were able to get another dozen volunteers from one of the high school’s clubs. 

Find out more about Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s conservation and sustainability efforts here.

Glossary

GHG – Greenhouse gas emissions