Release: Marathon awarded 3rd Indonesian offshore exploration block

(HOUSTON, May 5 )-- Marathon Oil Corporation today announced that its wholly owned subsidiaries, Marathon Indonesia New Ventures Limited and Indonesia Kumawa Energy Limited, entered into a Production Sharing Contract with the Indonesian Government for a combined 49 percent interest in the Kumawa Block offshore Indonesia. Marathon's co-bidder, Komodo Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Black Gold Energy LLC, was awarded the remaining 51 percent interest. Marathon Indonesia New Ventures Limited will serve as the operator.

The Kumawa Block encompasses approximately 1.24 million acres and is located offshore West Papua, Eastern Indonesia, in the Semai region, approximately 180 miles south of the recently commissioned Tangguh liquefied natural gas facility. The Kumawa Block is a high-potential, under-explored area with water depths ranging from 2,400 to more than 4,000 feet.

"Marathon is pleased to further strengthen its exploration program in Indonesia with the award of the Kumawa Block," said Annell R. Bay, Marathon's senior vice president, Worldwide Exploration. "This is an important step in the continued growth of Marathon's portfolio of large-scale, high-potential blocks in the country."

Current exploration plans for the Kumawa Block call for the acquisition of 2D seismic followed by drilling operations.

Another Marathon subsidiary, Marathon International Petroleum Indonesia Limited, holds a 70 percent interest and operatorship in the Pasangkayu Block located predominantly in the Makassar Strait offshore Sulawesi Island and directly east of the prolific Kutei Basin oil and gas production region. The Pasangkayu Block covers 1.2 million acres ranging from onshore Sulawesi to water depths of up to 7,200 feet. Marathon Indonesia (Bone Bay) Limited, a separate Marathon subsidiary, also holds a 49 percent interest and operatorship in the Bone Bay Block which covers 1.23 million acres located 200 miles southeast of the Pasangkayu Block in water depths ranging between 165 and 6,500 feet.(end of release)