On April 22, the world celebrated Earth Day, an annual event dedicated to protecting the environment and celebrating all that nature has to offer. At Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC), environmental stewardship is a core value, and the company has a strong history of engaging in initiatives, championing technological advancements and supporting events that have both a positive and lasting impact on the environment.

MPC is inspired to make tomorrow even better and recently announced a companywide goal to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per barrel of oil equivalent (BOE) processed to 30% below 2014 levels by 2030.

“Marathon Petroleum has long been a leader in reducing its GHG emissions intensity, and due to our culture of continual improvement and responsiveness to stakeholder concerns, setting a goal and linking further reduction achievements to our compensation is a logical progression,” said MPC Chairman Gary Heminger.

This 2030 vision builds upon the strategy outlined in the Perspectives on Climate-Related Scenarios report. Some highlights of the company’s recent decrease in GHG emissions intensity include:

·       A 64% reduction of criteria pollutant emissions within refining since 2000

·       An 18% reduction in GHG emissions intensity since 2014

·       A 17% reduction in water withdrawal intensity on a companywide basis since 2014

·       Elimination of over 850 million BTU per hour of energy usage since 2011.

MPC is also committed to further expanding renewable fuel manufacturing and blending capabilities. Current projects include the conversion of the Dickinson refinery into a renewable diesel plant, and processing biocrude generated from municipal waste at the Martinez refinery. In addition, MPC is actively working with Virent, Inc., toward the commercialization of technology for producing biogasoline and biojet fuel from various sugars.

These partnerships continue MPC’s long-standing commitment to environmental performance. “We have earned more of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® plant certifications than all other refining companies combined,” Heminger noted.

Refineries that have received ENERGY STAR® certifications include Canton, Garyville, Robinson and St. Paul Park.

While MPC has been an industry leader in the reduction of GHG emissions, there are opportunities for individuals to make a difference as well. And while the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic impacted group activities on April 22, simple steps at home can make a huge difference. From recycling to smart thermostats, there are countless ways to minimize your individual carbon footprint.

2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and MPC is committed to continuing to invest in ways to make our operations more energy efficient, reduce our environmental impacts and emissions, and diversity our business.  Because at MPC, every day is earth day.