Marathon Oil Corporation - Carri Lockhart, Asset Team Manager

Good afternoon Mr. Secretary.  My name is Carri Lockhart and I am the Asset Team Manager responsible for development and production activities in Alaska for Marathon Oil Corporation. I appreciate your time and the opportunity to speak on this important topic today.

Marathon is a fully integrated oil and natural gas company operating around the world and directly employing about 30,000 people and indirectly employing tens of thousands of other contractors and vendors. 

Marathon understands that America's energy mix in the future will differ from today, but we also realize that oil and natural gas will serve critical roles in America's economic and energy security for decades to come.  In fact, the Energy Information Administration at the Department of Energy estimates that even as the country uses more alternative sources of energy and becomes more energy efficient, oil and natural gas will continue meeting more than 50% of America's energy demand in the year 2030. 

While the country must continue moving forward on alternative sources of energy, attempts to block development of domestic resources are harming the economy and our energy security. We believe it is in our country’s best interest to develop our abundant OCS resources in a safe and environmentally responsible manner, which is something our industry has clearly demonstrated it can achieve over many decades. 

Marathon believes that an energy security strategy for our nation should include an emphasis on energy efficiency and conservation, diversity of energy supply (both geographic and type of energy) and the development and application of technology to access more energy, as well as reduce the impact of fossil fuel use on the environment.

The development of leases near existing infrastructure, for example in The Gulf of Mexico, would help meet a significant portion of America's shorter term energy demand. In addition, the administration must keep an eye on meeting demand for the longer term as well which can be accomplished by continuing to progress plans for leasing, exploration and development in other OCS planning areas such as Alaska.

In conclusion, Marathon realizes the energy challenges we face are difficult and that finding solutions will not be easy.  However, limiting our ability to responsibly access federal OCS resources will not put America on the path toward energy security, which should be the goal of both the industry and the administration.   

Thank you