Marathon Oil (MRO)

If we are unsuccessful in acquiring or finding additional reserves, our future oil and natural gas production would decline, thereby reducing our cash flows and results of operations and impairing our financial condition.

        The rate of production from oil and natural gas properties generally declines as reserves are depleted. Except to the extent we acquire interests in additional properties containing proved reserves, conduct successful exploration and development activities or, through engineering studies, optimize production performance, identify additional reservoirs not currently producing or secondary recovery reserves, our proved reserves will decline materially as oil and natural gas is produced. Accordingly, to the extent we are not successful in replacing the oil and natural gas we produce, our future revenues will decline. Creating and maintaining an inventory of prospects for future production depends on many factors, including:

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obtaining rights to explore for, develop and produce oil and natural gas in promising areas;



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drilling success;



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the ability to complete long lead-time, capital-intensive projects timely and on budget; and



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the ability to find or acquire additional proved reserves at acceptable costs.