Marathon Oil Corp. issued a statement on Friday to clarify comments made by CEO Clarence P. Cazalot last week regarding its position on whether it is soliciting or is interested in offers to purchase the company. At a media roundtable on April 7 with 11 journalists Cazalot was asked whether the company was a takeover target. His response was that Marathon is “for sale every day on the New York Stock Exchange. To the extent that someone wants to offer a premium, the board would consider it.” Some news reports following the roundtable indicated the company was actively soliciting offers. “Marathon remains convinced that its strategy to remain a fully-integrated company presents the greatest value to its shareholders,” the company said in its statement.

The Kentucky Public Service Commission approved an extension of Columbia Gas of Kentucky’s customer choice pilot program through Mach 31, 2009. The program was scheduled to expire at the end of March this year. The company’s 145,000 customers are eligible to participate in the program. About 46,399 did participate in 2004, according to the Energy Information Administration. Currently two retail marketers — Interstate Gas Supply (IGS) and Mxenergy — are competing to provide service.

©Copyright 2005Intelligence Press Inc. All rights reserved. The preceding news reportmay not be republished or redistributed, in whole or in part, in anyform, without prior written consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.