Absorption

Following the absorption of a noncash $1.4 billion impairment of goodwill related to its Oil Sands Mining segment, Marathon Oil Corp. reported Tuesday a 4Q2008 net loss of $41 million, or minus 6 cent/share, compared with net income in 4Q2007 of $668 million, or 94 cents/share. Marathon’s management also announced that due to the current economic recession the company has shelved its plans to divide its operations into two separate entities.