Emergency oil OK'd for Marathon

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Energy said it is honoring a request from the Marathon Petroleum Co. for 250,000 barrels of oil from the nation's petroleum reserve.

The company said it needs the oil to meet its refinery needs in the wake of Hurricane Gustav. A similar request issued last week by the Citgo Petroleum Corp. was withdrawn when Louisiana's Calcaseiu Channel was reopened following the passage of Gustav.

Energy Department officials said the 250,000 barrels of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve was delivered Monday to Marathon refineries along the Capline pipeline system.