Marathon Brand Retail Locations Enrolled in eMpowered Buying(TM)

Marathon Brand Retail Locations Enrolled in eMpowered Buying(TM)FINDLAY, Ohio, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC announced today that over 1,000 of its independent Marathon^® branded retail locations have now enrolled in its eMpowered Buying^™ club. This represents more than 25 percent of its total branded retail locations. eMpowered Buying offers members savings, rebates, and purchasing incentives as well as promotional opportunities from over 300 national and regional suppliers and service providers.

"Since its inception 2-1/2 years ago, eMpowered Buying customers have received over $5,000,000 in savings, rebates and incentives as a result of the buying club's efforts. This year alone, savings, rebates and incentives have already exceeded $2 million. When you look at the value package we offer our Marathon branded customers, eMpowered Buying is a driving component in their ongoing success. It is important we continue to offer our customers new programs and opportunities that increase traffic and sales, reduce costs, and add value to their bottom-line profitability," stated Tom Kelley, Brand Marketing division manager.

eMpowered Buying is a comprehensive purchasing and category management program for convenience stores, car washes, bay services and fuel hauling customers. eMpowered Buying is one of the key components of Marathon's eMpowered Marketing portal, a proprietary web portal for Marathon branded dealers and jobbers. eMpowered Buying is managed and operated by Consolidated Buying Company LLC.

"The growing strength of the Marathon brand accompanied by the continued support of our supplier partners, allows us to provide a consistent and sustainable value proposition year after year," stated Jon Lanphier, president of Consolidated Buying Company LLC.

Based in Findlay, Ohio, Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC (MAP) is the nation's fifth largest refiner with 948,000 barrels-per-day capacity in its seven-refinery system. MAP is 62 percent owned by Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO) and 38 percent owned by Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH). MAP supplies petroleum products to approximately 3,700 independently-owned Marathon branded and 1,600 wholly-owned Speedway retail outlets in 16 states. Marathon Brand offices are based in Findlay, Ohio.

eMpowered Buying is managed and operated by Consolidated Buying Company (CBC). CBC is an integrated buying group that provides buying services and category management for six divisions: Convenience Store, Bay Services, Transportation, Equipment, Business Services, and Car Wash. CBC is the largest petroleum marketing buying group in the United States with over 8,500 active member locations in North America.

SOURCE  Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC
    -0-                             11/29/2004
    /CONTACT:  Linda Casey of Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC, +1-419-421-3262,
or Email, lmcasey@mapllc.com ; or Mike Ryan of Consolidated Buying Company
LLC, +1-630-455-0175 ext. 119/
    /Company News On-Call:  http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/133204.html /
    (MRO ASH)

CO:  Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC; MAP; Marathon Oil Corporation; Ashland
     Inc.; Consolidated Buying Company; CBC
ST:  Ohio
IN:  OIL REA
SU:

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3745 11/29/2004 10:06 EST http://www.prnewswire.com

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Ashland's business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year.