Marathon Oil Corporation announced today a $2.4 million grant to the Detroit Science Center for the creation of a new Future Fuels Gallery at the museum. The 6,000 square-foot, three-story gallery will be one of the museum's largest exhibit areas and the Midwest's only public, educational display of petroleum and alternative fuels technology. It is planned to open at the Science Center in 2010.
Future Fuels will give the public an up-close look into the complex world of petroleum-based energy from the exploration and production of crude oil through the refining and marketing of products that consumers use every day. Future Fuels will be an integrated experience that contains 40 exhibits in an immersive experience clustered into four themed areas on three different levels - Exploring an Oil Reservoir, Production and Transportation Technology, Inside a Working Refinery and Alternative Fuels.
"Marathon and the Detroit Science Center share a common mission of encouraging young students to pursue careers in technical fields such as science and engineering. There is no better way to get students excited about the industry than having them experience it first hand. Students will learn about an industry that plays a vital role in our world and one that provides exciting and challenging careers today and well into the future," said Gary R. Heminger, Marathon executive vice president and president of Refining, Marketing and Transportation operations. "Providing support for the Science Center further reinforces our commitment to the city of Detroit and to Michigan. We are delighted to partner with the Science Center in this outstanding educational opportunity."
Future Fuels Gallery visitors will experience a dramatic elevator ride simulating the movement of oil to the Earth's surface from a dark, underground reservoir where they will learn how crude oil was formed and the advanced technology necessary to produce and deliver this important energy resource. With a scaled model of a refinery, the gallery will include interactive exhibits on the steps and processes used to refine crude oil into transportation fuels and thousands of other products. The alternative fuels area will provide a look at evolving technologies that have the potential to help meet our current and future energy needs.
"Alternative fuels hold great promise for the future, however petroleum-based fuels will continue to be a primary source of energy that supports our mobile lifestyle for many years. Future Fuels will expose visitors to the amazing technology of oil discovery, production and refining, as well as the challenges and potential of alternatives," said Kevin F. Prihod, president & CEO of the Detroit Science Center. "The new gallery will provide visitors with a glimpse into one of the greatest engineering challenges of the future - providing the energy to power a growing world. From the depths of an oil reservoir, to an offshore production platform, to a supertanker and through a refinery, visitors will experience the complexities of meeting the world's energy needs and perhaps be inspired to pursue a career as a petroleum engineer, chemist or another related technical area critical to our energy future."