Marathon Oil Agrees to Record Penalty for Alleged Clean Air Act Violations

Marathon Oil agreed to spend $241.5 million to resolve federal allegations that it unlawfully emitted methane, a planet-warming greenhouse gas, and other pollutants from oil and gas facilities in North Dakota.

Under the proposed settlement announced on Thursday, the oil and gas producer, based in Houston, would pay a $64.5 million civil penalty. The federal government said it was the largest-ever fine for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act that took place at stationary infrastructure.

Marathon also agreed to spend $177 million to reduce future emissions in North Dakota, including on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, where the Environmental Protection Agency said the company had violated permitting requirements and other rules in recent years.

The settlement is part of a wider effort by the E.P.A. to rein in greenhouse gas emissions at oil and gas facilities.

Methane, the main ingredient in natural gas, can trap much more heat in the atmosphere over the short term than carbon dioxide can. As a result, regulators have made it a priority to reduce the release of methane, which can leak from pipes, gas terminals, cooking stoves and other equipment.

“E.P.A. is committed to doing everything possible to limit climate change and ensure a sustainable future,” David M. Uhlmann, an assistant administrator at the agency, said in a statement.