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Marathon Oil Corp. (NYSE Stock Symbol MRO) on Wednesday said it has accelerated its $2 billion common stock buyback program.

As a result, the company plans to buy back about $1.5 billion of its common stock by Dec. 31, with the balance being repurchased in 2007.

Through June 30, about 7.3 million shares were repurchased for about $554 million, the oil and gas explorer said in a news release.