Marine Petroleum Trust Announces 38.6% Decline in Q3 Cash Distribution

Marine Petroleum Trust (MARPS) announced a Q3 2025 cash distribution of $0.068097 per unit, a 38.6% decrease from the previous quarter and a 28.2% decrease from the same quarter last year. The reduction is attributed to lower oil production volumes and prices, despite a rise in natural gas prices. The distribution is payable on September 29, 2025, to unitholders of record as of August 29, 2025.

DALLAS, Aug. 19, 2025 — Marine Petroleum Trust (MARPS), a leading natural resource trust, announced a Q3 2025 cash distribution of $0.068097 per unit, marking a significant decrease from both the previous quarter and the same quarter last year. The distribution, payable on September 29, 2025, to unitholders of record as of August 29, 2025, reflects a 38.6% quarter-over-quarter decline and a 28.2% year-over-year reduction [1].

The decrease in cash distribution is attributed to a decline in oil production volumes and lower oil prices, despite a rise in natural gas prices. The trust's financial performance is closely tied to the royalties it receives, which are typically paid two months after oil production and three months after natural gas production. The recent drop in oil production and prices has had a direct impact on the cash distribution [2].

According to the latest EIA report, natural gas prices have fluctuated, with the Henry Hub spot price falling from $3.02 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) to $2.92/MMBtu. The price of the September 2025 NYMEX contract also decreased, from $3.077/MMBtu to $2.828/MMBtu. Despite these price changes, the overall demand for natural gas increased by 6.3% (4.6 Bcf/d) compared to the previous week, driven by a 19% (2.0 Bcf/d) rise in electric-power sector consumption due to increased air-conditioning demand [3].

Marine Petroleum Trust's distributions to unitholders are determined by royalties received up to the date the distribution amount is declared. The trust typically receives royalties two months after oil production and three months after natural gas production. The recent decrease in production volumes and lower oil prices have contributed to the lower cash distribution [1].

The continued decline in cash distribution signals potential underlying challenges in the trust's producing properties. Royalty trusts like Marine Petroleum typically manage depleting assets without acquiring new properties, making production declines an expected part of their lifecycle. However, the acceleration of this decline requires attention [3].

For unitholders, this translates to diminishing income streams, with the current quarterly distribution representing an annualized yield that continues to deteriorate compared to historical levels. The trust's payment mechanism - receiving royalties approximately 2-3 months after production - creates a lagging indicator of field performance, suggesting the current energy production environment may be more challenging than previously anticipated [3].

Marine Petroleum Trust's financial reports and additional information can be accessed on its website at [http://www.marps-marine.com/](http://www.marps-marine.com/). For further inquiries, contact Jana Egeler, VP, Royalty Trust Services, Argent Trust Company, at 1-855-588-7839.

References:
[1] https://www.ainvest.com/news/marine-petroleum-trust-q3-cash-distribution-0-068097-0-110983-quarter-2508/
[2] https://www.marketscreener.com/news/marine-petroleum-trust-announces-third-quarter-cash-distribution-ce7c51ddd880f42c
[3] https://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/weekly/