Marathon, America's biggest oil refiner, posted a $9.2bn quarterly loss, because of the pandemic and price " tensions" .

由于新冠疫情和价格“紧张”，美国最大的炼油商马拉松石油公司(Marathon)公布了92亿美元的季度亏损。

Though the independent oil refiners were combating the most powerful financial power of the time, they were frequently fighting in the dark, never knowing where to deliver their blows.

独立炼油商虽然在与当时最强大的财力作斗争，但他们往往是在暗中作战，不知往何处下手。

At this time Rockefeller was merely one of a large number of successful oil refiners, yet during these early days a grandiose scheme was taking shape in that quiet, insinuating, far-reaching brain.

当时洛克菲勒只是众多成功的炼油商之一， 但在早期，一个宏伟的计划正在那个安静、含沙射影、影响深远的大脑中形成。