Marathon announces large Earb South find in Norwegian North Sea

Aug. 2, 2011
Marathon Oil Norge AS discovered three hydrocarbon-bearing Jurassic sandstone sequences with poor reservoir quality at the 25/10-11 wildcat on the Earb South prospect in PL505 in the North Sea off Norway.

Marathon Oil Norge AS discovered three hydrocarbon-bearing Jurassic sandstone sequences with poor reservoir quality at the 25/10-11 wildcat on the Earb South prospect in PL505 in the North Sea off Norway.

The uppermost oil-bearing interval comprised a 6-8 m thick sand sequence immediately below the Draupne shale. Hydrocarbons were also sampled from an underlying 285 m thick Upper Jurassic sequence. A 150 m thick interval from this sequence was production tested and flowed oil and gas to surface but the flow was not sustainable.

Hydrocarbons were also encountered in a 20-30 m thick Middle/Upper Jurassic sequence above TD of 4,534 m in Jurassic.

Extensive data acquisition was performed and will form the basis for further evaluation of the area’s prospectivity.

The well was drilled about 8 km southwest of the small 25/7-2 discovery and 40 km south of Heimdal field.

Lundin Petroleum AB, Stockholm, which has 30% interest in the license, said the tested reservoir is tight and further work is needed to discern whether the discovery can be commercialized. Marathon is operator with 35% interest, VNG Norway AS has 20%, and Maersk Oil Norway AS has 15%.