MARATHON CLAIMS DRILLING RECORD

June 6, 1994

Marathon Oil Co. has claimed a world penetration record in drilling a well in the Gulf of Mexico. Arethusa Off-Shore Co.'s Lexington semisubmersible rig, fitted with a top drive system, cut 7,436 ft in 24 hr in Marathon's No. 2 well on South Pass Block 88. The rig drilled from 3,628 ft measured depth (MD) at 8 a.m. May 15 to 11,064 ft MD at 8 a.m. May 16 with only 1 1/2 hr down time. The on-bottom drilling time of 14.8 hr resulted in an average penetration rate of 502 ft/hr.

Marathon Oil Co. has claimed a world penetration record in drilling a well in the Gulf of Mexico.

Arethusa Off-Shore Co.'s Lexington semisubmersible rig, fitted with a top drive system, cut 7,436 ft in 24 hr in Marathon's No. 2 well on South Pass Block 88.

The rig drilled from 3,628 ft measured depth (MD) at 8 a.m. May 15 to 11,064 ft MD at 8 a.m. May 16 with only 1 1/2 hr down time. The on-bottom drilling time of 14.8 hr resulted in an average penetration rate of 502 ft/hr.

The well was drilled with a 9 7/8 in. polycrystalline diamond compact bit and a polyalphaolefin synthetic drilling fluid.

The hole, with a planned deviation of 21, reached total depth 13,579 ft MD (12,814 ft true vertical depth) May 21.