Marathon Oil scores discovery on Hamsun prospect offshore Norway

Ray Tyson

Petroleum News Houston correspondent

Marathon Oil says it has made an oil and gas find on the company-operated Hamsun prospect offshore Norway.

The Hamsun 24/9-7 vertical well encountered 121 feet of net gas pay and 38 feet of net oil pay, mainly in two reservoirs, Marathon said.

The discovery well, in production license area 150 about six miles south of the Alvheim area, was drilled to a total depth of 7,382 feet below sea level utilizing the Deep Sea Delta semi-submersible rig, Marathon said. The prospect is situated in 403 feet of water on the Norwegian continental shelf.

“The Hamsun well builds upon our successful 2003 Norwegian drilling program, which resulted in three discoveries,” said Philip Behrman, Marathon’s senior vice president of worldwide exploration.

He said results from the Hamsun well will be used to develop a reservoir management plan for the Hamsun accumulation, including a possible tieback to the Alvheim development.

Marathon is the operator of production license 150 and holds a 65 percent working interest, with Det Norske Oljeselskap holding the remaining 35 percent. Lundin Petroleum has acquired DNO’s 35 percent interest in production license 150, which is pending government approval.