Houston-based Marathon Oil's Solomon exploration well in the US Gulf of Mexico has been plugged and abandoned after not encountering its lower tertiary target interval.
The well reached its total depth of approximately 34,600ft on Walker Ridge Block 225.
The rig has been released with no further activity planned on the block. Marathon Oil is the operator with a 58% working interest in the well. Venari holds a 22% working interest and Murphy holds 20%.
The moves comes after Marathon Oil agreed to sell all its operated producing properties in the US Gulf of Mexico and a tranche of non-operated interests for US$205 million, last month.
The deal with an undisclosed buyer was said to be part of an ongoing move out of traditional exploration assets as the firm focuses on shale plays.
The move follows Marathon Oil being hit with an improvement notice by the UK's Health and Safety Executive after a hydrocarbon release from a 3in riser base gas lift riser inside the Brae Alpha installation in June this year.
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