ShaMaran Petroleum has said that Marathon Oil has acquired a 20% working interest in the Atrush block in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

ShaMaran, through its a wholly owned subsidiary, ShaMaran Ventures, has a one third stake in General Exploration Partners, which is a party to the Atrush Block production sharing contract and currently holds an 80% interest in the Block.

The Atrush Block is located immediately north and adjacent to the Shaikan discovery and the Atrush 1 exploration well was spudded on 5 October 2010.

The well (planned to a total depth of 3,100m) is prognosed to test the same reservoir sections as Shaikan discovery.

The Atrush Block is also adjacent to and on trend with the recent Bijeel oil discovery to the East, operated by Kalegran.