Marathon Oil is drilling a horizontal well in the Tyler formation in Slope County this month.

The formation has produced from vertical wells for years and is comparable to the Bakken from a geology perspective. Both plays include a limestone formation sandwiched by shales.

Marathon has a four well development plan approved and believes the wells could yield an average of 400,000 boe each. That's comparable to Bakken production rates.

It's very early, but watch for additional announcements. It might be a while before we get well results, but Marathon and possibly others will expand their testing plans if the wells prove successful.