Total has sold its entire operated share of Martin Linge Field and Garantiana discovery to Statoil for US$ 1.45 billion, with completion confirmed on 19 March 2018. Under the deal announced on 27 November 2017, Statoil acquired 51% WI and operatorship in Martin Linge PLs 040, 043 & 043 BS, and 40% operated share in PL554, B & C which contains the Garantiana discovery in part blocks 34/5, 6 & 9 (258 sq km). Statoil's equity in the Martin Linge Unit licences has increased from 19% to 70%, and it will become a new participant in PL554, with the transaction to be back-dated to 1 January 2017. Martin Linge field lies at the junction of blocks 29/6, 29/9, 30/4 & 30/7, adjacent to the UK/Norway border in the North Viking Graben. It was discovered by 30/7-6 R (1978, Norsk Hydro, 4,115m) and contains three gas and condensate reservoirs in Brent Group sandstone, and oil in the Eocene Frigg Formation (Fm). Martin Linge has estimated recoverable reserves of 69 MMbo and 910 Tcfg, and is expected to commence production in H1 2019, delayed from its original late 2016 planned start-up, due to a number of issues identified by the Petroleum Safety Authority, and a fatal event at Sumsung's Geoje shipyard in S Korea where the platform topside is being constructed. Its original budget of NOK 28.2 billion (US$ 4.68 billion) is estimated to have been overrun by NOK 10.4 billion (US$ 1.2 billion). The field is being developed with a manned wellhead platform, with the jacket substructure already in place, and the topside awaited from South Korea. Garantiana oil discovery was made on the Tampen Spur by 34/6-2 S (2012, Total, 4,335m), and has estimated recoverable resources of 38-88 MMbo in Early Jurassic Cook Fm. Development concepts for Garantiana are under evaluation. Also on PL554 (2km SW of Garanitana) is the Akkar discovery 34/6-3A (2014, Total, 4,019m), which has 3 MMboe estimated recoverable resources within the Cook Fm. Total farmed into Garantiana PL554 licence in 2011, and the licence group was awarded the accompanying licences PL554B & C which are valid until 2018. Total was reported to be seeking offers for its Martin Linge asset in September 2016. Martin Linge licence partners, via PL040, PL043 & PL043 BS, are Statoil Petroleum AS (70%+ Op) and Petoro AS (30%), whilst PL554, B & C partners are Statoil Petroleum AS (40% + Op), Point Resources AS (30%) and Aker BP ASA (30%). 
Total has sold its entire operated share of Martin Linge Field and Garantiana discovery to Statoil for US$ 1.45 billion,Under the deal announced on 27 November 2017, Statoil acquired 51% WI and operatorship in Martin Linge PLs 040, 043 & 043 BS, and 40% operated share in PL554, B & C which contains the Garantiana discovery in part blocks 34/5, 6 & 9 (258 sq km). 