Which term describes a field that is at the edge of viability?

• A. Marginal Field
• B. Giant Field
• C. Medium Field
• D. Small Field

Answer: (A)

In oil and gas, viability means whether developing a field will be profitable after considering costs, prices, and technology. A field at the edge of viability has economics that are barely positive and is highly sensitive to price changes or cost shifts. That’s exactly what a marginal field describes: a field that is economical only under favorable conditions, often needing higher prices or efficiencies to justify development. The other terms describe size rather than profitability, so they don’t capture the idea of being at the profitability threshold. So the term that best fits a field near that threshold is marginal field.