ME Mariner Energy Inc.

HOUSTON, Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mariner Energy, Inc. (NYSE:ME) announces that it has made a material conventional shelf discovery in the High Island (HI) 116 #5ST1 well, drilled to a total measured depth of 14,683'/13,150' True Vertical Depth (TVD). The well encountered approximately 540' of net vertical pay in thirteen sands. Completion operations are underway, with initial production anticipated later in the fourth quarter 2006. HI 116 is part of the asset base Mariner acquired from Forest Oil Corporation in March 2006. Mariner has a 100% working interest and an approximate 72% net revenue interest in the well. Mariner internally estimates this well to have proved and probable reserves in the range of 40 - 60 Bcfe. "This is the first exploitation well drilled based on the evaluation and recommendation from Mariner's development team. This success evidences the upside potential in the Forest assets that we have just begun to exploit," said Scott D. Josey, Mariner's Chief Executive Officer and President. This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, that address activities that Mariner assumes, plans, expects, believes, projects, estimates or anticipates (and other similar expressions) will, should or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are generally accompanied by words such as "may", "will", "estimate", "project", "predict", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "potential", "plan", "goal", or other words that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. The forward-looking statements provided in this press release are based on the current belief of Mariner based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. Mariner cautions that its future natural gas and liquids production, revenues and expenses and other forward-looking statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties normally incident to the exploration for and development and production and sale of oil and gas. These risks include, but are not limited to, price volatility or inflation, lack of availability of goods and services, environmental risks, drilling and other operating risks, regulatory changes, the uncertainty inherent in estimating future oil and gas production or reserves, and other risks as described in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005, and other documents filed by Mariner with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any of these factors could cause the actual results and plans of Mariner to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The SEC has generally permitted oil and gas companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only proved reserves that a company has demonstrated by actual production or conclusive formation tests to be economically and legally producible under existing economic and operating conditions. Mariner uses the terms "probable," "possible" and "non-proved" reserves, reserve "potential" or "upside" or other descriptions of volumes of reserves potentially recoverable through additional drilling or recovery techniques that the SEC's guidelines may prohibit it from including in filings with the SEC. These estimates are by their nature more speculative than estimates of proved reserves and accordingly are subject to substantially greater risk of being actually realized by the company. Investors are urged to read the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and other documents filed by Mariner with the Securities and Exchange Commission that contain important information including detailed risk factors. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of Mariner. About Mariner Energy, Inc. Mariner Energy, Inc. is an independent oil and gas exploration, development and production company with principal operations in the Gulf of Mexico and West Texas. For more information about Mariner, please visit its website at http://www.mariner-energy.com/ . DATASOURCE: Mariner Energy, Inc. CONTACT: Jaime F. Brito, Director, Investor Relations of Mariner Energy, Inc., +1-713-954-5558, or Web site: http://www.mariner-energy.com/

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