- Discovered
- 1928
- Type
- Heavy crude, requiring specialised recovery
- Status
- The largest onshore oil field in continental Europe by reserves in place
- Operator history
- Long operated by Bankers Petroleum, since acquired by Geo-Jade Petroleum
In plain language
The oil field around Patos and Marinëz is the biggest one on land in mainland Europe. Oil has been pumped there since the 1920s. The oil is heavy and thick, which makes it harder to extract than lighter crude.
Simple explanation
The oil field around Patos and Marinëz is the biggest one on land in mainland Europe. Oil has been pumped there since the 1920s. The oil is heavy and thick, which makes it harder to extract than lighter crude.
On this page
Climate by month
The warmest month is August (mean daily high 32°C), the coldest is January (mean daily low 4°C), and the wettest is November (114 mm). Total annual rainfall averages 945 mm.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Wet days | Sun/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12°C | 4°C | 92 mm | 11 | 7.2 h |
| February | 13°C | 4°C | 84 mm | 10 | 8.2 h |
| March | 16°C | 6°C | 93 mm | 11 | 9.7 h |
| April | 19°C | 9°C | 83 mm | 12 | 10.8 h |
| May | 24°C | 14°C | 73 mm | 9 | 12.1 h |
| June | 28°C | 18°C | 52 mm | 7 | 13.6 h |
| July | 32°C | 20°C | 29 mm | 5 | 13.8 h |
| August | 32°C | 21°C | 32 mm | 6 | 12.8 h |
| September | 27°C | 17°C | 89 mm | 9 | 10.7 h |
| October | 22°C | 13°C | 97 mm | 9 | 9.3 h |
| November | 17°C | 9°C | 114 mm | 11 | 7.3 h |
| December | 13°C | 6°C | 108 mm | 11 | 6.7 h |
Source: ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 1994–2023 · “High” and “Low” are mean daily maximum and minimum air temperature. “Wet days” counts days with at least 1 mm of precipitation.
Connected subjects
Nearby
Town · Fier
Ballsh
The seat of Mallakastër and the site of Albania's main oil refinery, near the ruins of Byllis.
Town · Fier
Patos
The centre of the Patos-Marinza field, the largest onshore oil field in continental Europe.
Related subjects
Subject
The Albanian Economy
An upper-middle-income economy of roughly $30 billion, led by services and tourism, with remittances and construction close…
Company · Fier
Bankers Petroleum
The Canadian-listed operator that redeveloped Patos-Marinza, acquired by China's Geo-Jade Petroleum in 2016.
Industry
Oil and Gas in Albania
Heavy onshore crude from Patos-Marinza, produced since the 1920s and refined at Ballsh.
Sources
- Wikipedia.
Patos-Marinza Oil Field — English Wikipedia
· retrieved 13 Oct 2026
Used to ground the deep-research section and as a discovery aid; not relied on alone for contested claims. - Wikidata.
Wikidata item Q7145193
· retrieved 13 Oct 2026
Source of the population, area and elevation figures shown in Quick facts, each with its own observation year. - Open-Meteo / ECMWF.
Monthly climate normals, 1994–2023
· retrieved 13 Oct 2026
Computed here from daily ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo over 1994–2023.
Something wrong on this page? Corrections are welcome and are checked against the source record. Tell us what is wrong and, if you can, where the right figure comes from.