SQL> select * from v$version;

BANNER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.4.0 - 64bit Production
PL/SQL Release 11.2.0.4.0 - Production
CORE    11.2.0.4.0      Production
TNS for Linux: Version 11.2.0.4.0 - Production
NLSRTL Version 11.2.0.4.0 - Production

SQL> DROP TABLE test_merge PURGE;

Table dropped.

SQL> CREATE TABLE test_merge
  2  ( p_date DATE
  3  , ID     INTEGER NOT NULL
  4  )
  5  PARTITION BY RANGE (p_date) INTERVAL (NUMTODSINTERVAL(1,'DAY'))
  6  ( PARTITION P19990101  VALUES LESS THAN (TO_DATE('1999-01-01', 'YYYY-MM-DD')))
  7  /

Table created.

SQL> INSERT /*+ APPEND */ INTO test_merge
  2   VALUES (TO_DATE('20160829','YYYYMMDD'), 0)
  3  /

1 row created.

SQL> commit;

Commit complete.

SQL> SELECT * FROM test_merge
  2  /

P_DATE            ID
--------- ----------
29-AUG-16          0

SQL> MERGE /*+ APPEND */
  2   INTO test_merge PARTITION FOR (TO_DATE('20160830','YYYYMMDD')) tgt
  3  USING (select TO_DATE('20160830','YYYYMMDD') s_date
  4              , 1                              s_id
  5          from dual
  6        ) src
  7   ON (tgt.id = src.s_id)
  8  WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
  9   INSERT (tgt.p_date, tgt.id)
 10   VALUES (src.s_date, src.s_id)
 11  ;
ERROR:
ORA-03114: not connected to ORACLE


MERGE /*+ APPEND */
*
ERROR at line 1:
ORA-03113: end-of-file on communication channel
Process ID: 104253
Session ID: 103 Serial number: 1609

SQL> conn ...
Enter password:
Connected.
SQL>
SQL> -- without DIRECT LOAD  - SUCCESS
SQL> MERGE
  2   INTO test_merge PARTITION FOR (TO_DATE('20160830','YYYYMMDD')) tgt
  3  USING (select TO_DATE('20160830','YYYYMMDD') s_date
  4              , 1                              s_id
  5          from dual
  6        ) src
  7   ON (tgt.id = src.s_id)
  8  WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
  9   INSERT (tgt.p_date, tgt.id)
 10   VALUES (src.s_date, src.s_id)
 11  ;

1 row merged.

SQL> commit;

Commit complete.

SQL> -- with DIRECT LOAD but without PARTITION FOR  - SUCCESS as well
SQL> MERGE /*+ APPEND */
  2   INTO (SELECT * FROM test_merge WHERE p_date = TO_DATE('20160831','YYYYMMDD')) tgt
  3  USING (select TO_DATE('20160831','YYYYMMDD') s_date
  4              , 1                              s_id
  5          from dual
  6        ) src
  7   ON (tgt.id = src.s_id)
  8  WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
  9   INSERT (tgt.p_date, tgt.id)
 10   VALUES (src.s_date, src.s_id)
 11  ;

1 row merged.

SQL> commit;

Commit complete.


SQL>