Both (20 years apart) of mine.
Did you mean *middle *ear? The outer ear is the part you can see, plus the ear canal. The earaches I’m thinking of are behind the ear canal. Oil of anything should not usually penetrate to the location of the infection. The best it could do is possibly equalize pressure.
Every ear infection I’ve ever had was cleared up by the first round. Same goes for every strep throat infection. Luckily I haven’t had either since I developed my allergy (or sensitivity) to pretty much every antibiotic I have ever taken.