Essar Energy Regulatory News (ESSR)

Essar Energy agrees new oil and product inventory arrangements for Stanlow refinery

July 25, 2012: Essar Energy plc [LSE: ESSR], the India-focused integrated energy company, today announced that its subsidiary Essar Oil UK has entered into new arrangements with Barclays Bank plc covering the supply of crude oil to its Stanlow refinery in the UK.

Under the new arrangements, Barclays will hold the inventories of crude oil and petroleum products at Stanlow and will supply crude to the refinery in line with its requirements.

The new arrangements allow Essar Oil UK to repay its existing working capital revolving credit facility, provided by 13 banks. In addition, they allow Essar Oil UK to reduce its costs by reducing its crude oil inventory holdings and also permit greater operational flexibility. The customer relationships and product sale processes will remain with Essar Oil UK. These arrangements with Barclays are for three years and take effect immediately.

 Volker Schultz, chief executive officer of Essar Oil UK, said: "This transaction with Barclays is an important landmark step for Stanlow. We have built a strong working relationship with Barclays, allowing us to continue delivering a high level of service to our customers, but in a much more efficient manner. The change is fully in line with our strategy to maximise efficiency, to substantially improve margins and to ensure that the refinery can thrive in all market conditions."

Essar Energy completed the purchase of Stanlow, the UK's second largest refinery with a capacity of 296,000 barrels per day, from Shell on July 31, 2011.

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Essar Energy

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About Essar Energy

Essar Energy (LSE:ESSR) is a world class, low-cost, integrated energy company with an established track record.

Essar Energy, through its subsidiaries, owns one of India's largest private power producers now with 2,800MW of installed capacity and projects under construction to expand its capacity to 9,670MW.

Essar Energy, through its subsidiaries, owns one of India's fastest growing private sector oil and gas companies with a diverse portfolio of exploration and production assets. The Vadinar refinery, located in Gujarat, is India's second largest private sector oil refinery with throughput capacity of 20 million metric tonnes per annum, or 405,000 barrels per day following the completion in 2012 of expansion and optimisation projects.

About Essar Group

The Essar Group is a global conglomerate and a leading player in the sectors of Steel, Energy (Oil & Gas and Power), Infrastructure (Ports, Projects & Concessions) and Services (Shipping, Telecom, Realty and Business Process Outsourcing). With operations in more than 25 countries across five continents, the group employs 75,000 people and has revenues of over US$ 27 billion.

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This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding Group's plans, objectives and performance. Such statements relate to events and depend on circumstances that may occur in the future and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although the Group believes that the expectations reflected in such forward looking statements are reasonable, there are a number of factors which could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements, including, without limitation, the enactment of legislation or regulation that may impose costs or restrict activities; the re-negotiation of contracts or licences; fluctuations in demand and pricing in the Oil and Gas, Power and Energy industries; fluctuations in exchange controls; changes in government policy and taxations; industrial disputes; war and terrorism. Further information on the significant risks and uncertainties associated with the Group's business is set out in the Prospectus published on 4 May 2010. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this document. The Group undertakes no obligation to update any forward looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally required.

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This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or any solicitation of an offer for securities in any jurisdiction, or an invitation or inducement to invest in the Group or any other entity and should not be relied upon in any way in connection with any investment decision.