Essar Energy Regulatory News (ESSR)

Essar Energy sells stake in Vietnam gas block to ENI

2 July 2012: Essar Energy plc [LSE: ESSR], the India-focused integrated energy company, today announced that its subsidiary Essar Exploration & Production Limited has agreed to sell a 50 per cent stake in Vietnam's offshore gas exploration block 114 to ENI International B.V.

The reduction in Essar Energy's stake in block 114, which was previously 100 per cent, is in line with the strategy for its exploration and production business of introducing strategic partners to help manage risk and of focusing on the development of its core assets.

Essar Energy  acquired the 100 per cent stake in block 114 in 2007 and a production sharing contract with the Vietnam Government became effective in 2010. Further investment is required to establish gas reserves in the block and no gas is being produced at present. Under the terms of the transaction, ENI is also assuming operator status for the block.

The transaction is subject to agreement from the Vietnam Government.

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Essar Energy

Mark Lidiard, Director of Investor Relations & Communications +44 20 7408 8714 or +44 7554 440421

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Richard Campbell +44 20 7307 5334 or +44 7775 784 933

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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 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 completion of its expansion and optimisation projects in recent months.

About Essar Group

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 annual 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.

These statements (and all other forward-looking statements contained in this document) are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Group's control, are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied or forecast in the forward-looking statements.

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.