Circle Oil Plc Regulatory News (COP)

16 March 2015

Circle Oil Plc

("Circle" or the "Company")

Operating Update Morocco

Morocco Sebou Permit -Exploration Well KAB-1bis

Circle Oil Plc (AIM: COP), the Middle East and North Africa focused oil and gas exploration, development and production company, provides the following information on the drilling of the KAB-1bis well in the Sebou Permit, onshore Morocco.

The well, located downthrown tothe north-west/south-east trending N'zala Fault in the north-western area of the Sebou 3D survey, spudded on 4 February 2015. The 2010 KAB-1 well had encountered gas shows in the target Miocene Guebbas sands, but problematic swelling clays created borehole instability and the well could not be logged or tested. KAB-1bis had the same target sands and was drilled with an adapted mud system to minimise drilling problems in a slightly more updip location. The primary target Guebbas sands were absent down to a TD of 1,410 metres MD and it was decided to plug and abandon the well. This result indicates that the gas shows encountered in the Guebbas sands in the KAB-1 well were of a very limited extent.

The rig has been released to complete and test the SAH-W1 well on the western area of the Sebou Permit. The SAH-W1 well encountered three gas bearing Guebbas sands, but could not be completed as a non-standard 4.5 inch liner was needed. It is planned to produce the three zones sequentially from the bottom up, where the highest pressure is present.

Commenting on the results of the KAB-1bis well Steve Jenkins, Chairman, said:

"Although the result of the KAB-1bis well is disappointing, the well was targeting a smaller incremental accumulation. We look forward to the results of testing of the SAH-W1 well and continuation of the drilling campaign on the Sebou and Lalla Mimouna Nord Blocks."

For further information contact:

Circle Oil plc (+44 20 7638 9571)

Steve Jenkins

Investec (+44 20 7597 5970)Chris SimGeorge Price

James Rudd

Liberum Capital Limited (+44 20 3100 2222)Clayton Bush

Citigate Dewe Rogerson (+44 20 7638 9571)Martin JacksonShabnam Bashir

Murray Consultants (+353 1 498 0320)Joe HeronPat Walsh

In accordance with the guidelines of the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange, Dr Stuart Harker, VP Geology, with over 40 years experience, is the qualified person as defined in the London Stock Exchange's Guidance Note for Mining and Oil and Gas companies, who has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this announcement. Dr. Harker holds a BSc (Hons) in Geology from the University of London (UK) and an MSc and PhD from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. He is also a Fellow of the Geological Society of London and a Chartered Geologist.

Notes to Editors

Circle Oil Plc (AIM: COP) is an international oil & gas exploration, development and production Company holding a portfolio of assets in Morocco, Tunisia, Oman, and Egypt with a combination of low-risk, near-term production, and significant upside exploration potential. The Company listed on AIM in October 2004.

Internationally, the Company has continued to expand its portfolio over the past years and now has assets in the Rharb Basin, Morocco; the Ras Marmour Permit in southern Tunisia; the Mahdia Permit offshore Tunisia, and the Zeit Bay area of Egypt. Circle also has the largest licensed acreage of any company in Oman. Circle's strategy is to locate and secure additional licences in prospective hydrocarbon provinces and, through targeted investment programmes, monetise the value in those assets for the benefit of shareholders. This could be achieved through farm-outs to selected partners who would then invest in and continue the development of the asset into production, or Circle may opt to use its own expertise to appraise reserves and bring assets into production, generating sustained cash flow for further investment.

Further information on Circle is available on its website at www.circleoil.net.