Highlands Natural Resources Regulatory News (HNR)

8 Aug 2005 07:00

Hardman Resources Limited08 August 2005 STOCK EXCHANGE / MEDIA RELEASE RELEASE DATE: 8 August 2005 AUSTRALIAN CONTACT: Richard O'Shannassy Hardman Resources Ltd +61 8 9261 7600 LONDON CONTACT: Patrick Handley Brunswick Group +44 207 404 5959 RE: MAURITANIA DRILLING PROGRAMME SOTTO-1 EXPLORATION WELL SPUD Hardman Resources Ltd ("Hardman") is pleased to announce the spudding of theSotto -1 exploration well in Mauritania PSC A. This is the first explorationwell in the 2005 Mauritania offshore drilling campaign. The Sotto-1 well islocated approximately 110 km southwest of Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital,and 42km south of the Chinguetti Field. Water depth is 320m and the plannedtotal depth of the well is 3,330m below rig datum. The well is targeting canyon fill sands in a Lower Miocene interval, ofapproximately the same age as the Chinguetti and Tiof Oil discoveries in PSC B.This well is expected to yield valuable information about the southern part ofPSC's A and B, and if successful will extend the area of the prospective Miocenebasin. Hardman's 2005 exploration drilling programme is expected to include wells inthe Woodside operated PSC's A, B and C(6), and the Dana operated PSC 1. Hardman interests in PSC A and the Sotto -1 well are: Woodside (operator) 53.846%Hardman 24.3%BG Group 13.084%Fusion/Premier 4.615%ROC 4.155% All reported depths are referenced to the rig rotary table (except water depth). Hydrocarbon shows will be only be reported after all required logs have been runand evaluated, although Hardman will release weekly updates on the explorationdrilling campaign. Times and dates refer to GMT (Mauritania time), 8 hours behind Western StandardTime, Perth. RICHARD O'SHANNASSYCOMPANY SECRETARY Note: In accordance with Australian Stock Exchange Limited listing requirements,the geological information supplied in this report has been based on informationprovided by geologists who have had in excess of five years experience in theirfield of activity. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange