HUR.L Regulatory News (HUR)

Embargoed: 0700hrs 10 September 2015

Hurricane Energy plc

("Hurricane" or the "Company")

Lancaster Granted Oil Field Status

Hurricane Energy plc, the UK-based oil and gas company focused on hydrocarbon resources in naturally fractured basement reservoirs, is pleased to announce that the UK Oil and Gas Authority has agreed to the Company's request for a field determination area for Lancaster and has granted the Company's discovery oil field status as Oil Field Number 572. This represents the first step in progressing the submission of the Lancaster early production system (EPS) field development plan (FDP).

A map displaying the field determination area is available for viewing in the news section of the Company's website at www.hurricaneenergy.com.

Dr Robert Trice, Chief Executive, commented:

"I'm delighted that the Oil and Gas Authority has granted Lancaster oil field status which is an important step in progressing to first oil from Lancaster. Furthermore, the granting of oil field status for Lancaster helps the partitioning of Hurricane's other discoveries and prospects that sit within Licence P1368."

Contact Details:

Notes for Editors:

Hurricane is an oil and gas company focused on hydrocarbon resources in naturally fractured basement reservoirs. The Company's focus is to discover, appraise and develop oil reserves in basement rock and has successfully found oil on the UKCS. The Company has 444-470 Mmboe of 2C Contingent Resources and 432-442 Mmboe P50 Prospective Resources on acreage it controls 100% under licences P1368, P1485, P1835 and P1884.

The Group completed an IPO on the AIM market on 4 February 2014.

Strategy and Focus

The Group's primary objective is to increase shareholder value through the exploration, appraisal and development of fractured basement reservoirs. The Directors' strategy to achieve this is as follows:

1) Concentrate on basement in proven petroleum systems

To date, the Group's basement exploration approach has been to focus on areas where oil had been found in basement structures by previous operators but not progressed on the basis that the prevailing opinion at the time was that such discoveries were not commercial. Once such potential areas have been identified, the Group undertakes a high grading process involving the evaluation of existing geotechnical data to establish if, and where, suitable prospects may be present.

The Directors believe this approach serves to reduce exploration risk on basement prospects by ensuring a working hydrocarbon system is present and by having available a comprehensive geotechnical database (both seismic and well data).

2) Regional focus on West of Shetland

Hurricane has established an attractive portfolio of exploration and appraisal projects, focused on fractured basement prospectivity West of Shetland. The Directors believe that the potential scale of the recoverable resource within these fractured basement reservoirs presents the UK oil and gas industry with a significant opportunity to access a material new strategic asset.

3) Ownership and operatorship during exploration and early stage appraisal

Hurricane has maintained 100% ownership and operatorship of all of its assets to date. The Directors believe that this puts the Company in a strong position to invite other industry participants to participate in the assets and share costs, in preparation for field development that will lead to producing assets.

4) Maintain an influential equity position

As Hurricane progresses the Group's assets towards development it intends to seek potential partners through a farm-out or other process to assist in future development and implementation of the FDP whilst maintaining an influential equity position.

5) Opportunities to acquire exploration licences in existing and new regions

Hurricane intends to participate in applications for new licence areas where the Group will be able to apply its technical expertise in basement reservoir evaluation to create value for its shareholders. The Directors believe that the Group's skill set and its track record to date leave it well positioned to secure further licences in countries with low geopolitical risk.