Rockpool Acqui Regulatory News (ROC)

8 Aug 2005 07:00

Roc Oil Company Limited08 August 2005 8 August 2005 ROC OIL COMPANY LIMITED ("ROC") STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE 2005 OFFSHORE MAURITANIA - EXPLORATION DRILLING PROGRAMME START-UP ROC announces that the Sotto-1 exploration well in Mauritania PSC A, commenceddrilling on 6 August, 2005 at 2300 GMT. The well is being drilled by the StenaTay drilling vessel. Sotto-1 is located approximately 110km southwest of Nouakchott, the Mauritaniancapital, and 42km south of the Chinguetti Oil Field in a water depth of 320m.The planned total depth of the well is 3,330m. The well is targeting Lower Miocene canyon fill sands of approximately the sameage as the Chinguetti and Tiof oil discoveries in PSC B. ROC's participation in the 2005 exploration drilling programme in Mauritania isexpected to include wells in the Woodside operated PSCs A, B and C6, and theDana operated PSC 1. Hydrocarbon shows will only be reported after all required logs have been runand evaluated, although ROC will release weekly updates on the explorationdrilling campaign. Commenting upon the Sotto-1 well ROC' s CEO, Dr John Doran, stated that: "The high risk Sotto-1 well marks the start of something that has become almosta seasonal event over the past few years for ROC - participating in anexploration drilling programme offshore Mauritania. Given the large size ofMauritania's offshore area and the fact that, prior to the first modern drillingcampaign in 2001, commercial oil had not been discovered in the country, thisyear's exploration drilling programme should not be viewed any differently toits predecessors - it's another important step in our understanding of thisnewly emergent hydrocarbon province which will probably provide a mix of resultstypical of such frontier drilling programmes." Interests in PSC A and Sotto -1 are: Woodside (Operator) 53.846% Hardman 24.3% BG Group 13.084% Fusion/Premier 4.615% ROC 4.155% Michelle Manook For further information please contact:General Manager - Corporate Affairs Dr John Doran on Tel: +61-2-8356-2000 Fax: +61-2-9380-2635 Email: jdoran@rocoil.com.au Or visit ROC's website: www.rocoil.com.au Dr Kevin Hird General Manager Business Development Tel: +44 (0)207 586 7935 Fax: +44 (0)207 722 3919 Email: khird@rocoil.com.au Nick Lambert Bell Pottinger Corporate & Financial Tel: +44 (0)207 861 3232 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange