Notification of Shareholding

4 Nov 2011 07:00

Embargoed for release: 0700 on 4 November 2011

Northern Petroleum Plc ("Northern" or "the Company")

Notification of Shareholding

TR-1: NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES

1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attached: Northern Petroleum Plc

2. Reason for the notification (please place an X inside the appropriate bracket/s):

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights: ( X )

An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments which may result in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached: (

)

An acquisition or disposal of instruments with similar economic effect to qualifying financial instruments: ( )

An event changing the breakdown of voting rights: ( )

Other (please specify): ( )

3. Full name of person(s) subject to the notification obligation: The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc

4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.): The Royal Bank of Scotland N.V.

5. Date of the transaction (and date on which the threshold is crossed or reached if different): 02/11/2011

6. Date on which issuer notified:03/11/20117. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or reached:5%8. Notified details:......

A: Voting rights attached to shares

Class/type of shares if possible using the ISIN CODE Situation previous to the Triggering transaction

GB00B0D47T64Number of shares4,688,937Number of voting Rights 4,688,937

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Class/type of shares if possible using the ISIN CODENumber of shares Number of voting rights% of voting rightsGB00B0D47T64 Direct4,582,937Direct 4,582,937IndirectDirect 4.90%Indirect

B: Qualifying Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Type of financial instrument

Expiration Date

Exercise/Conversion Period/ Date

Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised/ converted

% of voting rights

C: Financial Instruments with similar economic effect to Qualifying Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Type of financialinstrumentExercise priceExpiration date Exercise/Conversion period Number of voting rights instrument refers to% of voting rights NominalDeltaTotal (A+B+C)Number of voting rights4,582,937% of voting rights4.90%

9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable:The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc (4.90%)RFS Holdings B.V. (4.90%)RBS Holdings N.V. (4.90%)The Royal Bank of Scotland N.V. (4.90%)Proxy Voting:10. Name of the proxy holder:.....

11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold: ......

12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights: ......

13. Additional information: This Notification is based upon the Voting Rights figure of 93,518,160 obtained from your regulatory announcement dated 18th October 2011.

14. Contact name:Chris Foss, Director of Finance, Legal & Corporate Affairs15. Contact telephone number:020 7469 2900---ENDS---Notes to Editors:

Comprehensive information on Northern and its oil and gas operations, including all press releases, annual reports and interim reports are available from Northern�s website at www.northpet.com.