Share Purchase by Thornaby

Kea Petroleum plc

("Kea" or the "Group")

Share Purchase by Thornaby

Kea Petroleum plc (AIM:KEA) was informed, on 25 April 2012, that Thornaby Limited, a company wholly owned by the trustees of the I R Gowrie-Smith Family Settlement, of which I R Gowrie-Smith, the Chairman of Kea Petroleum, is a beneficiary, purchased 300,000 Ordinary Shares of 1p each in Kea at a price of 8.5p per share on 24 April 2012.

Following this transaction Thornaby Limited's total beneficial interest in Kea is 69,300,000 Ordinary Shares, representing approximately 13.61% of its issued share capital.

To learn more about Kea Petroleum, visit: www.keapetroleum.com or contact: