Drilling Report

Aminex PLC
20 August 2001



                                  AMINEX PLC

                               Drilling Report


Aminex PLC ('Aminex'), the oil and gas group listed on the London and Dublin
Stock Exchanges, today announces that drilling is now under way on one of its
most promising prospects in the United States, the Alta Loma Field located in
Galveston County, Texas.

A rig has been mobilised and Well Sunny Ernst £1 has been spudded and is
drilling ahead.

The objective is to test a potential gas prospect in a 3D seismic-delineated
fault block in the Andrau sands in the lower Frio formation.  The well is
expected to reach a planned total depth of 15,300 feet (4,663 metres) by late
September.

The Alta Loma Field has already  produced over 30 billion cubic feet of gas ('
bcfg') and the project is believed to have potential for undeveloped
recoverable reserves of a further 50-100 bcfg.  Conditional on the results of
this well, the first to be drilled on the field with the participation of the
Aminex Group, three further wells are envisaged.

The estimated drilling and completion cost of this well is $3.8 million.
Aminex has a 37.5% net revenue interest.  The well is operated by Petrocorp
Inc.

Commenting on the announcement, Brian Hall, Aminex Chief Executive said:

'We have an active drilling programme on our extensive US acreage which we
shall have the means to accelerate following completion of our recently
announced disposal of interests in the Komi Republic of Russia.  Alta Loma is
a significant prospect which was acquired along with other assets of Unexco
Inc. in the first half of 1999 when oil and gas prices were still extremely
depressed.  Strong demand for gas in the U.S. justifies concentration on our
gas assets and Aminex's first well on Alta Loma demonstrates our commitment to
this important market.'


                                                                 20 August 2001


Enquiries:

Aminex PLC                               Tel:     [phone]
Brian Hall, Chief Executive

Aminex USA, Inc.                         Tel:     [phone]
Antonio Prado

College Hill                             Tel:     [phone]
Archie Berens

Dennehy Associates                       Tel:     [phone]
Michael Dennehy



To visit Aminex's web site, visit  www.aminex-plc.com