DIRECTORS' SHARE DEALINGS

Immediate Release   21 May 2009
                       Gulfsands Petroleum plc
                      DIRECTORS' SHARE DEALINGS
London 21st  May  2009:  Gulfsands Petroleum  plc  ("Gulfsands",  the
"Group" or the  "Company" - AIM:  GPX), the oil  and gas  production,
exploration and development  company with activities  in Syria,  Iraq
and the U.S.A., announces that it was advised yesterday by Mr.  Mahdi
Sajjad and Mr  Andrew Rose,  both directors  of the  Company, of  the
following dealings.
Nordman Continental S.A., a company owned by a discretionary trust of
which the children  of Mr. Sajjad,  are potential beneficiaries,  has
sold over the course of 19th and 20th May 2009, a total of  1,050,000
Gulfsands shares at an average price per share of approximately 178.4
pence.  As a result of these transactions, Nordman Continental SA now
owns 8,158,268 Gulfsands shares.
Wickham Holdings, a company owned  by a discretionary trust of  which
certain of Mr.  Sajjad's relatives are  potential beneficiaries,  has
sold over the  course of 19th  and 20th May  2009, 333,333  Gulfsands
shares at  an  average  price  per share  of  176.5  pence.   Wickham
Holdings now owns 66,667 Gulfsands shares.
As Mr. Sajjad is deemed to be associated with Nordman Continental and
Wickham Holdings, the number of shares in which Mr. Sajjad is  deemed
to have an  interest is now  8,224,935 ordinary shares,  representing
approximately 6.94 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital.
Mr Andrew Rose has acquired on 19 May 2009, 100,000 Gulfsands  shares
at a price of 183 pence per share. As a result of these transactions,
Mr. Rose is  deemed to have  an interest in  400,000 ordinary  shares
representing approximately  0.34 per  cent  of the  Company's  issued
capital.
For more information please contact:


Gulfsands Petroleum (London)                      [phone]
Ric Malcolm, Chief Executive Officer
Kenneth Judge, Director of Corporate Development  [phone]
& Communications

Buchanan Communications Limited (London)          [phone]
Bobby Morse
Ben Romney

RBC Capital Markets (London)                      [phone]
Sarah Wharry


ABOUT GULFSANDS:
Gulfsands is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.

Syria
Gulfsands owns a 50% working interest and is operator of Block 26  in
North East Syria.  The Khurbet East oil field was discovered in  June
2007 and  commenced commercial  production within  13 months  of  the
discovery. This  field is  currently producing  approximately  11,000
barrels of oil per day through an early production facility. Block 26
covers approximately 8,250 square kilometres and encompasses existing
fields which currently produce over  100,000 barrels of oil per  day,
and are operated mainly by the Syrian Petroleum Company.  The current
exploration license expires in  August 2010 and  is extendable for  a
further two years.  Gulfsands' working interest 2P reserves in  Syria
at 31 December 2008 were 35.2 mmbbls.
Iraq
Gulfsands signed a Memorandum of  Understanding in January 2005  with
the Ministry of Oil  in Iraq for the  Maysan Gas Project in  Southern
Iraq, following completion of a feasibility study on the project, and
is negotiating details of a  definitive contract for this  regionally
important development.  The project will gather, process and transmit
natural gas that is  currently a waste  by-product of oil  production
and as a result of the  present practice of gas flaring,  contributes
to significant environmental  damage in  the region.  The Company  is
actively  engaged  in  discussions  with  respect  to  financing  and
potential equity partners.  Gulfsands has no reserves in Iraq.
Gulf of Mexico, USA
The Company  owns interests  in  44 blocks  comprising  approximately
138,000 gross acres  offshore Texas and  Louisiana, which include  30
producing oil  and  gas  fields  with  proved  and  probable  working
interest reserves at 31 December 2008 of 5.1 mmboe.

Certain  statements  included   herein  constitute   "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of applicable securities  legislation.
These forward-looking  statements are  based on  certain  assumptions
made  by Gulfsands  and  as  such  are  not  a  guarantee  of  future
performance.  Actual  results  could  differ  materially  from  those
expressed or  implied  in  such  forward-looking  statements  due  to
factors such  as general  economic and  market conditions,  increased
costs of production or a decline in oil and gas prices. Gulfsands  is
under  no  obligation  to   update  or  revise  any   forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events  or
otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.
More information can be found on the Company's website
www.gulfsands.com

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