Khurbet East Update

Immediate Release -  19 May 2008

Gulfsands Petroleum plc

Second horizontal development well commences in Khurbet East Field

London, 19th  May 2008:   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., is pleased to announce that the Company has commenced
the drilling of  the second  horizontal  development well within  the
Khurbet East Field ("KHE-6H").  The KHE-6H well will be completed and
suspended as  an  oil  producer  for  connection  through  the  Early
Production Facility ("EPF"), scheduled  to commence operation by  the
fourth quarter of 2008.

The KHE-6H  well  is  designed  to be  drilled  and  completed  as  a
horizontal producer within the Cretaceous Massive Reservoir ("Massive
Reservoir") in the  Khurbet East Field.   The Company estimates  that
approximately 50 days are required  for the drilling, evaluation  and
completion of the KHE-6H well.

Upon completion of operations  on KHE-6H, the  Company will have  two
horizontal and  three  vertical  producing wells  available  for  oil
production through the  Khurbet East  EPF. These  wells will  provide
valuable production information  that will be  used for planning  and
optimising the design and construction of the Khurbet East  permanent
production facility.



This release has been approved  by Jason Oden, Gulfsands  Exploration
Manager, who has a Bachelor of  Science degree in Geophysics with  23
years of experience  in petroleum exploration  and management and  is
registered as a Professional Geophysicist.  Mr. Oden has consented to
the inclusion of  the technical  information in this  release in  the
form and context in which it appears.



For more information please contact:

Gulfsands Petroleum (London)                     [phone]
Kenneth Judge, Director of Corporate Development [phone]

Buchanan Communications Limited (London)         [phone]
Bobby Morse
Nick Melson

RBC Capital Markets (London)                     [phone]
Andrew K. Smith
Sarah Wharry

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