Operations Update

Immediate Release 22 October 2009


                       GULFSANDS PETROLEUM PLC

Operations Update:


Yousefieh 3 Appraisal Well Intersects 49 Metre Net Oil Column and
Flows Oil

Khurbet East 12 Delineation Well Completed

Khurbet East Gross Oil Production Reaches 5 million Barrels


London, 22nd October 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.,  is pleased to  provide the following  update on  the
Company's operations at Block 26,  Syria where Gulfsands holds a  50%
interest and acts as operator.

Yousefieh 3 Appraisal  Well Intersects  49 Metre Net  Oil Column  and
Flows Oil

The Yousefieh 3  vertical appraisal well,  located approximately  500
metres  to  the  south-east  of  the  Yousefieh  1  discovery   well,
encountered the top of the Cretaceous Massive Formation at a measured
depth ("MD")  of 1946  metres (1530  metres true  vertical depth  sub
surface ("TVD SS")) and was drilled  to a total depth of 2056  metres
MD (1640 metres TVD SS).

Preliminary interpretation  of drilling  data and  wireline logs  has
identified a gross oil column within the well-bore of 60 metres  with
a net pay of  49 metres having  an average porosity  of 19.5% and  an
oil-water contact at 1590 metres TVD SS, consistent with that seen at
Yousefieh 1 and 2.

An  open-hole  drill-stem  test  was  conducted  over  the   interval
1946-1985 metres MD. Yousefieh 3 flowed naturally at an average  rate
of 226 stock tank barrels per day of 24-25 degree API oil for 9 hours
on a 32/64"  choke setting.  No formation water  was produced  during
this flow  period.   Analysis of  this  well test  indicates  that  a
component of this reduced oil flow rate when compared to Yousefieh  1
is the  result  of formation  damage  sustained during  drilling  and
coring operations.  The  reservoir section  will be  subjected to  an
acid stimulation at a later date with the objective of improving flow
performance.

The well will now be completed as a potential future production  well
with the running of a 7" liner over the reservoir section.
Khurbet East 13 Development Well

Following the completion of operations  at Yousefieh 3, the rig  will
move to the Khurbet East field to drill Khurbet East 13 ("KHE-13"), a
vertical production  well  to  be located  approximately  600  metres
southwest of the Khurbet East 9 development well.

Khurbet East 12 Drilling and Testing Operations Completed

Khurbet East  12  ("KHE-12"), located  3.2  kilometres south  of  the
Khurbet East 8 well, the previous  southern most well in the  Khurbet
East field,  was  drilled as  a  delineation well  to  determine  the
southern extent  of  the  field  and  identify  the  field  oil-water
contact.

Extended flow  testing operations  have  recently been  completed  on
KHE-12.  Oil was confirmed to be present within a 6 metre section  of
core recovered from the  top of the reservoir  interval but the  well
did not flow oil  to surface in the  presence of artificial lift  and
acid stimulation. Formation water only was produced during testing of
a net reservoir interval of  10 metres and initial interpretation  of
this flow test  result is  that the oil  observed in  KHE-12 core  is
residual and lies beneath the Khurbet East field oil-water contact.

The field oil-water  contact is now  assessed as being  located at  a
depth shallower  than the  top of  the Cretaceous  Massive  reservoir
encountered in KHE-12  at 1592 metres  TVD SS, but  deeper than  1570
metres TVD SS, the lowest level  of oil production from Khurbet  East
as  recorded  in  well  KHE-8.  The  result  of  this  well  will  be
incorporated into an assessment of field reserves which is  scheduled
to be completed during the first quarter of 2010.

KHE-12 is now expected to be used as a future water disposal well.

Khurbet East Field Oil Production

Cumulative gross  oil  production from  the  Khurbet East  field  has
reached 5 million  barrels with minimal  water production and  little
pressure depletion being observed to  date.  Average daily gross  oil
production during the month of October is in excess of 17,000 barrels
per day.

Ric Malcolm, Gulfsands CEO, said

"The successful outcome of  the Yousefieh 3  appraisal well will  now
enable the  Company  to  proceed  shortly  with  an  application  for
commercial development of  the Yousefieh  field.  We  continue to  be
very pleased with the excellent production performance of the Khurbet
East field and on reaching  another important milestone of 5  million
barrels gross production.  Additionally, the results from the Khurbet
East 12 well have enabled us  to identify the southern extent of  the
field and to  further narrow down  the depth of  the field  oil-water
contact."


This release has been approved by Richard Malcolm, Chief Executive of
Gulfsands Petroleum Plc who has a Bachelor of Science degree in
Geology with 29 years of experience in petroleum exploration and
management. Mr. Malcolm 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]
Richard 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 producing at an average gross production
rate of approximately 17,000 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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