Operations Update

Immediate Release 16 June 2009



                       GULFSANDS PETROLEUM PLC

                          OPERATIONS UPDATE

London, 16th June  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 announce  that drilling operations  on
the  KHE-10  horizontal  well   ("KHE-10")  have  been   successfully
completed and  the well  will be  tied into  the Khurbet  East  Early
Production Facility ("EPF").  Production  from this well is  expected
to commence in July.

The KHE-10  well  was spudded  on  21st  May at  a  surface  location
approximately one kilometre south of KHE-1, the original Khurbet East
discovery well.  KHE-10  is the  second  of three  development  wells
planned to support the expansion of  the Khurbet East EPF.  The  well
was drilled to a total measured  depth of 2329 metres or 1926  metres
true vertical depth (TVD) and encountered the top of the oil  bearing
Cretaceous Massive  reservoir at  1,927  metres consistent  with  the
pre-drill prediction.  A  horizontal  section  of  approximately  260
metres of  Cretaceous Massive  Formation  was penetrated  within  the
uppermost part  of  the  reservoir with  properties  consistent  with
reservoirs evaluated  in  the other  high  performance wells  in  the
central portion of the Khurbet East Field.

Tie-in operations  will now  commence on  KHE-10 and  the  previously
drilled KHE-9 well with production from these wells expected to begin
during July coincident with  the completion of  the expansion of  the
Khurbet East  EPF.   As  the  KHE-10  well  will  be  tied  into  the
production facility immediately,  a drill-stem test  of the well  was
not undertaken.

The drilling rig will now move on to drill KHE-11, the third well  in
the current three well development drilling programme.

Ric Malcolm, Gulfsands CEO, said

"The successful and timely drilling of the first two development
wells within high quality oil bearing reservoir keeps plans on track
for oil production through the Early Production Facility to be
increased from the current rate of approximately 10,700 barrels of
oil per day and achieve the year end target rate of 16,000 barrels of
oil per day."

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 production rate of
approximately 10,800 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

---END OF MESSAGE---




This announcement was originally distributed by Hugin. The issuer is 
solely responsible for the content of this announcement.