Statement re Operations Update

Immediate Release   19 February 2010




                            GULFSANDS PETROLEUM PLC

Operations Update

Zaman-1 Drilling Completed

Hannon-1 Exploration Well to Spud Imminently

Khurbet East Oil Production Reaches 7 MMbbls

London,  19th February 2010:  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., provides the
following  update on the Company's operations at Block 26, Syria where Gulfsands
holds a 50% interest and acts as operator.

Zaman-1 Exploration Well Completed

Operations  have been  concluded on  the Zaman-1  exploration well, the first of
four wells in the 2010 exploration drilling programme.

The  Zaman-1  well,  located  approximately  4.5 kilometres  to the south of the
Khurbet  East Field, targeted the same  Cretaceous Massive Formation as is under
production  at the Khurbet  East Oil Field.  Zaman-1 encountered the  top of the
Cretaceous Massive Formation at approximately 2086 metres Measured Depth ("MD"),
or  1699 metres True  Vertical Depth  ("TVD") below  mean sea level and 9 metres
deeper than pre-drilling prognosis. A core section of approximately 3 metres was
recovered at 2092 metres MD that was stained with shows of viscous oil. Wireline
logs  indicated  that  approximately  4 metres  of  net reservoir pay of average
porosity 17% were encountered near the top of the well, a result consistent with
the oil staining observed on the core section.

An  open-hole test  was conducted  between 2086 and  2100 metres MD  that flowed
formation water at a rate of approximately 1460 barrels per day with only traces
of  oil  being  observed  at  surface.  Below  2100 metres MD, the reservoir was
evaluated  from wireline  logs as  being water  bearing and tight with secondary
porosity attributable to natural fractures.

Consequently,   the  Zaman-1  well  has  been  interpreted  as  having  a  small
non-commercial  quantity of oil reservoired and  has been plugged and abandoned.
The  cost to  Gulfsands for  its 50% share  of the  Zaman-I exploration  well is
estimated at approximately US$1.5 million before cost recovery and approximately
US$450,000 after cost recovery


Hanoon-1 Exploration Well to Spud Imminently

Following  the completion of operations at Zaman-1, the rig will be moved to the
Hanoon-1 exploration well location. The Hanoon-1 well will target the Cretaceous
Massive  formation within an anticlinal  closure located less than 10 kilometres
north of Khurbet East Field.

Khurbet East Field Oil Production

Average daily gross oil production at the Khurbet East Field continues at a rate
of  approximately 17,000 barrels per  day with the  result that cumulative gross
oil production has exceeded 7 million barrels, with minimal water production and
minimal pressure depletion being observed to date.

The  KHE-13 vertical  development well,  located approximately 1.5 kilometres to
the  south-west of the KHE-1 discovery well which was brought into production in
January  producing approximately  300 barrels of  oil per  day began  to produce
formation  water  with  a  water-cut  rising  to approximately 15%. The well has
demonstrated  the production capability  of the southern  portion of the Khurbet
East  Field, and it will now be shut in until completion of the commissioning of
the  Central Processing Facility ("CPF") which will incorporate water separation
and  processing  capabilities  currently  not  available at the Early Production
Facility.

A  down-hole operation to shut  off the water producing  zone in the KHE-13 well
will  not be attempted at this time to avoid any risk of blocking oil production
from a key productive zone in the Khurbet East Field as the CPF will comfortably
handle any water produced in association with oil production from this well.

This  decision is  not expected  to negatively  impact the Company's guidance of
anticipated production from the Khurbet East Field during 2010.

Ric Malcolm, Gulfsands CEO, said

"The results of Zaman-1, the first of our four exploration wells this year, will
be evaluated in order to understand the implications for future exploration in
the area immediately south of the Khurbet East field.  However the data from
this drill stem test suggests that good quality reservoirs can be encountered to
the south of the Khurbet East Field which is encouraging for future exploration
in this area and something we were keen to establish with this well. We look
forward to spudding our second exploration well, Hanoon-1, imminently which will
test the exploration potential to the north of the Khurbet East Field".

We are obviously pleased with the continuing strong performance of the Khurbet
East Field and short time it has taken to reach this production milestone."

This release has been approved by Richard Malcolm, Chief Executive of Gulfsands
Petroleum Plc who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology with 30 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]

 Josh Critchley
 Matthew Coakes
 Brett Jacobs
 Martin Eales


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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