Mongolia Operations Update

Soco International PLC
04 November 2003

                             SOCO International plc

                           ('SOCO' or 'the Company')



                           Mongolia Operations Update



SOCO is an international oil and gas exploration and production company,
headquartered in London.  The Company has interests in Vietnam, Mongolia, Yemen,
Libya, Tunisia, and Thailand with production operations in Yemen, Tunisia and
Mongolia.



During the 2003 exploration programme in Mongolia, the Company drilled four
exploration wells, with a 50% success rate, and completed a discovery drilled in
2002.  Significantly the new discoveries and the successful completion targeted
the Zuunbayan interval which is the same interval from which a major discovery
was reported late last year from the Hailar Basin, the continuation of the
Tamtsag Basin into China.  In contrast with the Tsagaantsav interval from which
SOCO's previous discoveries were made, the Zuunbayan reservoir is more
predictable and should have improved productivity due to a better quality
reservoir with higher associated gas and lower wax content.



As indicated in the 2003 Interim Report and Accounts, the first exploratory
well, the 19-18, was drilled in July to test a new fault block offsetting the
19-16 well drilled last year.  The well reached a total depth of 2,069 metres
encountering more than 30 metres of good oil shows. The well has been suspended
and will be completed in the Zuunbayan in 2004.



The rig was then moved to test prospects on Contract Areas 21 and 22.  Both were
plugged and abandoned.



The exploration programme was concluded when the rig was moved back to Contract
Area 19 and drilled the 19-19 well to a depth of 2,360 metres in October.
Testing operations were curtailed due to the onset of severe winter weather.
Three Zuunbayan zones were tested but none were stimulated and a Tsagaantsav pay
zone could not be tested.    Two Lower Zuunbayan intervals were swab tested and
yielded a combined rate of 210 barrels of oil per day ('BOPD').  This well is
the first to encounter stacked Zuunbayan pay zones in the Contract Areas..



As was also reported in the 2003 Interim Report and Accounts, the 19-17 well,
drilled in 2002 was completed in the Zuunbayan formation in August of 2003.
After fracture stimulation it tested at 200 BOPD.  Both the 19-19 and 19-17
wells have been put  on  production as part of the pilot production programme.



The pilot production programme will continue throughout the winter from those
wells capable of being produced in Contract Area 19.  The crude oil is sold at
world prices under a contract with China National United Oil Corporation.  The
crude sold is trucked under a turnkey contract to a pipeline terminal in Aershan
Oilfield in China for further transportation to a refining center.



The Company plans to focus its future activity on the Zuunbayan reservoir.  A 3D
seismic programme is planned to acquire additional data on the productive trend
established by the discoveries.  Additional drilling will follow the seismic
programme.



SOCO is operator and holds an approximate 85% working interest in PSCs over
Contract Areas 19, 21 and 22 in the Tamtsag Basin in Mongolia through its wholly
owned subsidiary, SOCO Tamtsag Mongolia.  The Chinese company providing the
drilling services has earned the right to take a 10% working interest and a 5%
interest is being carried through the exploration phase for Petrovietnam, the
Vietnamese national oil company.



Ed Story, President and Chief Executive of SOCO, commented:



'We are excited by the Zuunbayan discoveries which are significant for the
future of oil exploration in Mongolia.  Better quality oil, a shallower,
improved reservoir and greater predictability of results are the keys to
economic success in the oil-source rich Tamtsag Basin.  '



                                                                 4 November 2003


Enquiries:
SOCO International plc                               Tel: [phone]
Ed Story, Chief Executive
Roger Cagle, Chief Financial Officer

College Hill                                         Tel: [phone]
James Henderson



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange                LSIIV