Vietnam Drilling Update

Soco International PLC
18 April 2006

                             SOCO International plc

                           ('SOCO' or 'the Company')


                            VIETNAM DRILLING UPDATE


SOCO is an international oil and gas exploration and production company,
headquartered in London traded on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of
the FTSE 250 Index. The Company has interests in Vietnam, Yemen, Thailand and
the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) with production operations in Yemen.


The Te Giac Trang appraisal well (TGT-3X) on Block 16-1 in the Cuu Long Basin
offshore Vietnam reached a total measured depth of 3,650 metres.  The well has
been logged and preparations are underway to test.

The well spudded on March 20, 2006 as a follow-up approximately ten kilometres
south of the recent TGT-2X appraisal well that tested with a total combined flow
rate of approximately 17,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day ('BOEPD') of 38
degree API gravity crude from the Miocene Lower Bach Ho 5.2 and Oligocene 'C'
intervals.

Test results should be available in approximately two weeks.


                                                                   18 April 2006


ENQUIRIES:


SOCO International plc
Roger Cagle                Deputy Chief Executive and Chief   Tel: [phone]
                           Financial Officer


Pelham Public Relations
James Henderson                                               Tel: [phone]
Alisdair Haythornthwaite                                      Tel: [phone]


Notes to editors:


SOCO holds its interests in Vietnam, all in the Cuu Long Basin offshore, through
its 80% owned subsidiary SOCO Vietnam Limited ('SOCO Vietnam').  SOCO Vietnam
holds a 25% working interest in Block 9-2, which is operated by the Hoan Vu
Joint Operating Company and a 28.5% working interest in Block 16-1, which is
operated by the Hoang Long Joint Operating Company.




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