Placing

Rockhopper Exploration plc
06 March 2007

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA OR AUSTRALIA

6 March 2007
Rockhopper Exploration plc

Placing to raise up to GBP1.32 million

Rockhopper Exploration plc (the 'Company') (RKH:AIM) is pleased to announce a 
placing (the 'Placing') of up to 3,588,700 new ordinary shares (the 'Placing 
Shares') at a subscription price of 37 pence each (the 'Placing Price') by 
Teather & Greenwood Limited with institutional and other investors to raise up 
to £1,328,000 (before expenses).

The Placing Price represents a discount of approximately 6.33 per cent. to the 
closing middle market price of an ordinary share on 5 March 2007, the day 
preceding the date of this announcement. The Placing Shares equal, in number, 
4.98 per cent of the ordinary shares currently in issue and (assuming full 
subscription under the Placing) will represent 4.74 per cent. of the Company's 
enlarged issued share capital immediately following the Placing (undiluted) 
of 75,663,305 ordinary shares. It is expected that certain directors of the 
Company will subscribe for a total of 189,189 Placing Shares under the Placing.
The Placing is not underwritten.

Dr. Pierre Jungels, Executive Chairman of Rockhopper Exploration, said:

'The continuing support of existing shareholders is greatly appreciated and we 
are pleased to welcome our new shareholders to the unfolding Rockhopper 
Exploration story. The funds raised from the Placing will be used for general 
purposes, including advanced investigation of the new 3D seismic which covered 
the two wells drilled by Shell in 1998, one of which recovered live oil to the 
surface.'

The Placing Shares will rank on their issue pari passu in all respects with the 
existing issued ordinary shares. Application will be made for the Placing Shares
to be admitted to trading on AIM. It is expected that they will be admitted to 
trading on AIM on 9 March 2007.

For further information, please contact:

Rockhopper Exploration plc                     www.rockhopperexploration.co.uk
Sam Moody - Managing Director                  01722 414 419

Teather & Greenwood Limited                    www.teathers.com
James Maxwell (Corporate Finance)
Tanya Clarke (Specialist Sales)                020 7426 9000

Aquila Financial Ltd                           www.aquila-financial.com
Peter Reilly                                   020 7202 2601


Notes to editors

www.rockhopperexploration.co.uk

Rockhopper Exploration plc commenced trading in February 2004 to invest in and 
carry out an offshore oil exploration programme to the north of the Falkland 
Islands. The Company, floated on AIM in August 2005, is currently the largest 
licence holder in the North Falkland Basin and has a 100 per cent. interest in 
four offshore production licences which cover approximately 5,800 sq. km. These 
licences have been granted by the Falkland Islands government.



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