Result of AGM and Appointment

RNS Number : 6192T

Rockhopper Exploration plc

30 September 2010

 



For immediate release: 30 September 2010

Rockhopper Exploration plc

("Rockhopper" or the "Company")

Result of Annual General Meeting &

Appointment of Non-Executive Directors

Rockhopper Exploration plc (AIM:RKH), the North Falkland Basin oil and gas exploration company, announces that the Company held its annual general meeting today and all resolutions were duly passed. The levels of proxy appointments and associated voting instructions received prior to the meeting are set out in Appendix I. The presentation given at the meeting will be made available on the Company's website.

The Company is also pleased to announce the appointment of David McManus and Robert John Peters as Independent Non-Executive Directors, effective immediately.

David McManus, aged 57, is a petroleum Engineer with a degree from Heriott Watt University with 35 years experience in the Oil and Gas industry, with Shell, Ultramar, ARCO and BG group. He has extensive project Management and commercial expertise at high level, and is currently a Director of Cape plc and Pioneer Natural Resources.

Robert John Peters, aged 62, is a Solicitor and Graduate from Durham University, with a long career in Industry and Legal practice. He joined Imperial Chemical Industries Plc group legal department in 1976 and became Deputy Group General Counsel in 1993 until 2000 when he joined Mayer Brown as Corporate Partner. Whilst at Imperial Chemical Industries he was involved in the company's E&P subsidiary in the 1980s.

Additionally, with effect from today, Sam Moody has moved from Managing Director of the Company to Chief Executive Officer and Dr. Pierre Jungels has moved from Executive Chairman to Non-Executive Chairman of the Company.

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

"I am very pleased that people of the calibre of David McManus and Robert Peters have agreed to join our Board at this exciting time. The appointment of David and Robert brings to Rockhopper's Board significant additional skills as the Company moves towards its full appraisal and possible development programmes. These appointments further strengthen the Company's corporate governance, by improving the balance between Non Executive and Executive Directors.

In addition, I believe that our Managing Director Sam Moody has demonstrated exceptional leadership since the Company's inception six years ago and the time is now right for me to move into a non-executive Chairman's role and for Sam to take on the position of Chief Executive Officer.

I am also pleased to confirm that Chris Walton will take on the role of Senior Independent Director in addition to his Chairmanship of the Audit Committee."

AIM Rules disclosure under Schedule 2(g) of the AIM Rules

There is no other information that is required to be disclosed with regards to the above mentioned appointment pursuant to Schedule 2 paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules, save as set out below:

Current directorships (Mr. McManus)

Cape plc

Pioneer Natural Resources UK Limited

Current directorships (Mr. Peters)

None

Previous directorships within the past five years (Mr. McManus)

None

Previous directorships within the past five years (Mr. Peters)

Moriconium Quay Management Company Limited

Moriconium Quay Freehold Limited

Enquiries:

Rockhopper Exploration plc

Sam Moody - Managing Director

Tel. [phone] (via M: Communications)

M: Communications

Patrick d'Ancona or Ben Simons

Tel. [phone]

Canaccord Genuity Limited

Robert Finlay / Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor

Tel. [phone]

Notes to Editors

Rockhopper was established in February 2004 with a strategy 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 and holds a 100 per cent. interest in four offshore production licences: PL023, PL024, PL032 and PL033 which cover approximately 3,800 sq. km. Rockhopper has also farmed in (7.5% working interest) to licences PL003 and PL004, which are operated by Desire Petroleum. These licences have been granted by the Falkland Islands government.

An extensive work programme has been carried out over a number of years on the licences operated by Rockhopper. This has included 2D and 3D Seismic and Controlled Source Electromagnetic Mapping (CSEM). In February 2010, the Ocean Guardian drilling rig arrived in Falkland waters to carry out a multi-well drilling campaign. Rockhopper drilled an exploration well on its Sea Lion prospect during April and May 2010, the result of which was the first oil discovery and Contingent Oil Resource in the North Falkland Basin. The Sea Lion discovery was successfully tested during September 2010 and was the first oil to flow to surface in Falkland Islands waters.

Rockhopper Exploration plc www.rockhopperexploration.co.uk

Appendix I

Resolution Number	Number of Shareholders From Which Proxy Votes have been received	Proxy Votes For The Resolution	Voted %	Proxy Votes Against The Resolution	Voted %	Total Shares Voted	Total Shares Voted as % of Total Issued Share Capital
1	311	66,486,804	100%	0	0.0%	66,486,804	34.5%
2	314	65,493,975	98.5%	997,370	1.5%	66,491,345	34.5%
3	313	66,092,397	99.4%	398,948	0.6%	66,491,345	34.5%
4	314	65,493,975	98.5%	997,370	1.5%	66,491,345	34.5%
5	315	65,499,186	98.5%	997,450	1.5%	66,496,636	34.5%
6	315	65,499,571	98.5%	997,455	1.5%	66,497,026	34.5%
7	314	66,098,044	99.4%	398,982	0.6%	66,497,026	34.5%
8	311	66,496,410	100.0%	0	0.0%	66,496,410	34.5%
9	313	65,833,533	99.0%	664,985	1.0%	66,498,518	34.5%
10	313	65,737,068	98.9%	731,150	1.1%	66,468,218	34.5%
11	315	66,228,982	99.7%	199,285	0.3%	66,428,267	34.5%

 

END

 

 

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