Drilling Update-Mauritania

Roc Oil Company Limited
09 October 2006



9 October 2006

                         ROC OIL COMPANY LIMITED ('ROC')
                             STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE

                          EXPLORATION DRILLING UPDATE
                              OFFSHORE MAURITANIA

ROC advises that the Atwood Hunter commenced drilling the Dana-operated
Aigrette-1 exploration well in Block 7 on 7 October 2006. As at 0600 hours
(local time) on 8 October the well had been drilled to a depth of 1,838 metres
and the current operation was drilling ahead.

Aigrette-1 is located in a water depth of 1,380 metres approximately 43 km
north, northwest of the 2003 Pelican-1 gas discovery and 193 km north, northwest
of the Chinguetti Oil Field. The planned Total Depth is 4,925 metres which is
expected to be reached in early November.

On completion of Aigrette-1 the Atwood Hunter will return to drill the remaining
wells in the Woodside-operated programme: Kibaro-1 exploration well in PSC Area
A and Chinguetti-18 development well.

Participating interests include:

   +---------------------------------+-----------+----------+--------------+
   |             Company             |   Dana    |Woodside  |   Woodside   |
   |                                 | Operated  | Operated |   Operated   |
   |                                 |  Block 7  |  PSC-A   |  Chinguetti  |
   |                                 |           |          |Joint Venture |
   +---------------------------------+-----------+----------+--------------+
   |Roc Oil group companies          |  4.950%   |  4.155%  |   3.24984%   |
   +---------------------------------+-----------+----------+--------------+
   |Dana Petroleum (E&P) Limited     |  36.000%  |    --    |      --      |
   +---------------------------------+-----------+----------+--------------+
   |Gaz de France UK Exploration B.V.|  27.850%  |    --    |      --      |
   +---------------------------------+-----------+----------+--------------+
   |Hardman group companies          |  16.200%  | 24.300%  |  19.00800%   |
   +---------------------------------+-----------+----------+--------------+
   |Woodside group companies         |  15.000%  | 53.846%  |  47.38448%   |
   +---------------------------------+-----------+----------+--------------+
   |Societe Mauritanienne des        |    --     |    --    |  12.00000%   |
   |Hydrocarbures (formerly GPC)     |           |          |              |
   +---------------------------------+-----------+----------+--------------+
   |BG group companies               |    --     | 13.084%  |  10.23440%   |
   +---------------------------------+-----------+----------+--------------+
   |Premier group companies          |    --     |    --    |   8.12328%   |
   +---------------------------------+-----------+----------+--------------+
   |Fusion group companies           |    --     |  4.615%  |      --      |
   +---------------------------------+-----------+----------+--------------+

                                         For further information please contact:
Michelle Manook                                                 Dr John Doran on
General Manager - Corporate Affairs                         Tel: [phone]
                                                            Fax: [phone]
                                                     Email: [e-mail]
                                       Or visit ROC's website: www.rocoil.com.au
 
                                                                   Dr Kevin Hird
                                            General Manager Business Development
                                                       Tel:  [phone]
                                                       Fax:  [phone]
                                                     Email:  [e-mail]
 
                                                                    Nick Lambert
                                            Bell Pottinger Corporate & Financial
                                                       Tel:  [phone]



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