Exploration Block in Peru

Gold Oil PLC 10 February 2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10th February 2005 GOLD OIL ACQUIRES A SECOND EXPLORATION BLOCK IN NORTHERN PERU Gold Oil Plc ('Gold Oil' or the 'Company'), the London-based oil exploration company focused on Central and South America, announces that on Wednesday 9th February 2005, it signed a promotion agreement with PeruPetro (the State Oil company of Peru) for a large virtually un-explored area of the Pacific, being the immediate offshore extension of the prolific Talara Basin of northwestern Peru, known as 'Offshore Z-34 Cuenca Talara'. Offshore exploration Block with PeruPetro Gold Oil has agreed with PeruPetro to evaluate this large licence which lies in the offshore sector of the Talara Basin, northwestern Peru. The agreement covers 371,339 hectares (equivalent to 17 North Sea blocks), and in places extends from within a few meters of the coast to almost 100kms with water depths of 150 to 3000m. The licence lies offshore of the cities of Lobitos, Cabo Blanco, Negritos, Talara and Paita (Piura Department). A comprehensive oil infra-structure exists onshore, servicing the Talara oil fields. The area was selected by Gold Oil because of the demonstrable potential for the extension offshore of two of the main field complexes that constitute the Talara Basin. The block borders the PetroTech oil fields that have estimated reserves of 400 million barrels. Further to the east is the oldest producing oil field in South America which to date has produced in excess of 1,600 million barrels of oil. The block also borders BPZ's block to the North that has recently had a reserves report prepared by an independent petroleum engineering company showing P3 reserves of up to 4 Tcf of natural gas. Under the terms of the promotion agreement with PeruPetro, Gold Oil has exclusive rights to the area for a period of fifteen (15) months. However, Gold Oil intends to convert to an exploration licence once the rationale for the drilling of a new exploration well can be supported. At the moment, the contractual work obligation requires only various geological, geophysical and engineering studies; there is no requirement to shoot new seismic or drill a well. The search for oil and natural gas in areas where it has a competitive and commercial advantage continues to be the focus of Gold Oil's strategy. In this way, it can most effectively create value for shareholders. Extraordinary General Meeting The Company is proposing to write to shareholders seeking their approval at an Extraordinary General Meeting to be convened to increase the Directors' authorisation to issue shares for cash. A further announcement will be made when the arrangements have been concluded. Commenting on today's announcement, Gary Moore, Operations Director of Gold Oil, stated: 'Now that we have secured these funds we can develop the very significant potential of the offshore Talara area and the onshore blocks in the large Sechura basin. Our exposure in the offshore block is minimal, but with infrastructure close by we are well positioned in the event that a well can be justified and proves the presence of economically recoverable oil. In the event of an offshore discovery, we would be in a position to leverage recent technological advances in offshore turbidite exploitation. Gold Oil's recently awarded onshore Block XI lies some 50kms to the east and we will now be able to swiftly secure the gas reserves that will be monetised with early cash flow.' Enquiries: Gary Moore Operations Director Tel: +44 (0)1737833597 Email: gmoore@goldoilplc.com Mike Burchell Chairman Tel. +44 (0) 1372361772 Email: mikeburchell@hotmail.com Roland Cornish Beaumont Cornish Limited Tel: 020 7628 3396. Note to Editors The promotion agreement entails re-examining all the existing regional seismic lines shot over the block; there are no wells in the area, even though the limits to producing fields adjoining the block stop at the coastline. Production onshore in the Talara Basin comes from lenticular sandstone bodies forming part of a proximal fluvio-deltaic fan system that thins westward as the reservoir quality improves. The distal extent of this system, known from a few wells to the north (including the Ancora Field), may contain high quality turbidite sandstones and has scarcely been explored. The area is equivalent to just less than 17 North Sea blocks. There are several target reservoirs mostly at depths of between 150 to 3000m. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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