North Sea Licensing Round

Tullow Oil PLC
17 September 2004

Tullow Oil plc
17th September 2004


        Tullow awarded Nine Blocks in UK North Sea 22nd Licensing Round

Tullow Oil plc announces that it was awarded nine operated exploration blocks in
the UK 22nd offshore licensing round.  The licence awards, announced by the
Energy Minister, Mr Mike O'Brien, on the 14th September, comprise seven blocks
in Tullow's core CMS area of the Southern North Sea (SNS) and two blocks in the
North Viking Graben. The awards are listed in the Appendix to this release.

The seven SNS blocks comprise two traditional awards located to the south of
Tullow's Boulton field, and five Promote awards in under-explored acreage to the
west of Boulton.

A further two Promote awards are located in the North Viking Graben to the east
of the Tern Field. These awards build upon an exploration position established
in the 21st Round.

Tullow, as Operator of these awards, plans to reprocess existing 2D and 3D
seismic data as part of a full evaluation of the potential of this acreage.
Tullow intends to commence this work in early 2005.

Aidan Heavey, Chief Executive of Tullow commented: 'Tullow is committed to
developing and expanding its business in the North Sea and the award of these
operated blocks is further evidence of our progress. We look forward to working
with our partners to determine the prospectivity of these areas.


For Further Information Contact:

Tullow Oil plc ([phone])
Tom Hickey
Paul McDade

Citigate Dewe Rogerson ([phone])
Martin Jackson
Alexandra Scrimgeour

Murray Consultants ([phone])
Joe Murray

Appendix:

The following blocks were awarded by the Department of Trade and Industry to
Tullow:


Blocks             Operator               Partners

Traditional, Southern North Sea
44/21c &           Tullow Oil  25%        GDFB 25%
44/26b                                    Premier Oil 25%
                                          Endeavour Energy 25%

Promote, Southern North Sea
43/22b, 23,        Tullow Oil  25%        GDFB 25%
43/27b, 28 &                              Premier Oil 25%
43/29                                     Endeavour Energy 25%

Promote, North Viking Graben
210/25e & 11/21b   Tullow Oil  100%


Notes for Editors

'Tullow' where referred to in this release means Tullow Oil plc and/or its
subsidiaries, as appropriate.

Tullow Oil plc is one of the leading independent international oil & gas
exploration and production companies in Europe. Tullow is quoted on the London
and Irish stock exchanges (symbol TLW) and is a member of the FTSE 250 Index.

Tullow announced its interim results to 30th June 2004 on 13th September.

Production and Development Assets

Tullow has interests in over ninety exploration and production licences spread
over three core areas:  UK North Sea, West Africa and South Asia. Tullow
recently completed the acquisition of Energy Africa, which takes the number of
countries in which Tullow is active to sixteen.

In the North Sea, Tullow's principal interests are in the CMS and the Thames/
Hewett group of licences and the Bacton onshore gas-processing terminal on the
Norfolk coast, which it operates.

In Africa, Tullow has production in Gabon, Cote d'Ivoire, Congo (Brazzaville)
and Equatorial Guinea.  Tullow also has exploration programmes in Morocco,
Mauritania, Senegal, Cameroon, Uganda and Egypt.

In South Asia, Tullow has production and exploration interests in Pakistan and
exploration activities in India and Bangladesh, where a three well drilling
programme is under way in Block 9.


For further information see www.tullowoil.com


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