Investment update

Xtract Energy plc 31 January 2008 31 January 2008 AIM: XTR XTRACT ENERGY PLC ('Xtract' or the 'Company') PROJECT UPDATE - MEO Australia Ltd Xtract refers shareholders to the following press release announced today in Australia by MEO Australia Ltd ('MEO'). Xtract currently holds approximately 15.7% of the issued capital of MEO. 'ASX AND MEDIA RELEASE HERON-2 WELL WEEKLY DRILLING REPORT - No 14 Key Points: •Heron-2 well plugged and abandoned •Rig successfully moved and pinned over Blackwood-1 location •Blackwood-1 spud date February 1, 2008 MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (January 31, 2008) - MEO Australia Limited (ASX: MEO) submits this final Heron-2 drilling report for the period ending 1000 hours, January 30, 2008. The Heron-2 well was spudded at 2230 hours (ACST) on October 12, 2007 in Exploration Permit, NT/P68. The West Atlas has successfully plugged the Heron-2 well. The rig moved off the Heron-2 location at 2200 hours, January 29, 2008. At approximately 9am January 30, 2008, the rig had pinned to the seafloor over the Blackwood-1 location. MEO expects to spud Blackwood-1 on February 1, 2008 Heron-2 was drilled by Seadrill's West Atlas jack-up rig contracted to MEO for two firm wells. The Heron-2 well was designed as a vertical well to penetrate and production test the Epenarra Darwin Formation and the deeper Elang/Plover Formation of the Heron North structure. Open-hole production testing of the Elang/Plover Formation was conducted in Heron-2 and while it was confirmed that the Plover sands did not contribute to the recorded flow due to blockages in the well immediately above the Plover formation, the Elang sands did flow gas to surface at a maximum rate exceeding 6 MMscf/day. The Darwin formation was subsequently production tested in Heron-2. While the evidence from electric logs of gas saturation and the presence of some significant fractures in the perforated section appeared to be positive, the well only produced minor quantitities of hydrocarbons to surface and failed to produce a consistent flow. The joint venture is presently reviewing the Heron-2 well, 3D seismic and inversion data to determine the reasons for the lack of permeability through the Darwin formation at this specific location. The joint venture continues to believe that significant resources may still exist in the Epenarra and Heron structures. The General Meeting Presentation lodged with ASX on January 24, 2008 provides a more comprehensive review of the Heron-2 well results. The participants in the Heron-2 well and permit are: TSP Arafura Petroleum Pty Ltd (MEO subsidiary) 45% Oz-Exoil Pty Ltd (MEO subsidiary) 45% Petrofac Energy Developments Oceania (Petrofac Limited Subsidiary) 10% C.R. Hart, Managing Director MEO Austalia Limited NT/P68' Further information on MEO can be found at www.meoaustralia.com.au. As an ASX listed company, MEO is not subject to the AIM Rules and this drilling update has not been reviewed by a named 'qualified person' as defined and required by the AIM Guidance Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies. Enquiries please contact: Xtract Energy plc Andy Morrison, CEO +44 (0) 20 7079 1798 Smith & Williamson Corporate David Jones +44 (0) 20 7131 4000 Finance Limited Azhic Basirov Scott Harris Stephen Scott +44 (0) 20 7653 0030 Annabel Michie For further Information on Xtract please visit www.xtractenergy.co.uk About Xtract Energy Plc Xtract identifies and invests in a diversified portfolio of early stage energy sector technologies and businesses with very significant growth potential. We aim to work closely with the associated management teams to achieve critical project milestones, to finance later development stages and to build and crystallise value for all shareholders and partners. Xtract is supported by its cornerstone investor, Cambrian Mining Plc (AIM:CBM) a diversified resource investment house which together with its wholly owned subsidiary Cambrian Investments Holdings Limited holds approximately 50.12% of the issued share capital of the Company. A short description of the principal assets of Xtract is set out below. These assets are either held directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company. MEO Australia MEO is focused on developing gas-to-liquids ('GTL') projects in the Timor Sea Australia, in an area of shallow water known as Tassie Shoal. It has secured Commonwealth Government environmental approvals for two large scale (1.8 Mtpa) methanol plants (50 per cent. interest) and a 3 Mtpa LNG plant (100 per cent. interest) which are adjacent to the Evans Shoal gas field. Elko Energy Elko is an oil & gas exploration company which has an interest in a 5,370km2 exploration and production licence in the Danish North Sea and an investment in Dragon Energy Inc, a private Canadian company, with a development project in Gansu Province, China. Wasabi Energy Wasabi is a diversified investor in renewable energy and low greenhouse emission technologies, with interests in geothermal waste/heat, uranium exploration in Australia's Northern Territory and biodiesel investments in Victoria. Central Asian Interests Xtract's Central Asian interests include a production sharing agreement with Kyrgyzneftegaz to instigate a water injection project on the Beshkent- Togap oil field. Xtract also holds interests in several exploration licences in the Tash Kumyr area and in the Toktogul exploration licence. Oil Shale Xtract has oil shale and related petroleum product exploration rights over mining tenements in the Julia Creek area of Queensland and has recently been granted an exploration permit which gives rights to explore for oil shale in an area in the South of New Zealand. It is investigating the commercial production of hydrocarbons (crude oil) from oil shale. Xtract is also available for trading on the open market segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker R9X.FSE). This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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