Successful Tests of Gas Well in Texas

Aminex PLC
28 January 2000


         Aminex successfully tests gas well in Brazoria County, Texas

Aminex  PLC  ('Aminex') the oil and gas development, production  and  oilfield
services  group,  listed  on  the  Dublin and London  Stock  Exchanges,  today
announces that it's wholly owned subsidiary, Aminex USA Inc., has successfully
flow tested the Sebesta Gas Unit Well No. 1 on its Southwest Danbury Field  in
Brazoria County, Texas.  The well was tested at the rate of 4.362 MMCF of  gas
and  237  barrels of oil per day at 2,452 psi on an 18/64ths  choke  from  the
Nodosoaria  formation at a depth of approximately 10,700 feet (3,260  metres).
Absolute  open flow was officially calculated at the rate of 40.358  MMCF  per
day.  Aminex  has  a net interest of 23% in this well, the cost  of  which  is
carried  by  the  group's financing arrangement with McAlester  Fuel  Company.
Aminex's  partners in the well are Brigham Oil & Gas, L.P. and Lewis and  Peat
Oil & Gas, Inc..

The  Sebesta Gas Unit Well No. 1 is one of several prospects in the  Southwest
Danbury  Field which are scheduled for development on the company's  leasehold
acreage.   The  Southwest  Danbury Field is one of a 3D  delineated  group  of
properties acquired in April 1999.

Commenting on the announcement, Brian Hall, Aminex Chief Executive, said:
'Aminex has an aggressive drilling programme in the US and expects to drill 15
wells  by  mid-year, with further drilling planned for the second  half.   The
programme  comprises  a number of drilling locations on the  company's  Vinton
Dome  property  in  Calcasieu  Parish,  Louisiana,  including  deep  tests  on
Hackberry  prospects  identified through the  recently  completed  3D  seismic
programme.  The  first two wells of the Vinton Dome programme  have  now  been
successfully  completed  and  their results  will  be  announced  shortly.  In
addition,  the  programme  includes the drilling of  other  prospects  on  the
properties  acquired  by Aminex in April 1999, as well  as  the  redevelopment
programme on the Shoats Creek field adjacent to Vinton Dome which commenced on
19th January 2000.

'Meanwhile, in Russia, Aminex's first Kirtayel development well is approaching
total  depth.  Completion of a second Kirtayel well is underway, the  re-entry
of a previously drilled discovery well.'

For further enquiries:

Brian Hall, Aminex PLC             44 171 240 1600
John Evans, Financial Dynamics     44 171 269 7295