Completion of site survey

Providence Resources PLC
21 May 2004


                          PROVIDENCE RESOURCES P.l.c.

          PROVIDENCE COMPLETES WELL SITE SURVEY AT BLACKROCK PROSPECT

Providence Resources P.l.c. ('Providence') today (Friday, 21st May 2004)
announced that it has this week completed a site survey on the Blackrock
Prospect in the Irish Celtic Sea. Co-ordinated by John O'Sullivan, Exploration
Manager, Providence and Dr. Fiona Fitzpatrick, Section Manager, Seabed Surveys,
Marine Institute, the survey took place aboard the 65m R.V. Celtic Explorer,
which is currently involved in the Irish National Seabed Survey, one of the
largest seabed mapping projects in the world. The completion of the site survey
keeps Providence on schedule to have a drilling rig on site by July 2004.

Speaking today following the completion of the site survey, Dr. Brian Hillery,
Chairman, Providence Resources P.l.c, said:

       'The completion of a site survey is a pre-requisite for drilling to take
        place in July of this year. This reaffirms our commitment made to
        shareholders at the EGM in April to drill the Blackrock Prospect in
        2004'.

Dr. Peter Heffernan, CEO Marine Institute added:

        'This is the Celtic Explorer's first participation in a private-public
        sector programme. This survey adds value to the Irish National Seabed
        Survey (INSS) as it enabled the collection of core INSS data and
        high-resolution seismic data, within an area known to contain oil and
        gas reserves. We hope the success of this programme will encourage
        further private - public sector co-operation in marine research &
        development'.

ENDS.                                              Friday, 21st May 2004

For reference:

Brian Hillery                Pauline McAlester
Providence Resources         Murray Consultants
P.l.c.
Tel: +353+1+6675740          Tel:
                             +353+1+4980300

Note to Editors:

These developments have been made possible following the Company successfully
raising €10.15m through the issue of new equity earlier this month, with a
further €3.2 million to follow through an underwritten rights issue. As
previously advised, warrants issued and to be issued in connection with the
equity fundraising could raise a further €5 million on exercise thereof. This
would mean that in aggregate up to €18 million would be available to the Company
to extend and develop its natural resources portfolio, including funding the
drilling programme on the Blackrock Prospect. The monies raised also allow the
Company to implement its strategy to conduct further appraisal work on other
licence interests in the Celtic Sea and in the UK.

In April, Providence announced details of the Blackrock Celtic Sea Farm-In deal,
which saw Providence together with its partners Midmar Energy Limited enter into
a heads of agreement with two international partners Challenger Minerals Inc (a
wholly owned subsidiary of GlobalSantaFe Corporation, one of the largest
international oil and gas drilling contractors) and Palace Exploration Company
to complete a drilling programme on the Blackrock Prospect in the Celtic Sea.

The 65m R.V. Celtic Explorer, on which the survey was carried out is a
multipurpose research vessel designed for deep-sea research and can stay at sea
for up to 45 days accommodating 12 crew and up to 19 scientists. The vessel is
fitted out with the latest technical and scientific equipment that allows
world-class research to be carried out on board. Providence and its partners
have agreed to allow the recently acquired site survey data to be archived as
part of the Irish National Seabed Survey which is a joint partnership between
the Geological Survey of Ireland and the Marine Institute.



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