Drilling Update

BowLeven Plc
09 January 2007



                   BowLeven plc ('BowLeven' or 'the Company')
                 Operational update - commencement of drilling

BowLeven is pleased to announce that the GlobalSantaFe Adriatic VI drilling rig,
which has been contracted by the Company for a four well drilling programme, is
now on location and commenced drilling on 8 January 2007.

The initial well being drilled is an Isongo E 2 ('IE 2') location, the first
appraisal well on the existing Isongo E discovery in Block MLHP 7 of the Etinde
Permit in Cameroon. The primary objectives of the IE 2 well are to appraise the
extent and volume of the Isongo Sand 1 in the discovery well IE 1 and explore
the deeper Isongo sands which were water wet in IE 1. If successful, the well
will be suspended to allow for later re-entry and completion as a gas condensate
producer. The well will be drilled to a depth in excess of 8,500 feet and total
operational time is currently estimated at approximately 8 weeks.

Further update announcements will be made as appropriate.

Commenting on this, Kevin Hart, BowLeven's Chief Executive said:

'I am delighted that we have now commenced the drilling programme. With the four
wells to be drilled over the forthcoming months we have an exciting period
ahead.'

ENQUIRIES

For further information contact:

BowLeven plc
Kevin Hart, Chief Executive Officer      00 44 777 193 4974

Maitland
Neil Bennett                             00 44 207 379 5151
Liz Morley



Notes to the Editor:

BowLeven is an African oil and gas group, based in Edinburgh and traded on AIM
since December 2004. BowLeven holds, through its wholly-owned subsidiary EurOil
Limited, a 100% equity interest in the Etinde Permit area being three shallow
water blocks in offshore Cameroon, West Africa; namely Blocks MHLP 5, MHLP 6 and
MHLP 7. In total BowLeven has approximately 2,300 km2 of exploration acreage
located across the Rio del Rey and Douala basins in the Etinde Permit. As well
as P50 hydrocarbon reserves and contingent resources on Block MHLP 7 (which has
had 11 wells drilled in it) the total acreage has very attractive exploration
potential. Bowleven has operated in Cameroon since 1999.

The discovery well IE 1 was drilled in 1980 by Total and encountered three sands
at the Isongo level (one partially gas bearing). A drill stem test was taken in
the top Isongo sand in IE 1 and flow rates of 8 mmscf/d of gas and 1,446 bbl/d
of condensate were recorded giving a condensate gas ratio of 180 bbl/mmscf.

The IE 2 well being drilled is located approximately 27 km from the power plant
at Limbe in Cameroon.


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