Khurbet East Development Update

Development drilling commences at Khurbet East Field

Development Area for Khurbet East Field approved

Exploration 3D seismic programme completed

London, 13th February  2008:  Gulfsands  Petroleum plc  ("Gulfsands",
the "Group" or the "Company" - AIM: GPX), the oil and gas production,
exploration and development company  with activities in Syria,  Iraq,
and the U.S.A., is pleased to announce that the Company has commenced
the drilling of its  first development well  within the Khurbet  East
Field  ("KHE-4")  following  the   recent  approval  by  the   Syrian
Government for the development of the Khurbet East Field. The Company
is also now able to confirm that a  100 km2 area of Block 26 has  now
been  converted  to  the  Development  Area  of  Khurbet  East  Field
("Development Area").

Additionally, the  Company has  successfully  completed the  240  km²
"exploration" 3D seismic acquisition  programme located to the  south
of  Khurbet   East,  and   has  commenced   seismic  processing   and
interpretation of the data acquired in the recently completed Khurbet
East 3D seismic survey.

KHE-4 Well

The KHE-4 well is  a development well  within the Cretaceous  Massive
Reservoir near  the KHE-1  location.   Following the  two  successful
appraisal wells (KHE-2 and KHE-3), the  KHE-4 well is the first  well
on the  Khurbet  East  Field  that  is  planned  and  designed  as  a
development well.  The KHE-4 well is located within 150 metres of the
KHE-1 discovery  well surface  location,  near the  currently  mapped
crest of the structure.  The Company plans to use the KHE-1 well  for
oil and gas production from the deeper Kurrachine Dolomite and Butmah
Formations, with the KHE-4 well concentrating on production from  the
Cretaceous Massive Formation.

The total  drilling  depth  of  the KHE-4  well  is  expected  to  be
approximately 1,950 metres and will require approximately 30 days  to
drill and evaluate, at  a gross cost  including rig mobilization  and
demobilization costs of approximately  $1.8 million, or $900,000  net
to Gulfsands.

Development Area Approval

Following  the  recent  receipt   of  approval  for  the   commercial
development of the Khurbet East Field (see announcement of 5 February
2008), the Syrian  Ministry of  Petroleum and  Mineral Resources  has
granted approval of  the Company's application  for establishment  of
the Development Area. The 100  km2 Development Area will be  operated
in partnership with  the Syrian Petroleum  Company ("SPC") through  a
joint operating company.

3D Seismic

As announced on 7 January 2008 the Company has completed a 150 km2 3D
seismic acquisition  programme  over the  Khurbet  East Field.    The
Company has now  commenced seismic processing  and interpretation  of
this newly acquired 3D  seismic, which will be  used in assisting  in
the selection of additional development well locations in the Khurbet
East  Field  during  2008  and  2009,  as  well  as  identifying  any
"near-field' exploration locations adjacent to the Field.

The  Company  has  also  completed  the  acquisition  of  a  240  km²
exploration 3D  seismic programme  located to  the south  of  Khurbet
East.   These data  are expected  to assist  in maturing  exploration
leads within the  greater Khurbet East  area into prospects  suitable
for drilling. Seismic processing has commenced with interpretation to
begin upon delivery of the final data.

Gulfsands' CEO, John Dorrier, said:

"The commencement of  the development drilling  programme at  Khurbet
East is a further significant milestone for the Company as we swiftly
move toward first oil production from the Field.

We also expect the 3D seismic  survey south of Khurbet East to  yield
high-quality exploration drilling prospects,  and we anticipate  that
one or more of these prospects should be drill-ready during 2008."


This release has been approved  by Jason Oden, Gulfsands  Exploration
Manager, who has a Bachelor of  Science degree in Geophysics with  23
years of experience  in petroleum exploration  and management and  is
registered as a Professional Geophysicist.  Mr. Oden has consented to
the inclusion of  the technical  information in this  release in  the
form and context in which it appears.


ABOUT GULFSANDS:

Syria
Gulfsands owns a 50% working interest and is operator of Block 26  in
North East  Syria.    Block  26  covers  approximately  8,250  square
kilometres and encompasses  existing fields  which currently  produce
over 100,000 barrels of oil per day. These fields are operated mainly
by the Syria Petroleum Company.  In the first half of 2007  Gulfsands
announced an oil and gas discovery on Block 26 called Khurbet East.
This discovery is currently  under development with first  production
targeted for the  fourth quarter  of 2008.   On 23  August 2007,  the
Company initiated the first extension period of exploration on  Block
26 for a further period of three years.  The Company has also  formed
a strategic partnership with Cham  Holding for acquiring oil and  gas
projects in Syria and Iraq.

Iraq
Gulfsands signed a Memorandum of  Understanding in January 2005  with
the Ministry of Oil  in Iraq for the  Maysan Gas Project in  Southern
Iraq and following completion of  a feasibility study on the  project
is negotiating  details of  definitive contract  for this  regionally
important development.  The project will gather, process and transmit
natural gas that is  currently a waste  by-product of oil  production
and as a result of the  present practice of gas flaring,  contributes
to significant environmental damage in the region.

Gulf of Mexico, USA
The  Company  owns  interests   in  54  offshore  blocks   comprising
approximately 193,000 gross acres  which includes numerous  producing
oil and  gas fields  offshore  Texas and  Louisiana with  proved  and
probable recoverable reserves net to Gulfsands at 31 December 2006 of
41.5 BCFGE (6.9 MMBOE), consisting of 27.3 BCFG and 2.36 MMBO.

Onshore USA
Gulfsands owns interests in two oil and gas fields onshore Texas, USA
(98.5% working  interest  in  Emily Hawes  Field  and  37.5%  working
interest in  Barb Mag  Field) with  proved and  probable  recoverable
reserves net  to Gulfsands  at 31  December 2006  of 3.1  BCFGE  (0.5
MMBOE), consisting of 2.8 BCFG and 57,000 barrels of oil.


Certain  statements  included   herein  constitute   "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of applicable securities  legislation.
These forward-looking  statements are  based on  certain  assumptions
made by  Gulfsands  and  as  such  are  not  a  guarantee  of  future
performance.  Actual  results  could  differ  materially  from  those
expressed or  implied  in  such  forward-looking  statements  due  to
factors such  as general  economic and  market conditions,  increased
costs of production or a decline in oil and gas prices. Gulfsands  is
under  no  obligation  to   update  or  revise  any   forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events  or
otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.

For further  information,  please  refer  to  the  Company's  website
www.gulfsands.net or contact:



Gulfsands Petroleum (Houston)                    + 1-713-626-9564
John Dorrier, Chief Executive Officer
David DeCort, Chief Financial Officer

Gulfsands Petroleum (London)                     [phone]
Kenneth Judge, Director of Corporate Development [phone]

Gulfsands Petroleum (Syria)                      [phone]
Mahdi Sajjad, President

Buchanan Communications Limited (London)         [phone]
Bobby Morse
Nick Melson

Landsbanki Securities (UK) Limited (London)      [phone]
Jeff Keating
Tom Hulme

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