Operational Update

Gulfsands Petroleum PLC
11 January 2006

11 January 2006

Gulfsands Petroleum PLC
('Gulfsands' or 'the Group')


Gulfsands Completes Seismic Acquisition on Block 26, Syria


Gulfsands Petroleum PLC (symbol GPX), the AIM listed oil and gas exploration,
development and production company with activities in the USA, Syria and Iraq,
is pleased to announce the completion of the acquisition of 1,155 kilometers of
2D seismic on Block 26 in Syria.


Seismic Acquisition

Gulfsands has completed the acquisition of approximately 1,155 line kilometers
of 2D seismic data within Block 26 in which Gulfsands has a 50% working interest
and is the operator (a copy of the presentation 'Syria Block 26 2D Seismic
Program' can be found on our website at www.gulfsands.net). This acquisition
program exceeds the 500 line kilometer minimum work obligation for the Initial
Exploration Period.   The acquisition program was designed to provide additional
seismic data coverage over several previously identified leads as well as to
identify new leads in selected prospective areas.  In the northern portion of
the Block, these leads include Cretaceous reservoir targets offsetting the large
Souedieh, Rumailan, Hamzeh and Karatchok fields as well as the deeper and highly
prospective Paleozoic reservoir targets. Data acquired in the southwest portion
of Block 26 will provide additional seismic coverage over several previously
identified Paleozoic reservoir leads.  Gulfsands also expects that these data
will aid in the identification of new exploration leads and prospects.

Gulfsands is the operator of the Block 26 Production Sharing Contract (PSC) area
in Syria.  Block 26 is in excess of 11,000 square kilometers (2.8 million acres)
and is in the prolific El Hasekah region of Northern Syria.  There are a number
of large producing oil fields contained within Block 26, including Souedieh,
Rumailan, Hamzeh and Karatchok.  Production is primarily from Cretaceous age
reservoirs, and the estimated ultimate recovery from these fields is in excess
of 3 billion barrels of oil.  Although the current producing intervals within
these producing fields are not included within the Block 26 PSC, Gulfsands does
have the rights to reservoirs beneath the existing fields and to all depths
outside of existing fields within Block 26.  Based on existing seismic data and
well control, Gulfsands has identified 31 prospects and leads in Block 26 and
the Company plans to drill a minimum of 4 wells within Block 26 by August 2007.

Gulfsands expects that the processing of the seismic data will be completed in
the first quarter of 2006 and interpretation of these data will commence
immediately thereafter.  These data will be used by Gulfsands to select and rank
exploration drilling locations.


John Dorrier, CEO of Gulfsands Petroleum, said:

'Completion of the seismic program in Block 26 is the first step in Gulfsands'
aggressive program of exploration in the Block since becoming operator in
mid-2005.  This seismic data, in conjunction with the program of drilling
planned this year, will yield near-term results that could have a significant
positive effect on the Company's oil and gas reserves.'


Enquiries:
Gulfsands Petroleum (Houston)                                001-713-626-9564
David DeCort, Chief Financial Officer

College Hill (London)                                        020-7457-2020
Ben Brewerton / Nick Elwes

Seymour Pierce (London)                                      020-7107-8000
Richard Redmayne
Jonathan Wright


Note to Editors

•    Gulf of Mexico, USA

The Group owns interests in 64 offshore blocks comprising approximately 216,000
gross acres which includes 39 producing oil and gas fields offshore Texas and
Louisiana with proved and probable reserves of approximately 30.3 billion cubic
feet of natural gas equivalents, consisting of 14.94 billion cubic feet of
natural gas and 2.56 million barrels of oil as of 30 June 2005 with a net
present value of approximately $129 million.

•    Syria

In Syria, Gulfsands owns a 50% working interest in Block 26 and is the operator.
The block covers 11,000 square kilometres and surrounds areas which currently
produce over 100,000 barrels of oil per day from existing fields.  In January
2006 the Group completed the acquisition of 1,155 kilometers of 2D seismic and
anticipates the drilling of the first well during the first half of 2006.
Gulfsands has identified 31 exploitation and exploration prospects and leads
with mean resources potential exceeding 1 billion barrels of recoverable oil.

•    Iraq

Gulfsands signed a Memorandum of Understanding in January 2005 with the Ministry
of Oil in Iraq for the Misan Gas Project in Southern Iraq and is currently
negotiating the definitive contract for the project.  The project will gather,
process and transmit natural gas that is currently a waste by-product of oil
production in the region and will end the environmentally damaging practice of
gas flaring. Gulfsands has completed a feasibility study and expects to conduct
further technical work and commercial discussions with the Iraq Oil Ministry.

•    Onshore USA

Gulfsands operates onshore in the USA through its 80% owned subsidiary company
Darcy Energy LLC.  At the Emily Hawes field, initial gas production commenced in
the summer of 2005.  The first well in the Barb Mag oil field has been drilled
and wireline logged with some 38 feet of potential net pay and production tested
at 1.5 million cubic feet of natural gas and 36 barrels of condensate per day.
Production from this well should commence during the first quarter of 2006.
Darcy Energy has a 34.375% and 37.5% working interest in these fields
respectively.


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