Drilling Report

Soco International PLC
08 May 2003



                SOCO International plc ('SOCO' or 'the Company')

                      Block 16-1 exploration well results


SOCO is an international oil and gas exploration and production company,
headquartered in London.  The Company has interests in Vietnam, Mongolia, Yemen,
Libya, Tunisia, and Thailand with production operations in Yemen, Tunisia and
Mongolia.


SOCO Vietnam Limited ('SOCO Vietnam'), SOCO's 80% owned subsidiary, and partners
have now completed their drilling commitments on Block 16-1 in the Cuu Long
Basin offshore Vietnam with their second exploration well in this year's
programme.  The Voi Vang exploration well ('VV-1X'), drilled on Prospect 'B',
was drilled to a total depth of 3,755 metres but plugged and abandoned after a
Basement test indicated that the structure would not flow.  Promising oil shows
were encountered during drilling in two different Oligocene intervals, from
2,886 to 3,363 metres and from 3,404 metres to 3,442 metres, but these intervals
were not tested.


The VV-1X well was the fourth well drilled on Block 16-1 where there has been a
50% success rate to date, with one of the discoveries testing a sustained rate
of approximately 3,500 barrels of oil per day. The Hoang Long Joint Operating
Company will continue its evaluation of this Block.


The rig will immediately move to Block 9-2, where the remainder of the current
exploration programme will be conducted, to drill an appraisal well on the Ca
Ngu Vang prospect, prospect 'D'. The initial discovery well, the CNV-1X, tested
approximately 4,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day through 3.5 inch tubing
and a collapsed wellbore.


SOCO Vietnam holds a 28.5% interest in Block 16-1 and a 25% working interest in
Block 9-2.  Both Blocks are contiguous to the Bach Ho field, which is producing
approximately 250,000 BOPD and 150 million cubic feet of gas per day, and the
Rang Dong field, which is producing approximately 65,000 BOPD and 85 million
cubic feet of gas per day.


Ed Story, President and Chief Executive of SOCO, commented:


'We will continue to try to unlock the exploration challenge on Block 16-1 where
we have a clearly demonstrated hydrocarbon province, but we are excited to be
moving into the appraisal programme on the CNV prospect.  Further exploration on
Block 9-2offers us much greater rewards for success.   We are entering into a
very important phase of our operations in Vietnam and are confident that the
upcoming wells will re-establish the momentum that began last year.'


8 May 2003

Enquiries:


SOCO International plc                               Tel: [phone]
Ed Story, Chief Executive
Roger Cagle, Chief Financial Officer

College Hill                                         Tel: [phone]
James Henderson


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange