Fiddich-1 Commences

Roc Oil Company Limited
03 December 2004




3 December 2004

                                        
                        ROC OIL COMPANY LIMITED ('ROC')
                                        
                                        
                             STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE



          FIDDICH-1 COMMENCES, OFFSHORE PERTH BASIN, WESTERN AUSTRALIA


ROC advises that the following release was made earlier today by Origin Energy
Limited:

'Origin Energy Limited, as Operator of offshore Perth Basin Exploration Permit
WA-226-P, advises that the exploration well Fiddich-1 spudded at 21:00 hrs WST
on Thursday 2 December. Operation at 06:00 hrs WST was preparing to run 762 mm
(30 inch) conductor at a depth of 225.87 metres.

Apache Energy is managing the drilling of the Fiddich-1 well as agent on behalf
of Origin Energy.

WA-226-P is located in the northern offshore Perth Basin, approximately 230km
north west of Geraldton, Western Australia. The Fiddich-1 well will test a
prospect interpreted to have the potential to contain up to 240 million barrels
of oil in place. Permian sandstones below the Triassic regional seal provide the
main reservoir objective.

Participants in Fiddich-1 and WA-226-P are as follows:

    Origin Energy Developments Pty Limited* 28.75000% (Operator)
    Apache Northwest Pty Ltd*** 28.75000%
    Dana Petroleum (E&P) Limited** 12.81375%
    Voyager (PB) Limited 10.00000%
    Dana Petroleum (WA) LLC** 7.186250%
    Roc Oil (WA) Pty Limited 7.500000%
    Wandoo Petroleum Pty Ltd 5.000000%

    * a wholly owned subsidiary of Origin Energy Limited
    ** wholly owned subsidiaries of Dana Petroleum plc.
    *** a wholly owned subsidiary of Apache Energy Limited which is a subsidiary 
    of Apache Corporation, an independent oil and gas company listed on the 
    New York Stock Exchange.'



Bruce Clement                            For further information please contact:
Chief Operating Officer                                         Dr John Doran on
                                                            Tel: [phone]
                                                            Fax: [phone]
                                                    E-mail: [e-mail]
                                       Or visit ROC's website: www.rocoil.com.au

                                                                   Dr Kevin Hird
                                          General Manager - Business Development
                                                        Tel: [phone]
                                                        Fax: [phone]
                                                      Email: [e-mail]

                                                   Ann-Marie Wilson/Nick Lambert
                                            Bell Pottinger Corporate & Financial
                                                        Tel: [phone]





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