Mauritania Offshore Update

Roc Oil Company Limited
18 October 2005



18 October 2005

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

                      MAURITANIA OFFSHORE DRILLING UPDATE

ROC advises that the following release was made earlier today by Woodside
Petroleum Ltd:

'Woodside Mauritania Pty. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Woodside Petroleum
Ltd., reports the following activity offshore Mauritania since the last report
issued on 11 October 2005.

        PSC Area B: Tevet-2 ST1 Combined Appraisal and Exploration Well

The Tevet-2 sidetrack (ST1) was drilled to a depth of 3,667 metres by the 'Stena
Tay' drill rig. At midnight on 17 October 2005, 7 inch liner was being run prior
to drilling ahead to the Cretaceous exploration objective. The planned total
depth of the well is approximately 3,965 metres.

                                    General

All reported drilling depths are referenced to the rig rotary table and all
times are Universal Time (UTC) (Mauritanian time).

The locations of planned exploration wells and the Chinguetti Oil Field are
shown on the attached map*.'

Participating Interests in the Chinguetti Joint Venture and relevant PSC areas
are:

+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
|          Company          |Chinguetti |  PSC-A   |  PSC-B   |  PSC-C,  |
|                           |   Joint   |          |          | Block 6  |
|                           |  Venture  |          |          |          |
+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
|Woodside group companies   | 47.38448% | 53.846%  | 53.846%  | 37.578%  |
|(Operator)                 |           |          |          |          |
+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
|Hardman group companies    | 19.00800% |  24.3%   |  21.6%   | 22.422%  |
+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
|Groupe Project Chinguetti  | 12.00000% |    --    |    --    |    --    |
+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
|BG group companies         | 10.23440% | 13.084%  |  11.63%  |    --    |
+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
|Premier group companies    | 8.12328%  |    --    |  9.231%  |    --    |
+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
|Roc Oil group companies    | 3.24984%  |  4.155%  |  3.693%  |   5.0%   |
+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
|Fusion group companies     |    --     | 4. 615%  |    --    |    --    |
+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+
|Petronas Carigali Overseas |    --     |    --    |    --    |  35.0%   |
|Sdn Bhd                    |           |          |          |          |
+---------------------------+-----------+----------+----------+----------+

*Map attached to the copy of this release on ROC's website.
(http://www.rocoil.com.au/Pages/ASX_Releases/2005_Releases/October-2005.html)


Michelle Manook                          For further information please contact:
General Manager - Corporate Affairs                             Dr John Doran on
                                                            Tel: [phone]
                                                            Fax: [phone]
                                                     Email: [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]
 
                                                                    Nick Lambert
                                            Bell Pottinger Corporate & Financial
                                                       Tel:  [phone]
 



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