Holding in Company

Tullow Oil PLC
24 January 2006

                   Tullow Oil plc ('Tullow' or 'the Company')



Holding in Company


On 23 January 2006, Tullow received notification that Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc has a notifiable interest in 92,472,904 
ordinary shares of 10p
each in the Company which represents 14.28% of the issued share capital of Tullow.

This total holding is held by a number of holding companies of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers Group Limited and by 
certain other companies.
Of the 92,472,904 ordinary shares in which Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc has a notifiable interest, Merrill Lynch Investment 
Managers Group Limited
has a notifiable interest of 92,459,104 shares (14.27%). By virtue of a separate holding of 3,700 ordinary shares 
Merrill Lynch Group, Inc has
a notifiable interest of 92,462,804 ordinary shares (14.27%)

Tullow has been informed that the shares held by Merrill Lynch Investment Managers Group Limited to which this 
notification relates
are registered as follows:

Registered Holder                                  Number                   Beneficial
(if known)                                              Of Shares                Interests

Nutraco Nominees Ltd                           43,266,704               No
(Designated and Undesignated)

Possfund (MAM) Nominees Ltd              1,586,900                 No

Britel (MAM) Nominees Ltd                  1,650,500                 No

Merrill Lynch Pension                                  46,224                Yes
Nominees Ltd

Merrill Lynch Pension                              5,178,325                 Yes
Nominees Ltd A/C Noncert

Treasury of the                                       1,474,297                No
Government of the Isle of Man
Nominees A/C 5

Treasury of the                                        2,416,046               No
Government of the Isle of Man
Nominees A/C 10

Stamford Nominees                                 149,700                   No
Limited A/C CHARTY

Other names                                          36,690,408               No

Total                                                      92,459,104







This announcement has been issued through the Companies Announcement Service of

                           the Irish Stock Exchange.






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