Spudding of first well

White Nile Limited
20 April 2007


         White Nile Ltd / Ticker: WNL / Index: AIM / Sector: Oil & Gas


20th April 2007

                                 White Nile Ltd
                        ('White Nile' or 'the Company')

          Commences Drill Programme with First Well in Southern Sudan


White Nile Ltd, the AIM listed oil and gas exploration company, is pleased to
announce the commencement of drilling operations with the spudding of the
Kedelai exploration well in Block Ba, 200 km due north of Juba, in the Jonglei
State of Southern Sudan.


Kedelai was spudded at 13.15 hrs. local time on 19 April 2007 and is being
drilled to determine the hydrocarbon bearing potential of the south-eastern
extension of the Muglad basin.  The well will be drilled to a total depth of
circa 2,400 metres (7,850 ft.) with completion targeted for mid May.


Following the interpretation of high-density 2D seismic shot in the last 12
months, the Company gained a clear understanding of the prospectivity of the
Jonglei sub-basin of the Muglad Basin.  A sedimentary section of up to 7 km in
thickness and rift structures suitable for forming hydrocarbon traps were
clearly shown, which are analogous to the producing South Sudanese Thar Jath,
Mala, Heglig and Unity oilfields of the Muglad Basin to the northwest of Block
Ba.  In this way the geological conditions pertaining to the formation of
oilfields in the Muglad Basin (Blocks 1, 2, 4 and 5A) have been extrapolated
into the Jonglei sub-basin in Block Ba.  Blocks 1, 2 and 5A host the known
Unity, Heglig and Thar Jath oilfields that have estimated oil in place of circa
600 million, 550 million and 1 billion barrels respectively. The interpretation
of the seismic data also allowed White Nile to identify numerous structures of
which a number were prioritised, with the Kedelai well targeting one such
structure.


White Nile Chairman, Phil Edmonds, said, 'This is a major milestone in the
development of White Nile. The seismic revealed a number of exciting targets one
of which we are now drilling.  In spudding this well we are entering into the
next phase of our development aimed at bringing Block Ba into its productive
phase.  It is not only a key moment for White Nile but it is also a milestone
for the people of Southern Sudan. Through the equity holding in White Nile by
the state owned oil company of the Government of Southern Sudan, Nile Petroleum
Corporation, the people will be major beneficiaries in the development of Block
Ba. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our partners for their
support and look forward to what I believe is a bright future for White Nile.'


                                * * E N D S * *


For further information please visit www.whitenile-ltd.com or contact:

Phil Edmonds               White Nile Ltd                   Tel: [phone]

Jonathan Wright            Seymour Pierce Ltd               Tel: [phone]

Hugo de Salis              St Brides Media & Finance Ltd    Tel: [phone]


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