Vietnam Drilling Update

Soco International PLC
30 July 2007

                             SOCO International plc

                           ('SOCO' or 'the Company')



                            Vietnam Drilling Update



Te Giac Den exploration well - Block 16-1



The Company's majority owned subsidiary, SOCO Vietnam Ltd., announces that the
Te Giac Den exploration well ('TGD-1X') on Block 16-1 in the Cuu Long Basin
offshore Vietnam, drilled to evaluate the 'E' prospect, has been temporarily
suspended at 4,625 metres after penetrating a gas and oil zone with pressure in
excess of 12,000 psi, which is beyond the safe operating capacity of the
drilling rig.



The well encountered hydrocarbons in two Oligocene clastic sequences, which were
separated by a volcanic layer. Well logs over the upper sequence indicate
approximately 30 metres of net pay. After drilling through the volcanics, the
well encountered a lower clastic sequence with oil and gas shows. However, the
mud weight required to control pressure and gas indicates downhole pressures at
the upper limit of the safe operating capability of the drilling rig.
Consequently, drilling had to be halted after only 22 meters of the sequence had
been penetrated. High pressure and temperature also meant that the section could
not be logged. The current seismic interpretation shows another 300 metres of
sediment above Basement.



The well will be plugged back to isolate the lower higher pressure zone from the
upper sequence. The upper Oligocene clastic sequence, which is also
overpressured, will be tested using the Adriatic XI rig when suitable test
equipment is available in Vietnam, which is expected to be in late August.



Going forward, the consortium expects to contract a 15,000 psi capability
drilling rig either for a well re-entry or a new drill, dependent upon the
timing of obtaining a suitable rig.  If a larger rig can be contracted this
year, it would also be used to drill the 'E' South prospect, similar to the 'E'
prospect, but marginally deeper.



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


'The primary pre-drill risk of the 'E' prospect, that there would be
insufficient seal to preserve the hydrocarbon charge and the reservoir at depth,
has improved dramatically  over this giant prospect covering some 30 square
kilometres.  Obviously the play works as we have already drilled potential pay
equal to one third of our pre-drill estimate and we have more section to drill.
We are anxious to return with suitable equipment as soon as it is available.'



Te Giac Hong exploration well - Block 16-1



The Te Giac Hong exploration well on Block 16-1 in the Cuu Long Basin offshore
Vietnam drilled to evaluate the 'L' North prospect will be plugged and abandoned
after reaching a total depth of 3,685 metres. The well tested the Lower Bach Ho
5.2 and the Oligocene C formations. The 5.2 sands were poorly developed and had
no oil shows. There were sands with oil shows in the Oligocene C; however, log
evaluation showed the sands to have poor permeability and they were not tested.



The Adriatic XI rig will immediately move to drill the Te Giac Lam 1X well to
test the Miocene and Upper Oligocene at the 'O' prospect. The well will be
deviated to test a deeper Oligocene stratigraphic trap, a new play in the basin,
formed by the pinch out of the Oligocene against a Basement high.



30 July 2007





ENQUIRIES:



SOCO International plc

Roger Cagle Deputy Chief Executive and Tel: [phone]

Chief Financial Officer



Pelham Public Relations

James Henderson Tel: [phone]

Alisdair Haythornthwaite Tel: [phone]





NOTES TO EDITORS:


SOCO is an international oil and gas exploration and production company,
headquartered in London, traded on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent
of the FTSE 250 Index. The Company has interests in Vietnam, Yemen, Thailand,
the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) and the Democratic Republic of Congo
(Kinshasa) with production operations in Yemen.



SOCO holds its interests in Vietnam, all in the Cuu Long Basin offshore, through
its 80% owned subsidiary SOCO Vietnam Ltd. ('SOCO Vietnam') and through its 100%
ownership of OPECO, Inc. SOCO Vietnam holds a 25% working interest in Block 9-2,
which is operated by the Hoan Vu Joint Operating Company and holds a 28.5%
working interest in Block 16-1, which is operated by the Hoang Long Joint
Operating Company. OPECO, Inc. holds a 2% interest in Block 16-1.


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