Exploration: Onshore Angola

Roc Oil Company Limited 07 August 2007 7 August 2007 ROC OIL COMPANY LIMITED ('ROC') STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE ACTIVITY UPDATE: EXPLORATION DRILLING, ONSHORE ANGOLA - MASSAMBALA-1 Roc Oil (Cabinda) Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of ROC, advises that as of 0600 hours on 6 August 2007 (local time), the ROC-owned 'Explorer' rig had directionally drilled the Massambala-1 exploration well in the Cabinda South Block, onshore Angola, to final Total Depth of 2,192 metres below rotary table ('mBRT') and completed wireline logging. The current operation at the well is preparing to drill a shallow side track hole. Current interpretation of the results of the drilling and wireline logging programme suggest that: • The main zone of interest in Massambala-1 lies between 394 mBRT and 433 mBRT where good oil shows were observed over a gross interval of 39 metres. Of particular interest are anomalous log responses, which could be interpreted as indicating moveable hydrocarbon, over a 20 metre gross interval within the zone of good oil shows. Other minor log anomalies exist above and below this zone, but do not coincide with oil shows. The 20 metre interval of most interest exhibits good to excellent potential reservoir quality with 18 metres (90%) net sand with an average porosity of about 27%. However, wireline sampling did not recover any oil from this zone of interest which, when combined with pressure gradient measurements, raises the spectre that the zone represents a heavy oil accumulation or, possibly, a residual oil column. • The well's primary pre-drill target had no indications of hydrocarbons. The forward programme at Massambala-1 is to plug the well back and sidetrack in order to core the shallow zone of interest referred to above. This operation is expected to be completed within two weeks. After drilling operations at Massambala-1 are complete, the rig will move to drill Cevada-1 in the eastern part of the Block. Consistent with the most recent schedule, the Simmons 80 Rig arrived in Cabinda in late July and is expected to start drilling Soja-1 prior to the end of August. Commenting on the results of Massambala-1, ROC's CEO, Dr John Doran, stated that: 'Because we are at the beginning of a big drilling campaign, it is essential that we try to nail the exact nature of the shallow oil zone at Massambala-1 as soon as possible because if it proves to be producible, the upside potential is well worth chasing.' Participating Interests in the Cabinda South Block are: ROC Group Companies (Operator) 60% Force Petroleum Limited 20% Sonangol P&P S.A. 20% In accordance with ASX and AIM Rules, the information in this Release has been reviewed and approved by Dr John Doran, Chief Executive Officer, Roc Oil Company Limited, BSc (Hons) Geology, MSc and PhD. Dr Doran, who is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, has more than 30 years relevant experience within the industry and consents to the information in the form and context in which it appears. Damian Fisher General Manager External Affairs & Investor Relations For further information please contact: Dr John Doran on Tel: +61-2-8356-2000 Fax: +61-2-9380-2635 Email: jdoran@rocoil.com.au Or visit ROC's website: www.rocoil.com.au Dr Kevin Hird General Manager - Business Development Tel: +44 20 7495 5707/+61 2 8356 2000 Mob: +44 775136 7149/+61 417 261 727 Email: khird@rocoil.com.au Michael Shaw Oriel Securities Limited (Nominated Adviser) Tel: +44 (0)20 7710 7600 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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