Mauritania Offshore Update

Roc Oil Company Limited
16 August 2005




16 August 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 9 August 2005.

                    PSC Area A: Sotto-1 ST1 Exploration Well

The 'Stena Tay' drill rig drilled the Sotto-1 well to a depth of 1,353 metres.
Due to operational difficulties it was necessary to sidetrack the well, and at
midnight on 15 August, preparations were underway to drill the Sotto-1 ST1
sidetrack to a planned total depth of 3,350 metres.

                          Chinguetti Development Wells

The 'West Navigator' drillship continues to perform completion work on
Chinguetti Development wells. Woodside does not plan to issue regular
announcements regarding operations on Chinguetti development wells, but will do
so if necessary to comply with its continuous disclosure obligations under the
ASX Listing Rules.

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

The locations of Sotto-1, the Chinguetti Oil Field and the Tiof and Banda
discoveries 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 Sdn|     --     |    --    |    --    |  35.0%   |
 |Bhd                           |            |          |          |          |
 +------------------------------+------------+----------+----------+----------+

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