North Sea Development

Roc Oil Company Limited
05 July 2005




5 July 2005


                             ROC OIL COMPANY LIMITED
                             STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE

                UK AND NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENTS APPROVE DEVELOPMENT
                   OF BLANE AND ENOCH FIELDS IN THE NORTH SEA

KEY POINT

•   Following receipt of development approvals from the governments of the
    UK and Norway, the Blane (ROC: 12.50%) and Enoch (ROC: 12.00%) fields are
    expected to be developed for gross costs in the order of A$391 million and
    A$178 million respectively. Production from both fields is scheduled to
    start in late 2006 at gross rates of 14,000 BOPD for Blane and 12,000 BOPD
    for Enoch


ROC is pleased to advise that its wholly owned subsidiary Roc Oil (GB) Ltd and
its joint venturers have received approval from both the UK and Norwegian
Governments for the development of the Blane Oil Field and Enoch Oil and Gas
Field which straddle the UK Norway international boundary. (See Attachment 1).

ROC's unitised interests in the Blane and Enoch developments are 12.50% and
12.00% respectively.

The following development summary has been derived from a recent public release
by the operator of both fields, Paladin Expro Ltd ('Paladin')

+-----------+---------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|           |            BLANE                |            ENOCH               |
|           +---------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|Development|£165 million/A$391               |£75 million/A$178               |
|Costs      |                                 |                                |
+-----------+---------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|Initial    |14,000 BPD                       |12,000 BPD                      |
|Production |                                 |                                |
|rate       |                                 |                                |
+-----------+---------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|First Oil  |Late 2006                        |Late 2006                       |
+-----------+---------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|Development|Subsea wells tied back to Ula    |Subsea well tied back to Brae   |
|Facilities |platform                         |platform                        |
+-----------+---------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|Operator   |Paladin                          |Paladin                         |
+-----------+---------------------------------+--------------------------------+
|Joint      |Roc Oil (GB) Ltd (12.50%)        |Roc Oil (GB) Ltd (12.00%)       |
|Venturers  |Paladin (25.00%)                 |Paladin (24.00%)                |
|           |MOC Exporation (UK) Ltd (14.00%) |Dyas UK Ltd (14.00%)            |
|           |Eni UK Ltd (13.90%)              |Bow Valley Petroleum (12.00%)   |
|           |Bow Valley Petroleum (12.50%)    |Statoil ASA (11.78%)            |
|           |Paladin Resources Norge AS       |Dana Petroleum (E&P) Ltd (8.80%)|
|           |(11.70%)                         |Petro-Canada UK Ltd (8.00%)     |
|           |Talisman Energy Norge AS (6.30%) |Total E&P Norge AS (4.36%)      |
|           |Eni ULX Ltd (4.10%)              |DNO AS (2.00%)                  |
|           |                                 |DONG Norge AS (1.86%)           |
|           |                                 |Lundin North Sea Ltd(1.20%)     |
+-----------+---------------------------------+--------------------------------+

Commenting on the developments, ROC's Chief Executive Officer, Dr John Doran,
stated that:

'The Blane and Enoch fields are two of the nine fields which ROC currently has
at various stages of appraisal, pre-development and development. This is what
ROC refers to as its 'conveyor belt of projects'. As a result of this latest
announcement, that conveyor belt has just moved Blane and Enoch forward into the
'Development' category where they join the Chinguetti and Cliff Head oil fields.

With first production from Blane and Enoch scheduled for late 2006, six to nine
months after first production from Chinguetti and Cliff Head, ROC's 2006
production will receive a timely boost in the latter part of next year. This
timing allows ROC to fund its share of the cost of developing the Blane and
Enoch fields from internal sources without seeking fresh capital from
shareholders, although the Company will also consider financing these
developments via a corporate or project loan facility.

In a separate, but related announcement, the Norwegian Government ascribed
proved and probable (2P) reserves of 32 MMBOE and 15 MMBOE respectively to Blane
and Enoch. This equates to a total net ROC 2P reserves for both fields of 5.8
MMBOE; slightly more than ROC's net share of current 2P estimates for the Cliff
Head Oil Field.'

Bruce Clement                            For further information please contact:
Chief Operating Officer                                         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]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                Attachment 1: Map*

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


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      Attachment 2: Additional Information


1.  Blane Field

    The Blane Field was discovered in 1989 by well N1/2-1, which encountered an
    oil accumulation in the Palaeocene Upper Forties Sandstone. The structure 
    was successfully appraised in the same year by a well in the UK sector, 
    30/3a-1.  Perceived trans-boundary complications and commercial difficulties
    have since then prevented development progress.

    The field will be developed by three subsea wells, drilled in UKCS Block 
    30/3a, two of which will produce oil and associated gas, whilst one will be 
    a water injector. The wells will be serviced by new subsea infrastructure 
    connected to the BP operated Ula Platform located 34km North-East of Blane 
    in Norwegian Block 7/12. A Blane reception module will be installed on the 
    Ula facility to separate and meter the Blane produced fluids. Ula will also
    provide a full processing service to Blane, including provision of water for
    injection and high-pressure gas to accelerate and increase oil recovery.


2.  Enoch Field

    The Enoch Field was discovered in 1985 by UKCS well 16/13a-3 and was later
    appraised by four more wells, two of which were drilled in the Norwegian 
    sector in Block 15/5. The field contains oil and gas trapped in sands of the
    Eocene age Flugga Sandstone. Perceived trans-boundary complications and 
    commercial difficulties have since then prevented development progress.

    The field will be developed by a single subsea well, drilled in UKCS Block 
    16/13a, which will produce oil and gas. The well will be tied back using new
    subsea infrastructure to the Marathon operated Brae A Platform located 15km 
    North-West of Enoch in UKCS Block 16/7. Modifications will be carried out on
    Brae A to support the subsea infrastructure and process and meter the Enoch
    produced fluids. The Enoch oil will then be exported from Brae A through the
    Forties Pipeline System and sold at Kinneil, whilst Enoch gas will be sold
    offshore to Brae A.




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