RNS Number:5748O
Northern Petroleum PLC
12 August 2003


Immediate Release: 12th August 2003


Northern Petroleum Plc

                         ('Northern' or the 'Company')


An important oil discovery has been made at Avington in Hampshire in which
Northern Petroleum Plc ("Northern") has a 5% interest


The well, Avington-2, on licence PEDL 070 has proven the existence of
recoverable oil through a drill string test conducted over the weekend. The test
was conducted in the "pilot hole" and a horizontal well is now being drilled to
penetrate more of the reservoir in the productive horizon in order to expand the
drainage area for the well and increase flow rates.


The Avington-2 well in which Northern's subsidiary Northern Petroleum (GB)
Limited holds a 5% interest under a recently concluded farmout agreement, has
established "proven" oil in a structure with mapped volumes of oil in place in
excess of 100 million barrels.


The well is operated by Pentex Oil UK Limited with Egdon Resources (U.K.)
Limited, Sterling Resources (UK) Limited and YCI Resources Limited and Northern
Petroleum (GB) Limited as partners.


Northern Petroleum also holds an option to acquire a 5% interest in the licence
PEDL 069 immediately North of PEDL 070and into which the Avington structure
extends.


Derek Musgrove, Managing Director stated:


"We could not be more pleased! This discovery is of major importance to Northern
Petroleum. It has, at the first opportunity, proved our recently developed
techniques to re-evaluate results of past exploration in the Weald Basin which
took place in the period 1982 to 1990 which we consider were unrecognised oil
discoveries. Our farm-in to Avington -2 provided the opportunity to validate our
work at only ten percent cost of the pilot hole. Avington is the first success
in the Weal Basin since the discovery of the Lidsey Oil Field in 1987.


Northern has much greater holdings in nearby areas of the Weald Basin and has
another six similar prospects on the recently awarded adjacent PEDL 125 and PEDL
126 in Hampshire and West Sussex in which we hold a 50% interest and are
Operator. These cover an area in excess of 800 square kilometres. As a result of
the success at Avington, Northern will be advancing drilling plans for those
licences.


Sandhills-2 is the next similarly targeted well that Northern Petroleum plans to
drill in 2004 as Operator holding a 40% interest in licence PEDL 113 on the Isle
of Wight.


The potential for Northern is considerable for a company of our size. If
realised it will result in an extraordinary expansion of Northern Petroleum Plc.
In summary, a great start but the real significance is that there could be so
much more to come".


A map can sent by e-mail upon request.


For further information:

Derek Musgrove        Managing Director                   020 7743 6080
Graham Heard          Exploration Manager                 020 7743 6080
Chris Roberts         Hansard Communications              020 7245 1100




                      This information is provided by RNS
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