Tullow Oil Regulatory News (TLW)

News Release

 Mbawa-1 Drilling Update

11 September 2012 - Tullow Oil plc (Tullow) announces that the Mbawa-1 exploration well in the L8 licence area, offshore Kenya, has now been deepened and reached a total depth of 3151 metres.

As previously announced, the Mbawa-1 exploration well encountered approximately 52 metres of net gas pay in the primary target. However, the deeper, secondary target did not contain hydrocarbons. The operator is currently running wireline logs. On conclusion of this work, the well will be plugged and abandoned.

Apache (50%) is Operator of the offshore Block L8 Licence along with partners Origin Energy (20%), Pancontinental (15%) and Tullow (15%).

Commenting today, Angus McCoss, Exploration Director, said:

"A gas discovery on prognosis in the shallowest objective at Mbawa-1 is an encouraging start to our East African Transform Margin exploration campaign. This is the first hydrocarbon discovery offshore Kenya and gives a clear demonstration of a working petroleum system. Although the deeper targets at this location were unsuccessful these results will be vital in evaluating the still significant prospectivity of this block."

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Tullow Group Overview

Tullow is a leading independent oil & gas, exploration and production group, quoted on the London, Irish and Ghanaian (symbol: TLW) stock exchanges and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. The Group has interests in over 90 exploration and production licences across 22 countries and focuses on four core areas: Africa, Europe, South Asia and South America.

In Africa, Tullow has production in Ghana, Gabon, Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritania, Congo (Brazzaville) and Equatorial Guinea with two large appraisal and development programmes in Ghana and Uganda. Tullow also has exploration interests in Gabon, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Mozambique, Senegal, Madagascar, Namibia, Kenya and Ethiopia.

Tullow's European interests are focused on gas in the UK Southern North Sea where it has significant interests in the Caister-Murdoch System and the Thames area and in the Netherlands where it has offshore gas production, development and exploration opportunities.

In South Asia, Tullow has exploration and production in Bangladesh and exploration interests in Pakistan. In South America, Tullow has exploration interests in Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname.

For further information please refer to our website at www.tullowoil.com.

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