Board Announcement

Ophir Energy plc

Chairman's External Appointment

01 March 2013: Ophir Energy announces that Nicholas Smith, Non-executive Chairman has been appointed as Independent Non-executive Director of Aberdeen New Thai Investment Trust Plc with effect from 1 March 2013.

This announcement is made in accordance with LR9.6.14(2).

Ends

For Further Enquiries please contact:

Ophir Energy plc +44 (0)20 7290 5800

Nick Cooper, CEO

Stephanie Prior, Senior Commercial Manager

Brunswick Group +44 (0)20 7404 5959

Patrick Handley

Elizabeth Adams

Notes to Editors

Ophir Energy (OPHR.LN) is an African focussed, upstream oil and gas resource company which is a member of the FTSE 250. The Group's headquarters are located in London (England), with operational offices in Perth (Australia), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), Dar es Salaam and Mtwara (Tanzania), Port Gentil, (Gabon) and Nairobi (Kenya).

Ophir is the sixth largest deepwater acreage holder offshore Africa, present in four key emerging sub-Saharan exploration themes, and the largest net acreage holder in offshore East Africa.

For further information on Ophir, please refer to www.ophir-energy.com