Drilling Update

Kea Petroleum plc

("Kea" or the "Group")

Drilling Update

Further to the announcement on 16 March, Kea is pleased to announce drilling of the Wingrove-2 well had reached 262 metres of the planned 1500 metres to target depth. It is anticipated that the well will be cased to 320 metres by this weekend using a small rig. We plan to recommence drilling, with the larger Ensign Rig 19, in approximately a week once it has been released to us by Shell, with well completion occurring before the end of April. Further updates will be announced in due course.

Kea Petroleum is an oil and gas exploration company with three petroleum exploration permits in Taranaki and Northland Basins of New Zealand.

For further information please contact:

Kea Petroleum plc Tel: +44 (0) 20 7340 9970

David, Lees, Executive Director

RBC Capital Markets Tel: +44 (0) 20 7653 4000

Matthew Coakes / Brett Jacobs / Daniel Conti Martin Eales (NOMAD)

Buchanan Communications Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000

Tim Anderson / James Strong