Drilling Update

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE29 March 2011

DRAGON OIL PLC

(the "Company" or together with its subsidiaries "Dragon Oil" or the "Group")

Drilling Update

·; Dzheitune (Lam) 28/152 well tested at initial combined rate of 3,463 bopd

·; Dzheitune (Lam) B/153 well tested at initial combined rate of 2,428 bopd

Dragon Oil plc (Ticker: DGO), an international oil and gas exploration and production company, announces the completion and initial testing of the Dzheitune (Lam) 28/152 and B/153 development wells. The Dzheitune (Lam) 28/152 well was drilled to a depth of 3,768 metres and completed as a dual producer by the NIS rig. The short string tested at the initial rate of 2,091 barrels of oil per day ("bopd") with the long string testing at 1,372 bopd. The NIS rig has skidded to the next slot and spudded the Dzheitune (Lam) 28/154 well. 

The Dzheitune (Lam) B/153 well was drilled by the Iran Khazar rig to the depth of 3,668 metres and completed with dual strings. The short string tested at the initial rate of 1,080 bopd while the initial test result from the long string was 1,348 bopd. The Iran Khazar rig has skidded to the next slot on the Dzheitune (Lam) B platform and spudded the Dzheitune (Lam) B/155 well.

Dr Abdul Jaleel Al Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer, commented: 

"I am pleased to report the successful completion and solid initial test results of the Dzheitune (Lam) 28/152 and B/153 development wells, the first two wells of this year's 11-well drilling programme to have been put into production. Both rigs, the NIS rig and the Iran Khazar rig, are already drilling the next two wells.

"Following the transition over to the new 30-inch trunkline and associated in-field pipelines, we are continuing to see strong average daily production rates in excess of 57,000 bopd in February and March 2011."

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About Dragon Oil 

Dragon Oil plc is an international oil and gas development and production company, quoted on the London and Irish Stock exchanges (Ticker symbol: DGO). Its principal producing asset is in the Cheleken Contract Area, in the eastern section of the Caspian Sea, offshore Turkmenistan.

Dragon Oil (Turkmenistan) Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Dragon Oil plc, holds 100% interest in and is the operator of the Production Sharing Agreement for the Cheleken Contract Area. The operational focus is on the re-development of two oil-producing fields, Dzheitune (Lam) and Dzhygalybeg (Zhdanov). 

www.dragonoil.com   

Disclaimer 

This news release may contain forward-looking statements concerning the financial condition and results of operations of Dragon Oil. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. No assurances can be given as to future results, levels of activity and achievements and actual results, levels of activity and achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this report. Dragon Oil does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information.