Holding(s) in Company

For filings with the FSA include the annex

For filings with issuer exclude the annex 

TR-1: Notifications of Major Interests in Shares

1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attached:

Premier Oil PLC

2. Reason for notification (yes/no)

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights

Yes

An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments which may result in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached 

An event changing the breakdown of voting rights

Other (please specify):______________

3. Full name of person(s) subject to notification obligation:

Aviva plc & its subsidiaries

4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3):

Registered Holder:

BNY Norwich Union Nominees Limited 629,166*

Chase GA Group Nominees Limited 1,928,978*

Chase Nominees Limited 26,710*

CUIM Nominee Limited 429,694*

* denotes direct interest

BNP Paribas - London  40,837

Chase Nominees Limited 252,019

State Street Nominees Limited 550,259

Vidacos Nominees Limited 1,064,994

5. Date of transaction (and date on which the threshold is crossed or reached if different):

25 March 2009

6. Date on which issuer notified:

26 March 2009

7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or reached:

4% to 3% Change at Direct Interest level

8: Notified Details

A: Voting rights attached to shares

Class/type of shares

If possible use ISIN code

Situation previous to the triggering transaction

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Number of shares

Number of voting rights

Number of shares

Number of voting rights

Percentage of voting rights

Direct

Indirect

Direct

Indirect

ORD

GB0033560011

4,292,831

4,292,831

3,014,548

3,014,548

1,908,109

3.80%

2.40%

B: Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Type of financial instrument

Expiration date

Exercise/ conversion period/date 

No. of voting rights that may be acquired (if the instrument exercised/converted)

Percentage of voting rights

Premier Oil 2.875 Conv Bond

27/06/2014

06/08/2007 to 19/06/2014

73,632

0.09%

Total (A+B)

Number of voting rights

Percentage of voting rights

4,996,289

6.29%

9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and /or the financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable:

The voting rights are managed and controlled by Aviva Investors Global Services Limited, with the following chain of controlled undertakings:-

Aviva Investors Global Services Limited:

Aviva plc (Parent Company)

Aviva Group Holdings Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva plc)

Aviva Investors Holdings Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva Group Holdings Limited)

Aviva Investors Global Services Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva Investors Holdings Limited)

Proxy Voting:

10. Name of proxy holder:

See Section 4

11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold:

N/A

12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights:

N/A

13. Additional information:

Figures in 8.A are based on a total number of voting rights of 79,372,274.

Figures in 8.B are based on the projected voting rights of 79,445,906, which includes the additional voting rights attached to the ordinary shares that would need to be issued should the holding in the convertible share class be exercised.

14 Contact name:

Heather Garratt, Deputy Company Secretary

15. Contact telephone number:

+44 (0)20 7730 1111