Holding(s) in Company

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:

Sterling Energy plc

2. Reason for notification (yes/no)

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights

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): Increase in share capital 

Yes

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

INVESCO Limited

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

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

20 October 2008

6. Date on which issuer notified:

21 October 2008

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

29%

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

Ordinary shares of 1p each (GB0005299929)

687,007,266

687,077,266

686,553,537

686,553,537

29.52%

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

Total (A+B)

Number of voting rights

Percentage of voting rights

686,553,537

29.52%

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

Bank of Ireland - 19,220,590

Bank of New York - 3,851,350

Bank of New York (Brussels) - 1,370,408

Chase Bank Hong Kong - 6,374,616

Chase Bank - 41,868,613

Citibank - 601,262,603

HSBC - 9,175,062

State Street Trust & Banking (London) - 3,178,663

Trust & Custody Servs JP - 251,632

Proxy Voting:

10. Name of proxy holder:

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

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

13. Additional information:

14 Contact name:

Sam Edwards

15. Contact telephone name:

01491 416 381