Issue of Equity

ROCKHOPPER EXPLORATION PLC (The 'Company')

Issue of Equity

The Company announces that, following the exercise of options granted by the company to a former director by a deed of grant dated 8 August 2005, it has issued 200,000 new ordinary shares of 1p each in the Company ("Ordinary Shares") at an exercise price of 42p per share.

Application has been made for the admission of 200,000 new Ordinary Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM. It is expected that admission will become effective and that dealings will commence on 27 May 2010. On admission, the Company will have 175,184,954 Ordinary Shares in issue.