Tanzania Block 1 Operations Update

Ophir Energy plc

Tanzania Block 1 Operations Update: Drilling Programme Recommences

London, 28 September 2012: Ophir Energy plc ("Ophir" or "the Company") announces the resumption of the Tanzanian drilling campaign to be executed with BG Group, its partner in this Joint Venture. The multi-well programme commences with appraisal and satellite exploration around the Jodari Field in Block 1 offshore Tanzania.

Summary:

The first three wells in this campaign will be Jodari South-1, Jodari North-1 and a re-entry into Jodari-1. The current drilling programme will focus on further defining the resource potential of the Jodari discovery. This will further serve to confirm its role as an anchor asset for the Tanzanian LNG development. On 26th March 2012 the Jodari-1 discovery well proved 4.5 TCF of gas in place in the Lower Tertiary intraslope channel play. To date the Ophir-BG Joint Venture has discovered 13.5 - 21 TCF of gas-in-place across Blocks 1, 3 and 4 offshore Tanzania.

The Deep Sea Metro 1 has now returned to Block 1 and will drill the top-hole section of Jodari North-1 before moving to drill Jodari South-1 and a side track from Jodari South into the main Jodari field. The rig will then return to complete Jodari North-1. A Drill Stem Test (DST) will be performed in Q1 2013.

Jodari North-1 is located 40km NE of the port of Mtwara and is approximately 6km NNW of the Jodari-1 well location. Jodari South-1 is located approximately 35km NE of Mtwara and is approximately 3.5km SW of the Jodari-1 well location. Combined, these three wells will confirm reservoir parameters across the Oligocene aged main reservoir of the Jodari complex. In addition, fluid samples will be collected and the dynamic reservoir properties will be tested through a DST in Jodari-1. This information will aid LNG development planning. Ophir holds 40% of Blocks 1, 3 and 4; the BG Group operates with 60%.

Nick Cooper, CEO of Ophir, said:

"The next phase of drilling is required to confirm the role of the Jodari field as an anchor asset to support Tanzania's first multi-train LNG development. To date the Ophir-BG Joint Venture has discovered 13.5 - 21 TCF of gas-in-place across Blocks 1, 3 and 4 and we are looking forward to receiving further insight into the full scope of resources on these blocks.

After these next three wells we will return to drilling high impact exploration prospects, both on the significant prospect inventory on the established intraslope play and, potentially, also on the recently identified Basin Floor Fan play."

Ends

For Further Enquiries please contact:

Ophir Energy plc +44 (0)20 7290 5800

Nick Cooper, CEO

Stephanie Prior, Commercial Manager

Brunswick Group +44 (0)20 7404 5959

Patrick Handley

Elizabeth Adams

Notes to Editors

Ophir Energy (OPHR.LN) is an African focussed, upstream oil and gas resource company which is a member of the FTSE 250. The Group's headquarters are located in London (England), with operational offices in Perth (Australia), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), Dar es Salaam and Mtwara (Tanzania), Dakar (Senegal), Port Gentil (Gabon) and Nairobi (Kenya).

Ophir is the 5th largest deepwater acreage holder in Africa, present in four key emerging sub-Saharan exploration themes, and the largest net acreage holder in offshore East Africa.

For further information on Ophir, please refer to www.ophir-energy.com