Northern is pleased to announce that its subsidiary NP Netherlands B.V. (“NPN”) has been informed that the Mining Council of the Netherlands, the Mijnraad, has recommended to the Minister of Economic Affairs that the Papekop licence be awarded to NPN.

Following the decision of the Mijnraad, NPN is initiating detailed engineering work for the development of the Papekop oil and gas field which was discovered in 1986 by Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij B.V (“NAM”). Following recent studies, the field is now estimated to contain proven plus probable recoverable reserves in excess of 20 billion cubic feet of gas and 10 million barrels of oil.

Upon grant of a Production Licence the Netherlands state oil company has the right to elect to be a 40% full paying partner in the licence

For further details please contact:

Derek Musgrove
Northern Petroleum Plc
020 7743 6080

Chris Roberts/Ben Simons
Hansard Communications
020 7245 1100