Northern and its partners are pleased to announce they have started gas production from the Grolloo gas field, the first of four gas and two oil fields planned for development onshore The Netherlands. The Grolloo facilities have been commissioned and first gas sales commenced on December 4th 2009 at a daily rate of 200,000 normal cubic metres a day (7.4mmscfd). Development of all four gas fields (Grolloo, Geesbrug, Wijk en Aalburg and Brakel) will be completed by early next year. These will produce in aggregate daily rate of up to 800,000 m³ per day (approx. 30 mmscfd) in 2010.

This gas is the first production following the agreement between Northern Petroleum Nederland B.V. (NPN), a wholly owned subsidiary of Northern Petroleum Plc, and Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) in 2005**. NPN, the operator has a 45% licence interest. EBN, the Netherlands’ state oil company and Dyas hold 40% and 15% respectively.

Chairman of the Executive Board of EBN, Jan Dirk Bokhoven said “I am delighted with Northern’s first successful development in the Netherlands. It shows there is still sufficient gas potential in the Netherlands and it is another step towards our goal of producing 30 bcm from small fields by 2030.”

Peter Veenhof, Managing Director Dyas also commented “Dyas congratulates Northern Petroleum with this important milestone of reaching first gas on the Grolloo field. This is an important step into unlocking reserves from similar small gas pockets in the Netherlands that were previously considered not to be economically attractive.”

Derek Musgrove, Managing Director, Northern added “We have achieved our first objective in our plans to place four gas and two oil discoveries on stream in The Netherlands. Naturally, with shareholders I look forward eagerly for Geesbrug, Wijk en Aalburg and Brakel to be contributing to production revenues in the next few months - weeks in the case of Geesbrug. At the moment we take joy at this accomplishment which has been long awaited. We have had tremendous support from NAM and our partners EBN, and Dyas and would like to thank all those who have worked closely with us to reach this milestone.

“With this new production we have demonstrated our operational and organisational strengths, technical capabilities and ecologically sensitive approach. We will now work to increase production from our other five fields and expand further from this base. The profits from these six wells will assist Northern in driving both our exploration activities in Italy and re-drilling of three old discoveries in the Utrecht Licence even faster.”

Further information

The Grolloo field alone is forecast to deliver initial revenues of approximately Euro20 million (Euro9 million net to NPN) based on an assumed gas price of Euro0.20 per Nm³. The existing design facility is capable of considerably higher daily production rates. The decision on an increase to production rates will be made once flow rates have stabilised and once several months of production experience has been gained.

Gas from Grolloo is being delivered via a dedicated pipeline to the NAM operated Vries facilities and then on to the Westerveld process facilities. Geesbrug will be the next field to be brought on-stream employing a similar scheme of development.

** See press release 14 June 2005

In accordance with the AIM Rules – Guidance for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies, the information contained in this announcement has been reviewed and signed off by the Exploration and Technical Director of Northern Petroleum Plc, Mr Graham Heard CGeol FGS, who has over 35 years experience as a petroleum geologist.

For further information please contact:

Northern Petroleum Plc
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7469 2900/61
Derek Musgrove, Managing Director
Chris Foss, Finance Director
Graham Heard, Exploration & Technical Director
Sophie Hull, Head of Corporate Communications

Brokers to the Company

Jefferies International
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7029 8000
Chris Snoxall / Schuyler Evans

Astaire Securities
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7448 4400
Jerry Keen / Toby Gibbs