Magnolia Petroleum Plc Acquisition of Acreage in the proven Mississippi Formation, Oklahoma

Magnolia Petroleum Plc, the AIM quoted US focussed oil and gas exploration and production company, is pleased to announce that it has acquired a 100% interest in 800 acres in the oil producing Mississippi Lime formation, Oklahoma and minority interests in leases over a further 284 net acres.

The transaction is in line with the Company's growth strategy to operate wells in the Mississippi Formation and follows the successful participation in the Sundance well with Chesapeake.

Highlights

• The Mississippi Formation is a proven commercial oil and gas system that has been producing from several thousand vertical wells for more than 50 years - new technology and horizontal drilling has reopened the oil play
• Acquisition of 100% working interests in 800 net acres, including the right to drill.
• Plans to drill at a minimum 3 vertical wells to test the Mississippi on this acreage in the near future
• Ongoing leasing activity has acquired a further 284 net acres with an average working interest of 3.4% with further acreage expected to be acquired in due course
• Total aggregate costs of $230,000 for acquiring the 1,084 acres, in line with the Company's expectations in the AIM admission document

Magnolia COO, Rita Whittington said, "Today's news represents a key milestone for Magnolia. The new acreage lies on the Mississippi formation in Oklahoma, recognised as having the potential to be the next big play in onshore US and where many of the leading players operating in the Bakken have recently been busy acquiring large tracts of land. Last year we participated in a well with Chesapeake that was completed in the Mississippi formation in which we recovered all of our costs in just three months. In addition, the cost of drilling in the Mississippi is considerably less than that of the Bakken, and so offers higher margins and a much reduced payback time. During our due diligence process, we identified a number of prospects on the acreage and following further analysis we aim to spud a first well by the end of this year."