For Immediate Release: 19 January 2004

                            Northern Petroleum Plc                             

                                ("the Company")                                

                         Notification of Shareholding                          

The Board of Northern Petroleum Plc has been informed that Vidacos Nominees Ltd
A/C 1945 ("Vidacos Nominees") has sold 250,000 ordinary shares of 1p each
(representing 0.12% of the ordinary share capital) in the Company. Vidacos
Nominees no longer has a notifiable interest in the ordinary share capital of
the Company.

                                    -Ends-                                     

For further details please contact:

Derek Musgrove, Managing Director

020 7743 6080

Chris Roberts / Ben Simons

Hansard Communications

020 7245 1100 / 0771 309 0135

Further information on Northern Petroleum Plc is available via our website, 
www.northpet.com



END