RNS Number:8598R
Premier Oil PLC
10 November 2003



                               PREMIER OIL PLC
                                  ("Premier")


               New Oil & Gas Discovery in Tiof Exploration Well,
                              Offshore Mauritania


Woodside Mauritania Pty Ltd, Operator of the Mauritania Area B Joint Venture,
issued the following statement earlier today in regard to exploration drilling
activities in Mauritania:



Mauritania PSC-B, Chinguetti-4-6 (Tiof) Exploration Well

"Woodside Mauritania Pty Ltd, Operator of the Mauritania Area B Joint Venture,
reports that at 0000 hours on 10 November 2003 the acquisition of wireline logs
and samples was continuing in the Chinguetti-4-6 (Tiof) exploration well.

Since the last report, the well was drilled to a final total depth of
approximately 2870 metres and wireline logging commenced.

Preliminary wireline log results indicate a gross gas column of approximately
48m and a minimum gross oil column of 38m. Data acquisition and analysis
operations are continuing.

All reported depths (except water depth) are referenced to the rig rotary table
and all reported times are UTC (also known as GMT)."





                                                                10 November 2003




ENQUIRIES:
Premier Oil plc                                      Tel: 020 7730 1111
Charles Jamieson
John van der Welle


College Hill                                         Tel: 020 7457 2020
James Henderson
Phil Wilson-Brown


Background For Editors:


Premier Oil plc is a leading independent oil and gas company with producing
interests in the UK, Indonesia, and Pakistan. Exploration and appraisal is
ongoing in the UK, Indonesia, West Africa (Mauritania, Guinea Bissau and Gabon)
and South Asia (Pakistan and India).



As previously announced on 28 May 2003, Premier has entered into an agreement
with Fusion Oil & Gas Ltd regarding its interests in Mauritania. Premier will
acquire a 6% share of PSC B (which includes the Chinguetti field) and a 3% share
of PSC A from Fusion Oil & Gas on completion of the transaction. Completion will
take place separately for each PSC and will occur on Mauritanian government
approval of a field development plan for a field in each PSC.



The current partners and interests in Mauritania PSC B are:


Woodside Mauritania Pty Ltd (Operator)                                  35.0%
AGIP Mauritania BV                                                      35.0%
Hardman Resources Ltd                                                   21.6%
Fusion Mauritania B Limited*                                             6.0%
Roc Oil (Mauritania) Company                                             2.4%





The Government of Mauritania has the right to back in to 12% equity in
developments producing up to 75,000 barrels of oil per day.



*Premier will take up its 6% share of PSC B from Fusion Oil & Gas on completion
of the transaction announced on 28 May 2003.


                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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