Roc Oil Company Limited 24 January 2006 24 January 2006 ROC OIL COMPANY LIMITED ("ROC") STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE MAURITANIA OFFSHORE DRILLING UPDATE ROC advises that the following release was made earlier today by Woodside Petroleum Ltd: "Woodside Petroleum Ltd. reports the following activity by its wholly-owned subsidiaries Woodside Mauritania Pty. Ltd. and WEL Mauritania B.V. offshore Mauritania since the last report issued on 17 January 2006. PSC Area B: Dore-1 Exploration Well The 'Stena Tay' drilled the Dore-1 exploration well to a depth of 1,993 metres. At midnight on 23 January 2006, preparations were underway to case the hole before drilling ahead to a planned total depth of approximately 2,388 metres. General All reported drilling depths are referenced to the rig rotary table and all times are Universal Time (UTC) (Mauritanian time). The locations of planned exploration wells and the Chinguetti Oil Field are shown on the attached map*." Participating Interests in the Chinguetti Joint Venture and relevant PSC areas are: +------------------------------------+-----------+---------+---------+---------+ | Company |Chinguetti | PSC-A | PSC-B | PSC-C, | | | Joint | | | Block 6 | | | Venture | | | | +------------------------------------+-----------+---------+---------+---------+ |Woodside group companies (Operator) | 47.38448% | 53.846% | 53.846% | 37.578% | +------------------------------------+-----------+---------+---------+---------+ |Hardman group companies | 19.00800% | 24.3% | 21.6% | 22.422% | +------------------------------------+-----------+---------+---------+---------+ |Societe Mauritanienne des | 12.00000% | -- | -- | -- | |Hydrocarbures (formerly GPC) | | | | | +------------------------------------+-----------+---------+---------+---------+ |BG group companies | 10.23440% | 13.084% | 11.63% | -- | +------------------------------------+-----------+---------+---------+---------+ |Premier group companies | 8.12328% | -- | 9.231% | -- | +------------------------------------+-----------+---------+---------+---------+ |ROC Oil group companies | 3.24984% | 4.155% | 3.693% | 5.0% | +------------------------------------+-----------+---------+---------+---------+ |Fusion group companies | -- | 4. 615% | -- | -- | +------------------------------------+-----------+---------+---------+---------+ |Petronas Carigali Overseas Sdn Bhd | -- | -- | -- | 35.0% | +------------------------------------+-----------+---------+---------+---------+ *Map attached to the copy of this release on ROC's website (http://www.rocoil.com.au/Public/Investor_Centre/Announcements.aspx) Michelle Manook For further information please contact: General Manager - Corporate Affairs Dr John Doran on Tel: +61-2-8356-2000 Fax: +61-2-9380-2635 Email: jdoran@rocoil.com.au Or visit ROC's website: www.rocoil.com.au Dr Kevin Hird General Manager Business Development Tel: +44 (0)207 586 7935 Fax: +44 (0)207 722 3919 Email: khird@rocoil.com.au Nick Lambert Bell Pottinger Corporate & Financial Tel: +44 (0)207 861 3232 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange