("Kea" or "the Company")

Drilling of Puka-3 

Kea Petroleum plc (AIM: KEA), the oil and gas company focused on New Zealand, is pleased to announce that drilling of Puka-3 has commenced using the Drill Force Rig 6.

Puka-3 is targeting Mt Messenger formation sands at about 1,580m True Vertical Depth which have been interpreted from the recent 50 square km 3D seismic reflection survey carried out in the south western part of PEP 51153. 

The drilling of Puka-3, from the same well pad as the producing Puka-1 and Puka-2 wells, is the major component of Phase 1 of the farm-out agreement with MEO New Zealand Pty Limited.

Ian Gowrie-Smith, Chairman of Kea Petroleum, commented:

"We have eagerly been awaiting the drilling of the Puka 3 appraisal well. The results will help us to gain a better understanding of the resource size and deliverability, to enable us to plan for further commercial development."

This release has been approved by non-executive director Peter Mikkelsen FGS, AAPG, who has consented to the inclusion of the technical information in this release in the form and context in which it appears.

For further information please contact:

Notes to Editors:

Kea Petroleum is an AIM listed oil and gas exploration company with interests in three petroleum exploration permits in the Taranaki Basin of New Zealand. Kea listed on the London AIM market in February 2010.