EO. Encore Oil

RNS Number:0618K
EnCore Oil PLC
17 December 2007


Press Release
For immediate release: 17 December 2007

EnCore Oil plc ("EnCore" or "the Company")


Rig Confirmation & Farm-out to Challenger Minerals on UK North Sea Blocks 48/1b
                                    & 48/2c

EnCore Oil plc (LSE: EO.) announces that the ENSCO 80 drilling rig has been
contracted for the appraisal drilling of the Cobra discovery on UK North Sea
block 48/2c. Due to early rig availability, the appraisal well will now be
drilled in the first quarter of 2008.

The EnCore operated well will appraise the 48/2-1 gas discovery drilled by Amoco
in 1984, which tested at a flow rate of 2.7 million cubic feet per day from the
Rotliegend sandstone. The well will be managed by Applied Drilling Technology
International (ADTI) which has over 20 years' experience in providing turnkey
drilling.

EnCore also announces that it has entered into a farm-out agreement with
Challenger Minerals (North Sea) Limited ("Challenger Minerals") under which
Challenger Minerals receives the right to acquire a five per cent. interest in
southern North Sea Blocks 48/1b and 48/2c containing the Cobra discovery from
EnCore. Under the terms of this farm-out agreement and together with the
previously announced farm-out agreement with Tata Petrodyne and Bharat
Petroleum, EnCore will pay for three per cent. of the appraisal well cost
(subject to an overall well cost cap), and retain a 20 per cent. interest in the
licence and remain as licence operator.

Alan Booth, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

"The Cobra appraisal well presents EnCore with an opportunity to add material
value and represents our first operated well. Cobra lies close to existing
infrastructure and offers a relatively low risk appraisal project some 300 feet
up dip from the existing discovery well with significant upside potential."


For further information, please contact:

EnCore Oil plc                                  www.encoreoil.co.uk
Alan Booth, Chief Executive Officer             +44 (0)20 7224 4546
Eugene Whyms, Chief Financial Officer

Aquila Financial Limited                        www.aquila-financial.com
Peter Reilly                                    +44 (0)20 7202 2601
Yvonne Fraser                                   +44 (0)20 7202 2609

Hanson Westhouse Limited
Tim Feather                                     +44 (0)113 246 2610

KBC Peel Hunt
Jonathan Marren                                 +44 (0)20 7418 8900


Notes to Editors:

EnCore Oil plc (LSE:EO.) is an oil and gas exploration and production (E&P)
company quoted on AIM.

At EnCore, it is not the Company's aim to build a full cycle E&P company. The
principal strategy is to create shareholder value through the successful
exploration and appraisal of prospects and discoveries. The Company will seek to
monetise or exchange the asset at the appropriate point in its life cycle and
return value directly to shareholders wherever possible.

EnCore has an experienced and proven management team, a number of whom were
responsible for the discovery of the Buzzard field in the UK North Sea, which
currently produces 10 per cent. of the UK's total oil production.

All EnCore's commercial and material technical evaluations are undertaken
in-house by the EnCore team. This brings both continuity to the management and
development of the assets and an ownership that is vital to unearth the best and
most creative new ideas and opportunities.

EnCore currently holds a balanced portfolio of interests in licences both on and
offshore, primarily focused on the UKCS. EnCore expects to participate in the
drilling of nine wells before the end of 2008.

www.encoreoil.co.uk




                      This information is provided by RNS
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