Salamander Energy plc, the Asia focussed independent oil and gas exploration and production company, announces the spud of the Tom Su Lua-1X (“DBSCL01-TSL-1X”) exploration well in Block DBSCL-01, in the Vinh Chau Graben system, offshore southern Vietnam. Salamander holds an operated 75% interest in Block DBSCL-01, which was the subject of a previously announced farm out arrangement between Salamander and Origin Energy in December 2009.

The DBSCL01-TSL-1X well will be drilled to a depth of approximately 1,400 metres and is targeting oil in the Eocene-Oligocene clastics as well as pre-Tertiary basement. The mean gross pre-drill estimate of prospective recoverable resource is c. 60 MMbo. The well will be drilled by the PVD-1 jack-up rig in a water depth of 15 metres. It is expected to take approximately 25 days to complete on a dry hole basis.

On completion of the DBSCL01-TSL-1X well the rig will move to the Salamander operated Block 31, immediately outboard of Block DBSCL-01, to drill the Tom Hum Xanh-1X (“THX-1X”) exploration well. The mean gross pre-drill resource estimate for THX-1X is c. 80 MMbo.

James Menzies, Chief Executive of Salamander, said:

“The Vinh Chau Graben is a virgin basin that is estimated to contain several hundred million barrels of prospective oil resources. Tom Su Lua-1X is the first in a series of wells that Salamander will operate in the basin in order to explore its oil potential.”

Enquiries:

Salamander Energy	020 7960 1580
James Menzies, Chief Executive Officer
Geoff Callow, Head of Corporate Affairs
Brunswick Group	020 7404 5959
Patrick Handley
Fiona Mulcahy

About Salamander

Salamander is an Asia focussed, independent, FTSE 250, upstream oil and gas exploration and production company. Salamander has a balanced portfolio of production, development and exploration assets with interests located in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Lao PDR and the Philippines.