Northern Petroleum Plc announces that its wholly owned subsidiary, Northern Petroleum Nederland B.V. has been flaring gas as part of a programme of well remediation work-overs followed by hydraulic fracturing of the reservoirformation to confirm and possibly improve gas production flow rates.

This hasbeen reported in The Netherlands press and elsewhere.

The flares look impressive to onlookers. Coming to a reliable fully informedopinion takes a little time. The wells are first flowed to clean up residualliquids and solids from the fracture operations then flow test measurementstaken at different pressures. The results are then analysed to provide bettergas and condensate production rate forecasts for confirmation of developmentdesign and sales contracts.

The on-site works and flow tests have been completed at Wijk en Aalburg and atBrakel, where a second flare stack was installed to take the volume and reducenoise and heat radiation. Down-hole works have also been conducted at Grollooto prepare the well for hydraulic fracturing operations.

Managing director Derek Musgrove said he was happy to be moving ahead with the five fields on existing production wells.

"The process of obtaining permissions from numerous authorities has required patience from management and shareholders alike," Musgrove said, adding, " It is not over, but it is satisfying to be conducting operations again."

Northern will announce a summary of the Wijk en Aalburg and Brakel results whenthe analyses are complete in order to avoid over optimistic interpretation ofany flow rates from selected parts of the test period.

In early 2009 this five field programme of work will move on to the Geesbrug and Ottoland fields. The programme is being undertaken to strengthen confidence in production forecasts prior to negotiating gas sales contracts. Production forecasts will only be increased once the required confidence levels are established.

Subject to finalising the EBN participation in all the licences, the interests in all five fields are the following: operator Northern Petroleum Nederland 45 percent, EBN 40 percent Dyas 15 percent.