OREANDA-NEWS. April 20, 2011. HRT Participacoes em Petroleo S.A. (the “Company” or “HRT”), hereby announces that the Republic of Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy ("Ministry" or "MME") has extended the first exploration period in the 2112B and 2212A offshore blocks in the Walvis Sedimentary Basin.

More precisely, the three years of the first exploration period (Petroleum Exploration License no. 0023) which would end on June 6, 2011, has been extended by a further two years, giving five years in all.

The MME was extremely pleased with the magnitude of the 3D seismic data survey, which had not only been the largest in Namibia to date, but had also been around 26 times larger than originally envisaged in the exploratory commitment. Also according to the Ministry, the extension will give HRT sufficient time to interpret the seismic data so that it can drill its first offshore well in the country.

About the 2112B and 2212A Blocks

The blocks are contiguous and cover an area of approximately 11,000km? (2.8 million acres) in the Walvis Sedimentary Basin at a depth of between 300 and 1400m.