OREANDA-NEWS. January 21, 2013. HRT Participates em Petroleo S.A. (the “Company” or “HRT”) (BM&FBOVESPA: HRTP3, TSX-V: HRP) announces that it has received the semi- submersible drilling-rig Transocean-Marianas from Transocean (NYSE: RIG), offshore Ghana, at zero hour of January 15th, 2013. The rig will be in transit to Namibian waters for the next three weeks and, then, she will undergo mandatory maintenance for the following 21 days, before starting HRT’s drilling campaign in Walvis and Orange sedimentary basins.

The Marianas is expected to be on location to start drilling the first well in Namibia, in the Wingat Prospect, in Walvis basin at HRT’s Petroleum Exploration License-23 (Pel-23) by the end of 1Q13. Wingat is located in 1,000-meter water depth and its drilling operations are expected to last approximately 60 days.

“The arrival of the Transocean-Marianas is excellent news for HRT and GALP. She is arriving within the planned timeframe to start one of the most expected and exciting drilling campaigns in Southern offshore West Africa”, added the CEO, Marcio R. Mello.

HRT Participates holds one of the largest independent oil and gas exploration and production companies in Brazil. The HRT Group comprises eight main subsidiaries: IPEX (Integrated Petroleum Expertise Company Servigos em Petroleo Ltda.), HRT O&G Exploragao e Produgao de Petroleo Ltda., HRT Netherlands B.V., HRT Africa Petroleo S.A., HRT America Inc., Air Amazonia Servigos Aereos Ltda. and HRT Canada Inc.. The Company retains a 55% interest in 21 exploratory blocks in the Solimoes Basin. HRT also operates ten exploratory blocks off the Namibian coast: eight blocks in the Orange Sub-basin and two blocks in the Walvis Sub-basin. HRT’s team includes PHDs and masters in geochemistry, geophysics, biology and engineering, most of them former employees of Petrobras and ANP (Brazil petroleum agency). HRT is committed to minimizing any possible environmental impacts in the sites where it acts. Our commitment to the local communities is towards health conditions, safety and quality of life.