Harvest Natural Resources Starts Drilling at Ruche Marin-A Well, Offshore Gabon

Harvest Natural Resources, Inc. announced today commencement of drilling operations on the Ruche Marin-A exploration well located in the offshore waters of Gabon, West Africa.

This exploration well will be drilled utilizing the Transocean Sedneth 701 semi-submersible drilling unit.

The Ruche Marin-A well will be drilled in a water depth of 380 feet to test multiple stacked pre-salt targets to a planned total measured depth of approximately 10,100 feet. Drilling is anticipated to require approximately 28 days. In the event of success, additional time will be required to test and evaluate the well.

About Harvest Natural Resources

Harvest Natural Resources, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is an independent energy company with principal operations in Venezuela, producing and exploration assets in the United States, exploration assets in Indonesia, West Africa, China and Oman and business development offices in Singapore and the United Kingdom.

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Source:PR Newswire, April 29,2011;