Orca Names New COO to Boost Its Operations in Tanzania

Orca Exploration Group Inc. announces that Beer van Straten has been named Chief Operating Officer effective immediately. He will assume responsibility for the Company’s field operations including a large scale development and exploration drilling program in Tanzania. He replaces Dale Rollins who resigned as Chief Operating Officer in March 2012.

In making the appointment announcement Orca Chairman and CEO W. David Lyons said, “We are very fortunate that Beer van Straten has agreed to become Orca’s Chief Operating Officer. He brings extensive large scale drilling and operations experience to our team in Africa.”

Orca is currently drilling a development well (SS-11) on Songo Songo Island in Tanzania and, subject to funding, plans to drill a second development well (SS-12) later this year. This development drilling program is intended to increase Songo Songo gas production from 113 MMcfd to over 200 MMcfd. Additional gas production is urgently needed to meet current and future power generation demand in Tanzania. In addition to the two development wells the Company has announced plans to drill an exploration well at Songo Songo West.

Beer van Straten is a senior international oil and gas industry executive with over 20 years of high level exploration, production and commercial experience in the North Sea, Middle East and Africa. He has been associated with Orca since June 2010 when he joined Orca’s Board of Directors. Beer van Straten began his career with Shell in 1988 and worked across North Africa managing operations for Shell and other oil and gas operators. Prior to his work with Orca he managed an aggressive five-rig drilling program for Dana Gas in Egypt that led to doubling their reserves and raising production by 50% managing a staff of 800 and 400 contractors.

Beer van Straten studied at Delft University of Technology where he graduated with a MSc. in Mechanical Engineering.

Orca Exploration is an international public company engaged in natural gas exploration, development and supply in Tanzania and oil and gas appraisal in Italy. Orca Exploration trades on the TSXV under the trading symbols ORC.B and ORC.A.

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Source: Orca Exploration Group, April 18, 2012