SINGAPORE, April 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Valeura Energy Inc. (TSX:VLE, OTCQX:VLERF) ("Valeura" or the "Company") has agreed to charter the Shelf Drilling Enterprise jack-up drilling rig for a three-year term that runs to 31 December 2029.  Valeura has an option on the start date, and currently plans to commence drilling operations with the rig in Q4 2026, initially focused on delivering production acceleration projects.

Dr. Sean Guest, President and CEO commented:

"Three consecutive years of an approximately 200% reserves replacement ratio has materially transformed our asset base.  With 57.8 mmbbls of proved plus probable reserves as of 31 December 2025, we see more opportunity and a larger inventory of drilling targets within our core Gulf of Thailand portfolio. 

At the same time, we see a favourable pricing environment within the rig market, so we are moving decisively to capitalise on the opportunity before us by locking in the Enterprise rig for a term of three years.

Our business remains robust, even at the relatively low commodity prices we saw in late 2025.  With that position now coupled with a robust balance sheet, we intend to pursue further development, appraisal, and exploration drilling across our portfolio with a programme of continual drilling through the end of 2029."

The Enterprise is a premium jack-up drilling rig owned by Shelf Drilling (Southeast Asia) Limited, a subsidiary of ADES Holding Company, which is suitable for drilling operations anywhere in the offshore Gulf of Thailand.

For further information, please contact:

Contact details for the Company's advisors, covering research analysts and joint brokers, including Auctus Advisors LLP, Beacon Securities Limited, Canaccord Genuity Ltd (UK), Cormark Securities Inc., Research Capital Corporation, Roth Canada Inc., and Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited, are listed on the Company's website at www.valeuraenergy.com/investor-information/analysts/.

About the Company

Valeura Energy Inc. is a Canadian public company engaged in the exploration, development and production of petroleum and natural gas in Thailand and Türkiye.  The Company is executing a growth-oriented strategy, reinvesting into its producing asset portfolio while deploying capital toward further organic and inorganic growth across Southeast Asia. Valeura is committed to delivering value-accretive growth for all stakeholders, underpinned by high standards of environmental, social and governance responsibility.

Additional information relating to Valeura is also available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Oil and Gas Advisories
Reserves disclosed in this news release are based on an independent evaluation conducted by the incumbent independent petroleum engineering firm, NSAI with an effective date of 31 December 2025. The NSAI estimates of reserves and resources were prepared using guidelines outlined in the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook and in accordance with National Instrument 51-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities.  The reserves estimates disclosed in this news release are estimates only and there is no guarantee that the estimated reserves will be recovered.

This news release contains the oil and gas metric "reserves replacement ratio" which does not have a standardised meaning or standard method of calculation and therefore such measure may not be comparable to similar measures used by other companies.  Such metric is commonly used in the oil and gas industry and has been included herein to provide readers with an additional measure to evaluate the Company's performance; however, such measure is not a reliable indicator of the future performance of the Company and future performance may not compare to the performance in previous periods.

 "Reserves replacement ratio" for 2025 is calculated by dividing the difference in reserves between the NSAI 2025 Report and the previous independent engineering evaluation of the reserves attributable to the Company's four licences in the offshore Gulf of Thailand prepared by NSAI, plus actual 2025 production, by the assets' total production before royalties for the calendar year 2025.

Reserves
Reserves are estimated remaining quantities of commercially recoverable oil, natural gas, and related substances anticipated to be recoverable from known accumulations, as of a given date, based on the analysis of drilling, geological, geophysical, and engineering data, the use of established technology, and specified economic conditions, which are generally accepted as being reasonable. Reserves are further categorised according to the level of certainty associated with the estimates and may be sub-classified based on development and production status.

Proved reserves are those reserves that can be estimated with a high degree of certainty to be It is likely that the actual remaining quantities recovered will exceed the estimated proved recoverable reserves.

Probable reserves are those additional reserves that are less certain to be recovered than proved reserves.  It is equally likely that the actual remaining quantities recovered will be greater or less than the sum of the estimated proved plus probable reserves.

Advisory and Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain information included in this news release constitutes forward-looking information under applicable securities legislation.  Such forward-looking information is for the purpose of explaining management's current expectations and plans relating to the future.  Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions.  Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "estimate", "propose", "project", "target" or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook.  Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company's business remaining robust, even at low commodity prices; management's envisaged programme of continual drilling through 2029; and timing for the arrival of the Enterprise rig.  Forward-looking information is based on management's current expectations and assumptions regarding, among other things: political stability of the areas in which the Company is operating; continued safety of operations and ability to proceed in a timely manner; continued operations of and approvals forthcoming from governments and regulators in a manner consistent with past conduct; future drilling activity on the required/expected timelines; the prospectivity of the Company's lands; the continued favourable pricing and operating netbacks across its business; future production rates and associated operating netbacks and cash flow; decline rates; future sources of funding; future economic conditions; the impact of inflation of future costs; future currency exchange rates; interest rates; the ability to meet drilling deadlines and fulfil commitments under licences and leases; future commodity prices; the impact of the ongoing conflicts between the U.S.-Israel and Iran, and between Russia and Ukraine; royalty rates and taxes; future capital and other expenditures; the success obtained in drilling new wells and working over existing wellbores; the performance of wells and facilities; the availability of the required capital to funds its exploration, development and other operations, and the ability of the Company to meet its commitments and financial obligations; the ability of the Company to secure adequate processing, transportation, fractionation and storage capacity on acceptable terms; the capacity and reliability of facilities; the application of regulatory requirements respecting abandonment and reclamation; the recoverability of the Company's reserves and contingent resources; future growth; the sufficiency of budgeted capital expenditures in carrying out planned activities; the impact of increasing competition; the ability to efficiently integrate assets and employees acquired through acquisitions; global energy policies going forward; future debt levels; and the Company's continued ability to obtain and retain qualified staff and equipment in a timely and cost efficient manner. In addition, the Company's work programmes and budgets are in part based upon expected agreement among joint venture partners and associated exploration, development and marketing plans and anticipated costs and sales prices, which are subject to change based on, among other things, the actual results of drilling and related activity, availability of drilling, offshore storage and offloading facilities and other specialised oilfield equipment and service providers, changes in partners' plans and unexpected delays and changes in market conditions. Although the Company believes the expectations and assumptions reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect.

Forward-looking information involves significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Exploration, appraisal, and development of oil and natural gas reserves and resources are speculative activities and involve a degree of risk. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company including, but not limited to: the ability of management to execute its business plan or realise anticipated benefits from acquisitions; the risk of disruptions from public health emergencies and/or pandemics; competition for specialised equipment and human resources; the Company's ability to manage growth; the Company's ability to manage the costs related to inflation; disruption in supply chains; the risk of currency fluctuations; changes in interest rates, oil and gas prices and netbacks; potential changes in joint venture partner strategies and participation in work programmes; uncertainty regarding the contemplated timelines and costs for work programme execution; the risks of disruption to operations and access to worksites; potential changes in laws and regulations, the uncertainty regarding government and other approvals; counterparty risk; the risk that financing may not be available; risks associated with weather delays and natural disasters; and the risk associated with international activity. See the most recent annual information form and management's discussion and analysis of the Company for a detailed discussion of the risk factors.

The forward-looking information contained in this new release is made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information contained in this new release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction, including where such offer would be unlawful. This news release is not for distribution or release, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Ireland, the Republic of South Africa or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which its publication or distribution would be unlawful.

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

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