Pacific Rubiales Energy Announces Exploratory Success in its Visure-1X Well, Buganviles Block, Upper Magdalena Valley

TORONTO, Nov. 4, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. (TSX: PRE; BVC: PREC) announced today a new exploratory success at its Visure-1X well, located in the Buganviles Block, Upper Magdalena Valley Basin, Colombia.

The Visure-1X well, located in the Visure prospect, close to the southeastern border of the Buganviles Block, was drilled to evaluate a structural trap, similar to the nearby Abanico field to the northeast. The well had three main exploratory targets: the Cretaceous Lower and Upper Intervals of the Guadalupe Formation and the Tertiary Barzalosa Formation. The well was spudded on October 16, 2010, and reached a final depth of 3,380 feet measured depth (MD) or 2,205 feet true vertical depth (TVDSS) on November 1, 2010. The well was drilled slightly deviated at an angle of 9 degrees and found the top of the Barzalosa Formation at 2,206 feet MD (1,040 feet TVDSS), the Upper Guadalupe Interval at 2,995 feet MD (1,825 feet TVDSS), the Lower Guadalupe Interval at 3,079 feet MD (1,908 feet TVDSS), and the top of Villeta Formation at 3,272 feet MD (2,099 feet TVDSS).

The petrophysical evaluation of the well in the Barzalosa and Upper and Lower Guadalupe Formations indicated a total net pay of liquid hydrocarbons of 114 feet in the three intervals, ranging from 24.5 to 45.5 feet of net pay and 16% to 26% average porosity. In addition to the oil-bearing sandstones, the well also showed gas saturated sandstones in the Barzalosa Formation (3 feet thick). A summary of the petrophysical evaluation for each interval is presented below:

The Visure-1X well was drilled in the southwestern flank of the Visure prospect, and confirmed an oil-water contact at 1,970 feet TVDSS in the Lower Guadalupe Formation. According to the seismic interpretation, the crest of the structure at this level, 0.7 km to the northeast, has been mapped at 1,915 feet TVDSS, which could imply an additional 65 feet of hydrocarbon column for the Visure prospect in the Lower Guadalupe Formation Interval. The Company is now preparing the testing plan for the well to complete it as a producer in the Guadalupe Formation.

The Company is the operator in the block and holds a 19.875% participation in the prospect where the Visure well was drilled. The remaining interest is held by Petrodorado South America, S.A. (TSXV: PDQ) and other private investors. This is an association contract with Ecopetrol.

Ronald Pantin, CEO of the Company, commented, "The results of the Visure-1X well in the Buganviles Block brings new exploration opportunities in the area, so the Company is planning to drill additional exploratory wells in the Block during the last quarter of 2010 and the first quarter of 2011. The first of these, the Tuqueque-1X well, will be spudded shortly."

Pacific Rubiales, a Canadian-based company and producer of natural gas and heavy crude oil, owns 100 percent of Meta Petroleum Corp., a Colombian oil operator which operates the Rubiales and Piriri oil fields in the Llanos Basin in association with Ecopetrol S.A., the Colombian national oil company. The Company is focused on identifying opportunities primarily within the eastern Llanos Basin of Colombia as well as in other areas in Colombia and northern Peru. Pacific Rubiales has a current net production of approximately at 62,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, after royalties, with working interests in 40 blocks in Colombia, Guatemala and Peru.

Boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion ratio of 6 mcf: 1 bbl is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding estimates and/or assumptions in respect of production, revenue, cash flow and costs, reserve and resource estimates, potential resources and reserves and the Company's exploration and development plans and objectives) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs, production estimates and estimated economic return; the possibility that actual circumstances will differ from the estimates and assumptions; failure to establish estimated resources or reserves; fluctuations in petroleum prices and currency exchange rates; inflation; changes in equity markets; political developments in Colombia or Peru; changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future; the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological data; and the other risks disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's annual information form dated March 9, 2010 filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

SOURCE Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp.