NEWSROOM

    TORONTO, Oct. 2 /CNW/ - Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp. (TSX: PRE)
announced today the results of the latest well drilled in its exploration
campaign in the Rubiales and Piriri Blocks, located in the Llanos Basin of
Colombia.
    The exploratory well, identified as RUB-147, was drilled in the
northwestern area of the Rubiales Block in the "Buffer Zone" (a 5 km strip
that surrounds the Rubiales and Piriri Blocks). The petrophysical information
not only confirmed the discovery of new oil, but also provides evidence of the
presence of hydrocarbons in the contiguous Quifa Block.
    The well, drilled in the "D" prospect, found the top of the basal
sandstones at a depth of 2,914 feet and the oil-water contact at 2,970 feet,
resulting in a oil column of 56 feet at the well; since the crest of the
structure at prospect D is at 2,904 feet, the resulting total column for the
structure is 66 gross feet. The petrophysical evaluation of the well indicates
a net pay zone of 35 feet with porosities over 30%. These results, once
properly evaluated, will not only extend the known reservoir into this area,
but will also give a clear indication of the prospectivity of the Quifa Block,
since 25% of the structure discovered by this well stretches into that block.
The Quifa Block is an exploratory block in which the company holds 60%, in
association with Ecopetrol (40%).
    The company has completed well RUB-147 as a vertical producer and is now
planning to test the well, which has showed initial rates of 200-250 barrels
of oil per day.
    Ronald Pantin, the company's Chief Executive Officer, stated "This
discovery adds to our confidence in the Rubiales field, but better still,
gives us a very positive view about the exploration potential in the Quifa
Block."

    Pacific Rubiales, a Canadian-based company and producer of natural gas
and heavy crude oil, owns 100 percent of Meta Petroleum Limited, 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
22,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day, with working interests in the
Rubiales, Piriri and Quifa concessions and the Caguan, Dindal, Rio Seco, Puli
B, La Creciente, Moriche, Guama, Arauca, Tacacho and Jagueyes blocks in
Colombia and blocks 135, 137 and 138 in 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.

    %SEDAR: 00007953E