(PRP.)(TRIL) EKHO #1 Enters Temblor Formation.

Business Editors

VANCOUVER, B.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2000

(CDNX:CBN) (CDNX:CWQ) (CDNX:POE) (CDNX:PRP) (OTCBB:TRIL)

David Patterson, Chairman of the EKHO Project Consortium, is pleased to announce that the EKHO No. 1 well has reached a depth of 15,946 feet and entered the Temblor Formation after only 41 days of drilling.

The operator, Tri-Valley Oil and Gas has advised the Consortium that mud weight has been increased to control the well pressure and that they are drilling ahead towards the target depth of 19,500 feet.

The EKHO #1 well offsets two wells drilled in the 1970's that flowed oil from deep formations but were not able to be completed for commercial production due to technical difficulties encountered at the time. Tri-Valley believes that it has solved these technical problems and has been drilling at a record rate in pursuit of the geological opportunity that could potentially amount to substantial oil and gas reserves.

Nine Canadian Venture Exchange (CDNX) resource companies and various individual investors have funded the EKHO No. 1. The EKHO Consortium includes, Aster Ventures Corp, (ASV.V) 20%, Curion Venture Corp. (CUV.V) 20%, Lucre Ventures Ltd. (LVD.V) 12%, Berkshire International Mining Ltd. (BKR.V) 10%, CVL Resources (CVL.V) 9.64%, Consolidated Bradbury International Equities (CBN.V) 5%, Curlew Lake Resources (CWQ.V) 5%, Pan Ocean Explorations (POE.V) 5% and Prairie Pacific Energy Corporation (PRP.V) 5%.

Tri-Valley Corporation is the publicly traded parent (OTCBB "TRIL") of Tri-Valley Oil & Gas Co., EKHO Project operator.

The Canadian Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

On Behalf of the EKHO Project Consortium David Patterson, Chairman