Seismic Trucks Arrive -- Drill Rigs on the Way.

LENEXA, Kan. -- Empire Energy Corporation International (Empire) (OTCBB:EEGC) president Malcolm Bendall announced today that Great South Land Minerals Ltd (GSLM) secured a drill rig in July to spud in five 6 inch, 600 feet (200 metres) pre - collar wells on its SEL 13/98. These wells will then be used to cement in our 4 1/2 inch 5,000 PSI American Petroleum Industry (API) rated casing on which we intend to mount a 5,000 PSI API rated blow-out preventor. We then aim to drill 4 inch wells to the planned total depth (TD) of up to 6,000 feet (2,000 metres). Our five-well drilling campaign is designed to prove commercial accumulations of oil, gas and helium in the onshore Tasmania Basin. Mr. Bendall said, "We have contracted a local drilling company to pre - collar five discovery wells and we are requesting bids for the completion of the wells to TD. These wells are on seismically defined structures and have the real possibility of commercial oil, gas and helium discoveries. These wells will be testing petroleum plays in Tertiary, Triassic and Paleozoic sequences in the north and central parts of the Tasmania Basin. The drilling plan for the first well, Lachish #1, has been approved by the Mines Department and the other wells will spud in when our drilling applications are approved."

GSLM Managing Director, Dr. Clive Burrett, said "These are exciting times with the onset of world record oil prices, currently at $72 a barrel, coinciding with the arrival in Tasmania of our Terrex Seismic Vibroseis team and the launch of our discovery drilling program. This couldn't be better timed, with the start of the 1100km 2D seismic program on Monday along with the initiation of our 2006 drilling program, we expect a successful year for the company. Previously, we have drilled seven stratigraphic wells in the basin all with promising shows of wet gas and with helium in several of them. Joint research with the University of Tasmania, financed by a grant from the Australian Federal Government and GSLM, has confirmed the generative potential of the basin, and along with the documented oil seep in the south of the basin proves the existence of a working petroleum system. Because of our planned comprehensive drilling program, we are optimistic and expect to have a commercial oil and gas discovery this year."

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on our current expectations about our company and our industry. You can identify these forward-looking statements when you see us using the words such as "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believes," "plans" and other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of our ability to complete required financings and other preconditions to the completion of the transactions described herein and Empire's ability to successfully acquire reserves and produce its resources among other issues. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available or other events occur in the future. We caution you not to place undue reliance on those statements.