Empire Rights Offering Closes Over-Subscribed, New Directors Invited to Join Board, Re-Listing Process Started

LEAWOOD, Kan., Aug. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Empire Energy Corporation International (Empire) (Pink Sheets: EEGC), with its wholly owned Australian subsidiary, Great South Land Minerals, Limited (GSLM) announced on Tuesday, August 10th 2010 that as of July 30th the transfer agent, InterWest Transfer Company, informed the Company that the USD$9.8 million rights offering had officially closed and was over-subscribed.

An unexpected number of eligible shareholders worldwide took up additional shares while CEO Malcolm Bendall honored his prior pledge to purchase all unsubscribed shares at the closing of the 2nd round. In the 2nd round Mr. Bendall converted $5,845,453.18 of personally held Empire Energy debt into equity shares at a price of 7 cents per share. Mr. Bendall stated, "My purchase of all available shares from the rights offering is now complete. This purchase speaks to my confidence in Empire's strength and our recent financial partnership. I expect progress to quickly accelerate as Empire moves into a new phase in our quest to discover and commercialize oil and gas throughout the Tasmania basin. Over the next few months I anticipate the Company will complete purchase and shipping of its new GEFCO SpeedStar 1100 rig, close its USD$180 million structured finance deal and ultimately re-commence drilling. Additionally, Empire is advancing with the commercialization of the proprietary flare gas technology for which it has access to. Details regarding a USD$300 million investment in the technology will be forthcoming."

Now that the rights offering has successfully closed Empire is also proceeding with issuing formal invitations to Mr. James Leach to join Empire Energy's Board of Directors and Mr. Mark Cowan to join as an advisor to the Board. These two outstanding individuals bring years of diverse insight into the business operations of public companies. Their guidance will be invaluable in the management of the more vigorous requirements of corporate governance and structure demanded by the size of the project the Company is now undertaking. Shareholders have never been in better hands.

Empire has additionally engaged the services of a private firm to organize and manage Empire's application for listing on the National Market System. The Company anticipates being listed on the full NASDAQ shortly.

Empire Energy Corporation is an international oil and gas exploration company, focusing on developing assets in one of the world's last virgin basins and to become a leading low-cost finder of hydrocarbons. The Company is currently operating in Tasmania's central and northern basins.

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. For a more detailed discussion of risks and other factors related to Empire Energy Corporation International, please refer to 10-K and 10-Q reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Empire Energy Corporation International