Empire Lodges Registration Statement for Final Approval of AUD $11 Million (US $9 Million) Rights Offering

Empire Energy Corporation International (Empire) (OTCBB:EEGC - News) today announced lodging of the Registration Statement with the SEC for final approval of AUD $11 Million (US $9 Million) Rights Offering.

Once SEC final approval has been received, Empire can schedule the mailing of the Rights Certificates and establish the beginning of the rights offering period. Empire CEO, Malcolm Bendall has stated that he intends to exercise his full shareholder right under the rights offering for the benefit of the drilling program. The rights offering will provide a regulated environment which gives all shareholders equal opportunity to participate in the future of the company and is expected to be fully subscribed.

Funding for the drilling program has been contingent on the completion and approval of the registration statement for the rights issue. Our rights offering, if fully subscribed, is expected to raise AUD $11 Million (US $9 Million) to enable us to complete the drilling of our Bellevue site and possibly the Thunderbolt site as well.

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 becoming a leading low-cost finder of hydrocarbons. The Company is currently operating in Tasmania's central and northern basins.

Additional information is available on the company’s web site, www.empireenergy.com.

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 Int'l, please refer to its 10-K and 10 Q reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.