OREANDA-NEWS. July 31, 2012. Eurasia Drilling Company Limited (“EDC” or the “Company” - LSE: EDCL) the leading onshore and offshore drilling service provider in the CIS, today announces that it has acquired two onshore drilling rigs in Iraq, with a commitment to purchase a third. All three rigs are currently under contract or being tendered to international customers. To ensure uninterrupted operations, EDC intends to retain the existing management and operational staff and support facilities.

Dr. Alexander Djaparidze, EDC’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “This acquisition is a strategic breakthrough for EDC as it marks our first move outside of Russia and the CIS and is an important step toward our goal of becoming a truly global drilling contractor. By acquiring rigs in Iraq EDC now has a platform for growth in the expanding Iraqi and Middle Eastern oilfield services markets.”

EDC is the largest provider of onshore drilling services in Russia, as measured by the number of meters drilled, providing onshore integrated well construction services and workover services. In addition, the Company provides offshore drilling services in the Caspian Sea. The Company offers its onshore integrated well construction services and workover services to local and international oil and gas companies primarily in Russia and its offshore drilling services to Russian and international oil and gas companies in the Russian, Kazakh and Turkmen sectors of the Caspian Sea. The Company is traded on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol “EDCL”.