UPDATE 1-Heritage Oil says 2009 performance 'exceptional'

* Notes significant operational success Uganda, Kurdistan

* Average Russian production for 2009 estimated at 500 bopd

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LONDON, May 19 (Reuters) - Heritage Oil Ltd (HOIL.L) said on Tuesday it has performed "exceptionally" in 2009 to date, with significant exploration and appraisal success in its key areas of Uganda and the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

It said production from the Zapadno Chumpasskoye field in Russia, which was suspended last December until February amid lower domestic oil prices, resumed at about 150 barrels of oil per day (bopd) in March.

Output has since increased to more than 500 bopd and is expected to continue to rise as well optimisation work is completed, Heritage said. Despite the shut-in early in the year, average production for 2009 was estimated to reach 500 bopd.

(Reporting by Julie Crust; editing by Victoria Bryan)