Empire Advises Drill Rig Status, License Applications and Rights Offering Registration

LEAWOOD, Kan.--(Business Wire)--
Empire Energy Corporation International (Empire) (OTCBB:EEGC) this week
announced the mast and certain other components of the Hunt Energy rig #3 at the
Bellevue #1 well site were moved to a holding yard in Launceston where work will
be undertaken to "winterize" the rig to work in all conditions. Snow, frost and
temperatures well below zero over the past few weeks (and forecast to continue
over the next few months), could cause safety problems; with ice and snow
falling from the mast and the constant wet starting to cause corrosion. This
extreme weather is mainly due to the Bellevue #1 site being situated at a high
elevation (1,070 meters above sea level) and the Tasmanian alpine winter
(June-Aug.). Hunt Energy has advised that it is their intention to resume work
at Bellevue #1 when further funding becomes available.

SEL 4/2009 and SEL 5/2009 Applications

Empire Energy advised that Tasmanian Minister for Energy and Resources declined
to approve the applications for special exploration licenses SEL 4/2009 and SEL
5/2009 applied for on 20 April 2009 by Empire. The reason given in the
Minister`s letter was that "the applications do not include sufficient
information to satisfy me that EECI is likely to have sufficient financial
resources to carry out the proposed work program, following the company's
statement in the SEC Filings for EEGC.OB Form 10-Q on 20 May 2009." Empire
refutes this statement and has sought a review of this decision from the Deputy
Secretary of the Department of Energy, Infrastructure and Resources on the
grounds that information drawn from the 10-Q was misinterpreted and future
commercial dealings were not taken into account in the consideration. In
response to the Minister's letter, Empire has also submitted two new
applications on 18 June 2009, for the special exploration license areas covered
by SEL 4/2009 and SEL 5/2009, highlighting the financial and technical capacity
of Empire Energy to carry out the proposed exploration programs and removing
Geominex Resources as a joint venture partner.

Registration Statements

The Registration Statement filed with the SEC in April to allow resale of
certain shares has progressed through preliminary review and may become
effective upon completion of final legal opinion and consents. The Registration
Statement filed with the SEC in May to allow the announced Rights Issue
continues to progress through preliminary review with expectation of comments in
the coming week. The Rights Issue will become available when SEC review, legal
opinion and consents are complete and the registration is allowed to become
effective by the SEC.

The registration filing is the preliminary stage of the USD$ 9 million (AUD$12
million) Rights Issue offering. Shareholders of record on the December 18, 2008,
record date are eligible to subscribe for one share for every two shares held at
that date at a price of US$ 7 cents (about AUD$ 9 cents) per share. With the
proceeds, it is intended to expand funding of the drilling campaign and pay
outstanding due debts of Empire and its subsidiaries, including Great South Land
Minerals Ltd. Empire CEO, Malcolm Bendall has announced that he intends to
acquire his full allotment of shares in the Rights Offering and to participate
fully to acquire additional shares in the over allotment option to the extent
that other Rights Holders fail to exercise.

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

Empire Energy Corporation International
Malcolm Bendall, 816-663-2310

Copyright Business Wire 2009