drilling slowly and not up front

Mr Lincoln Augustus has asked me to draw your attention to these interesting bits in ESGs latest bimonthly drilling report:

Note: RIG RELEASE DATE: Date the rig was released (usually after logs, casing, etc are run)

1. Well: Tintsfield 5, ESG/Santos.
Spudded on 30 Jan 2010
Rig release date on 06 Feb 2010 = 7 days
Depth drilled = 870 mrtres


2. Well: Tintsfield 6, ESG/Santos.
Spudded on 06 Feb 2010
Rig release date on 14 Feb 2010 = 8 days
Depth drilled = 868 metres


3. Milgay 1 Corehole, ESG/Orion
Spudded on 02 Feb 2010
Rig not released = 14 days and counting, counting,counting.
Depth drilled = 673.5 metres

We feel that it should be considered to be unduly cynical for anyone to even think that Milgay 1, for whatever reasons, has been drilled very much more slowly than, and possibly will reach a shallower final depth than Tintsfield 5 or Tintsfield 6.

Any thoughts of hidden agendas should not cross one's mind at all.

We feel that it is most likely that the results of Milgay-1 will be available after February 23rd 2010.

Orion shareholders should be happy that they have such an excellent board looking after their welfare and well-being, and that this Board is making the utmost efforts to ensure shareholders get a good price for their shares.

As such, shareholders should make every effort to attend the General Meeting on 23 February so that they can make known their feelings of gratitude to the Board of Orion.

It is interesting to note that ESG has not recorded the depths at which the Hoskissons seams were intersected in Tintsfield 5 and 6, as this would have helped in the comparison with final depths of Milgay-1

Jean-Pierre