getting serious.....

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - July 16, 2008) - Pearl Exploration and Production Ltd. ("Pearl" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:PXX)(FIRST NORTH:PXXS) announces that the Company has entered into an agreement to acquire an additional 30% working interest in 3,886 contiguous hectares of oil sands leases in its Blackrod project, located south of Fort McMurray, in the Athabasca Oil Sands region of northern Alberta.

The acquisition is expected to close on August 20, 2008. The cost of acquisition will be paid as follows:

- $4.5 million payment on closing

- $4 million payment on SAGD pilot achieving gross accumulated production of 100,000 Bbls

- $4 million payment on full scale commercial development achieving 5,000 Bbl/d of production as reported to the Alberta government for the duration of one month

- $3 million payment on the full scale commercial development achieving 10,000 Bbl/d of production as reported to the Alberta government for the duration of one month

At December 31, 2007 Pearl's year end reserve report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 51-101 guidelines by DeGolyer and MacNaughton Canada Limited, estimated Pearl's 35% working interest share within these leases at approximately 107 million barrels of possible(i) recoverable oil reserves. Based on that report, pro-forma this transaction, Pearl's direct working interest of possible reserves on these leases will now increase to approximately 199 million barrels. In addition, through its approximate 18% ownership of its joint venture partner, Serrano Energy Ltd ("Serrano"), Pearl has an additional indirect ownership of 8% of the project or 19 million barrels of possible oil reserves.