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ALICE, Texas, Feb. 10 /CNW/ -- Forbes Energy Services Ltd. (TSX: FRB)

today announced its rig and trucking hours billed for the month of January

2010.

For the month ending

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January 31, 2010 December 31, 2009 January 31, 2009

---------------- ----------------- ----------------

Working days 20 20 21

Rig hours

U.S. 19,962 18,296 26,016

Mexico 6,360 5,976 -

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Total rig hours 26,322 24,272 26,016

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Truck hours 83,625 78,130 89,383

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Working days represent the week days in the month less holidays. Rig and

truck hours represent actual hours billed to customers.

John Crisp, Forbes Energy's President and Chief Executive Officer,

commented, "We're pleased to report that the new year has seen a continuation

of the recent upward trend in rig and truck hours. Based on industry trends

and conversations with customers, we expect to see gradual improvement

throughout 2010, driven largely by oil related activity and the growth of the

Eagle Ford Shale play in South Texas."

Forbes Energy Services cautions that several factors other than those

discussed above may impact the Company's operating results and that a

particular trend regarding the factors above may or may not be indicative of

the Company's current or future financial performance.

Forbes Energy Services Ltd. is an independent oilfield services

contractor that provides a broad range of drilling-related and

production-related services to oil and natural gas companies, primarily

onshore in Texas, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Mexico.

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Contacts: Forbes Energy Services Ltd.

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L. Melvin Cooper, SVP & CFO

361-664-0549

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DRG&E

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Ken Dennard, Managing Partner

Ben Burnham, AVP

713-529-6600

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/For further information: L. Melvin Cooper, SVP & CFO of Forbes Energy

Services Ltd., +1-361-664-0549; or Ken Dennard, Managing Partner, or Ben

Burnham, AVP, both of DRG&E, +1-713-529-6600, for Forbes Energy Services Ltd./