Swift Energy assesses Hurricane Rita effects
  by: OilOnline
  Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Swift Energy Company has announced that its Toledo Bend Area was shut-in on Friday, September 23, 2005, during the approach of Hurricane Rita. The Toledo Bend area consists of the Brookeland Field located in East Texas in Jasper and Newton Counties, and the Masters Creek Field located across the Sabine River in western Louisiana parishes of Rapides and Vernon. Due to regional hurricane damage, communications and logistics problems, inspections of Swift Energy properties by field personnel have been hampered. Combined production from the Toledo Bend area was approximately 15 million cubic feet per day for the two weeks immediately prior to Hurricane Rita.

Swift Energy will be assessing any damages in these fields as well as in its coastal Louisiana fields including Lake Washington in Plaquemines Parish, Bay de Chene in Jefferson and Lafourche Parishes, and Cote Blanche Island in St. Mary's Parish, all of which were also shut-in as previously announced and remain shut-in. While no estimate can be made of the status of these fields at this time, the Company expects to begin receiving detailed information over the next several days. Approximately 55% to 60% of Swift Energy's total production is shut-in.

The Company's headquarters in Houston, Texas did not sustain any damage and are open for business on a limited basis under request of Houston government officials and pending the return of some personnel who evacuated while Hurricane Rita was threatening the area.