Particle Drilling Technologies Mobilizes for Its First Commercial Trial with Gasco

HOUSTON, April 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Particle Drilling Technologies, Inc. ("PDTI" or "Company") (Nasdaq: PDRT) today announced that it has mobilized its patented Particle Impact Drilling (PID) system and personnel from Houston, Texas to northeastern Utah in order to make preparations for its first commercial trial with Gasco Energy, Inc. ("Gasco") (Amex: GSX).

Gasco has spud the well and expects to encounter the hard rock intervals which have been targeted for the PID system on or around April 17, 2006. These intervals are generally found below 9,500 feet, and are known for slow drilling rates. The rate of penetration ("ROP") in these lower intervals generally average between four and eight feet per hour and several drill bits are normally consumed. The PID system has succeeded in drilling at substantially faster rates in comparable rock formations while drilling test wells. This will, however, be the first time the PID system has been utilized on a conventional drilling operation at this depth.

During the months leading up to this commercial trial, PDTI has further prepared and tested the PID system and taken the necessary steps to assure that there are redundant parts and backups for each element of the system in order to minimize the risk of disruption. Despite these preparations, a new technology such as the PID system operating for the first time in a commercial environment should be expected to encounter unforeseen events. The Company has addressed and substantially resolved various equipment and operational-related issues that have been previously observed as the research and development process has progressed from the laboratory to the field. Unless new unforeseen issues develop in the field, PDTI expects the PID system will demonstrate significantly enhanced performance compared to conventional techniques and that such performance will be further enhanced as the Company gains more operating experience. PDTI anticipates that it will communicate the results of the first well and its plans for any further wells sometime in early May 2006.

Jim Terry, PDTI's President and Chief Executive Officer stated, "We are very excited about the upcoming commercial trial with Gasco. After gaining considerable experience operating and improving this technology over the past months, we are confident the PID system is now ready to be further demonstrated on a commercial basis and while we may not knock the ball out of the park on our first at bat, we have enough experience with the technology to feel like our chances of getting on base are very high. In my experience, I have yet to see a new oilfield technology with so much potential as the PID system in terms of efficiency, cost reduction and a process that is so non-intrusive to the operator."

Particle Drilling Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a development stage oilfield service and technology company owning certain patents and pending patents related to the Particle Impact Drilling technology. The Company's technology is designed to enhance the rate-of-penetration function in the drilling process, particularly in hard rock drilling environments.

Certain statements in this press release that are not historical but are forward-looking are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause PDTI's actual results in future periods to be materially different from any future performance that may be suggested in this press release. Such risks and uncertainties may include, but are not limited to, PDTI's ability to raise equity capital, if necessary, and its ability to obtain equity financing on acceptable terms, if at all, a severe worldwide slowdown in the energy services sector and working capital constraints. Further, PDTI is a development stage company that operates in an industry sector where securities values are highly volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond PDTI's control such as announcements by competitors and service providers.

J. Chris Boswell, SVP & CFO
Particle Drilling Technologies, Inc.
713-223-3031 ext. 204

Ken Dennard, Managing Partner
Jack Lascar, Partner
DRG&E / 713-529-6600