Touchstone Exploration Inc. Announces the Closing of Its Previously Announced $24.0 Million Term Loan to Retire Vendor Take Back Note

CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwire - June 29, 2012) - Touchstone Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE:TAB) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced (CAD) $24.0 million long-term loan (the "New Financing") with a fund managed by Crown Capital Partners Inc. ("CCP"). The proceeds of the New Financing will be used to pay-out and retire the existing (USD) $23.3 million vendor take-back loan acquired from CL Financial Limited, later assigned to Colonial Life Insurance Company (Trinidad) Limited, in connection with the Company's acquisition of the Primera group of companies on August 19, 2011.

The New Financing provides for an interest rate of 9.25% per annum, compounded and payable monthly, a term of forty-eight (48) months with no repayment of principal until sixteen (16) months from the date of closing. The New Financing will be secured by a fixed and floating charge over the present and after acquired assets of the Company and its subsidiaries.

In connection with the New Financing, the Company paid CCP a commitment fee of (CAD) $560,000 (or 2.33% of the principal amount) and issued the lender 9.6 million non-transferable share purchase warrants to acquire one common share of the Company at an exercise price of (CAD) $0.55, exercisable at any time for four (4) years from the date of issuance. The warrants and common shares issuable upon exercise are subject to a hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws expiring October 30, 2012.

The companies in which Touchstone Exploration Inc. directly and indirectly owns investments or assets are separate entities. In this news release "Touchstone" is sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Touchstone Exploration Inc. and its subsidiaries in general.


Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this news release that involves Touchstone's expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Touchstone generally uses words such as "outlook," "will," "could," "would," "might," "remains," "to be," "plans," "believes," "may," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimate," "future," "plan," "positioned," "potential," "target", "project," "remain," "scheduled," "set to," "subject to," "upcoming," and similar expressions to help identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are based upon information available to Touchstone as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Touchstone and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to the impact of general economic conditions in Canada and Trinidad & Tobago; industry conditions including changes in laws and regulations including adoption of new environmental laws and regulations, and changes in how they are interpreted and enforced in Canada and Trinidad & Tobago; competition; actual and threatened litigation, lack of availability of qualified personnel; the results of exploration and development drilling and related activities; the timing and amount of estimated future production; costs of production; obtaining required approvals of regulatory authorities in Canada and Trinidad & Tobago; risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities; volatility in market prices for oil; fluctuations in foreign exchange or interest rates; environmental risks; changes in income tax laws or changes in tax laws and incentive programs relating to the oil industry; ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources; the risks that any estimate of potential net oil pay is not based upon an estimate prepared or audited by an independent reserves evaluator; that there is no certainty that any portion of the hydrocarbon resources will be discovered, or if discovered that it will be commercially viable to produce any portion thereof; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Touchstone.
Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. For further information regarding specific risks and uncertainties applicable to Touchstone please see Touchstone's disclosure documents which may be viewed through the Internet on the Canadian System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com. Touchstone does not undertake any obligation to publicly update forward-looking information except as required by applicable securities law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.



Contact

Touchstone Exploration Inc.
Mr. Greg Marr, Chief Financial Officer
(403) 992-8407

Touchstone Exploration Inc.
Mr. Paul Baay, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
(403) 992-8407
www.touchstoneexploration.com