Securities Regulator REJECTS Suroco Energy's Attempt to Disenfranchise Minority Shareholders

CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired - June 20, 2014) - Vetra Acquisition Ltd. ("VETRA") announced today that a Securities Regulator in Canada has REJECTED an application made by Suroco Energy Inc. ("Suroco") to allow Alentar Holdings Inc., a related party to Suroco, to vote as part of the minority shareholders in the consideration of the Petroamerica Arrangement.

Suroco has taken a number of highly unusual steps to disenfranchise shareholders who oppose the Petroamerica transaction. The Securities Regulator has taken steps to protect the interests of the minority shareholders by rejecting Suroco's attempt to allow a related party to Suroco that is receiving benefits not shared by all shareholders to vote with the minority shareholders. Suroco shareholders can now voice their disapproval of the process undertaken by the Suroco Board and vote against the Petroamerica transaction without interference from a related party.

Vetra, a wholly-owned subsidiary of VETRA Holding S.a.r.l., also announced today that it has increased its offer to purchase all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Suroco to $0.75 per common share (the "Offer"). Details of VETRA's superior Offer can be found in the offer, take-over bid circular and proxy circular supplement and notice of variations filed on Suroco's company profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The Petroamerica Arrangement is subject to approval by the minority shareholders of Suroco. If Suroco shareholders REJECT the Petroamerica transaction and accept the Offer, Suroco shareholders will receive cash consideration at full value for their shares as opposed to holding shares in an illiquid and under-capitalized small-cap company with a volatile price history. To accept the Offer, Suroco shareholders must vote AGAINST Petroamerica Arrangement. Suroco shareholders are encouraged to vote their BLUE proxy AGAINST the Petroamerica Arrangement, no later than 3:00 p.m. (Calgary time) on Friday June 24, 2014.

For more information or assistance in voting your BLUE proxy, please contact Kingsdale Shareholder Services at 1-855-682-8087 (toll-free), 416-867-2272 (outside North America), or by email at contactus@kingsdaleshareholder.com.


TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. VOTE YOUR BLUE PROXY AGAINST THE PETROAMERICA ARRANGEMENT BEFORE JUNE 24, 2014

If the Petroamerica Arrangement is approved and the arrangement proceeds, Suroco shareholders will not have the opportunity to accept the Offer. The solicitation of proxies to vote AGAINST the Petroamerica Arrangement is being made by VETRA and not by or on behalf of management or Suroco.

Send in your Suroco shares with a completed YELLOW Letter of Transmittal that will be mailed to you to Kingsdale Shareholder Services, the information agent and depositary or call your broker now to deposit. If you have already submitted a management form of proxy in connection with the Petroamerica Arrangement, revoke that proxy by completing and submitting the BLUE proxy that you will receive in the mail to the information agent and depositary by 3:00 Noon (Calgary time) on June 24, 2014.

A registered holder of common shares of Suroco that gives a proxy may revoke it: (a) by completing and signing a valid proxy bearing a later date and returning it in accordance with the instructions contained in the BLUE proxy to be provided by VETRA, or as otherwise provided in the offer, take-over bid circular and proxy circular supplement, once made available to shareholders; (b) by depositing an instrument in writing executed by the shareholder or by the shareholder's attorney authorized in writing, as the case may be: (i) at the registered office of Suroco at any time up to and including the last business day preceding the day Suroco's shareholders meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the meeting is to be held, or (ii) with the chairman of the meeting prior to its commencement on the day of the meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the meeting; or (c) in any other manner permitted by law.

A non-registered holder of common shares of Suroco will be entitled to revoke a form of proxy or voting instruction form given to an intermediary at any time by written notice to the intermediary in accordance with the instructions given to the non-registered holder by its intermediary. It should be noted that revocation of proxies or voting instructions by a non-registered holder can take several days or even longer to complete and, accordingly, any such revocation should be completed well in advance of the deadline prescribed in the form of proxy or voting instruction form to ensure it is given effect in respect of the meeting.


Proxy Voting Instructions

Regardless of how many Suroco shares you own, it is important you vote your BLUE proxy. Even if you have already voted your shares in favour of the Petroamerica Arrangement using the Suroco form of proxy, you can still change your vote by voting the BLUE proxy, as only the latest dated proxy will be counted at the meeting.

We encourage shareholders to vote the control number found on your BLUE proxy AGAINST the Petroamerica Arrangement, no later than 3:00 p.m. (Calgary time) on Friday June 24, 2014.

For more information or assistance in voting your BLUE proxy, please contact Kingsdale Shareholder Services at 1-855-682-8087 (toll-free), 416-867-2272 (outside North America), or by email at contactus@kingsdaleshareholder.com


Advisors

FirstEnergy Capital Corp. is acting as financial advisor to VETRA in connection with the proposed take-over offer, Goodmans LLP as VETRA's Canadian legal counsel and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP as VETRA's U.S. counsel.


About VETRA

The offeror is Vetra Acquisition Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of VETRA Holding S.a.r.l., a holding company whose primary operating subsidiary is Vetra Exploración y Producción Colombia, S.A.S., a multinational company engaged in the business of exploration, extraction and production of hydrocarbons, primarily in Colombia and Peru. Neither VETRA nor any of its and its associates or affiliates own any shares of Suroco.


About Suroco

Suroco is focused on the identification and evaluation of opportunities for the acquisition of interests in oil and gas properties, corporations, assets or businesses, primarily in Colombia, and once identified and evaluated, negotiating acquisitions thereof or participation therein. Suroco is a public corporation that is listed on the TSXV under the symbol "SRN" and its public filings are available on www.sedar.com.

Suroco's registered office is at Suite 1600, 421 - 7th Avenue, S.W., Calgary, Alberta, T2P 4K9 and its principal business office is at Suite 810, 940 - 6th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta, T2P 3T1.


Cautionary Statements

This press release contains 'forward looking statements" and "forward looking information" (collectively, "forward looking information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All information contained in this press release, other than statements of current and historical fact, is forward looking information. Often, but not always, forward looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "budget", "guidance", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "strategy", "target", "intends", "objective", "goal", "understands", "anticipates" and "believes" (and variations of these or similar words) and statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" "occur" or "be achieved" or "will be taken" (and variations of these or similar expressions). All of the forward looking information in this press release, is qualified by this cautionary note.

VETRA has no intention to update this forward looking information, except as required by applicable securities law. This forward looking information should not be relied upon as representing VETRA's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Except as otherwise expressly indicated herein, the information concerning Suroco and Petroamerica contained in this press release has been taken from and is based solely upon their respective public disclosure, including disclosure on file with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Neither VETRA nor any of its directors or officers has verified, nor do they assume any responsibility for, the accuracy or completeness of such information or statements or for any failure by Suroco or Petroamerica to disclose events or facts that may have occurred or that may affect the significance or accuracy of any such information or statements but that are unknown to VETRA.



Contacts

Suroco shareholders with questions about the Offer and how to vote AGAINST the Petroamerica Arrangement and deposit shares to the Offer, should contact VETRA's information agent and depository, Kingsdale Shareholder Services, toll-free within North America: 1-855-682-8087 or Call Collect: 416-867-2272, by fax: 416-867-2271 or 1-866-545-558 or e-mail: contactus@kingsdaleshareholder.com

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