CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Oct. 13, 2011) -

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Touchstone Exploration Inc. (TSX VENTURE:TAB) ("Touchstone" or the "Company"), is pleased to provide the following operational update of the Corporation's activities in Trinidad and Tobago.

OPERATIONAL UPDATE

Following the successful completion of the previously announced acquisition (the "Primera Acquisition") from CL Financial Limited (by the Corporation's indirect wholly-owned subsidiary Territorial Services Limited) on August 19, 2011, Touchstone has integrated all of the Corporation's operations under common management and has focused on increasing base production through recompletions and well optimization. Immediately following the Primera Acquisition Touchstone's production was 945 barrels of oil per day; for the 7 days ending on October 5, 2011 the Corporation's production has averaged 1,045 barrels of oil per day – a net increase of 100 bopd (10.5%). This increase is attributed to the successful recompletion and optimization of wells throughout the Corporation's onshore assets and represents the beginning of a larger program that will continue through 2011 and 2012.

OFFSHORE EXPLORATION

On September 27^th, 2011 Touchstone spudded its first Offshore Exploration well in Trinidad. Operated by Sinopec International Petroleum Corporation's subsidiary SOOGL Antilles (Trinidad) Ltd., the well is being drilled in the East Brighton Sub-Area B using the Rowan Gorilla III jackup drilling rig. SOOGL East Brighton SE-1 is currently drilling ahead with a planned total depth of approximately 7,000 feet. Targeting light oil in the Nariva Formation the well has an anticipated drilling and completion time of 62 days. Touchstone has a 24.5% Working Interest in the well and the Corporation will be carried for all well costs through abandonment or testing.

ONSHORE DEVELOPMENT

Touchstone has received its Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) for the Corporation's upcoming development drilling program in the WD-8 Block in the Forest Reserve Area near Fyzabad in Southwestern Trinidad. Touchstone will begin lease preparation as soon as possible and plans on spudding the first of seven (7) development wells in WD-8 in the first week of November. This development drilling program is targeting light sweet oil in the Lower and Middle Cruse formation at a depth of approximately 3,500 feet and is a follow up to the Corporation's successful "proof of concept" drilling and recompletion program completed in 2010. Touchstone plans on drilling the first four (4) of these wells in 2011 and the remaining three (3) wells in the first quarter of 2012.

This news release is not for distribution to United States newswire services, should not be disseminated in the United States and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States. The securities of Touchstone Exploration Inc. have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

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", "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; 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 the Company. 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.

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