Harvest Natural Resources Provides Update on Petrodelta

Harvest Natural Resources, Inc. HNR (the "Company") today provided an operational update for its 32-percent-owned Venezuelan affiliate, Petrodelta, S.A. (Petrodelta) as well an update on Harvest's international exploration activity, reserves and corporate and financial reporting matters. VENEZUELA Total proved plus probable reserves on December 31, 2012, net to Harvest's 32 percent share of Petrodelta, were 100.23 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBOE), a decrease of 3 percent from 2011.  Harvest net interest of Petrodelta's total proved reserves at year end 2012 were 38.40 MMBOE which was a decline of 11 percent from 2011, reflecting 2.97 MMBOE of production in 2012 and the reclassification of 1.71 MMBOE (4 percent) from proved to probable in compliance with the Securities and Exchange Commission's "5 year rule from the date of original booking."  Without the reclassification of the 1.71 MMBOE to probable, the proved reserves in Venezuela would have decreased 7 percent to 40.11 MMBOE.  All of the reclassified reserves are scheduled to be drilled by 2018.  Net probable reserves in Venezuela of 61.83 MMBOE are 2 percent higher than 2011. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2012, Petrodelta drilled and completed 12 successful development wells compared to 15 development wells See full press release