AKITA Approves Construction of New Pad Rig

CALGARY, March 14, 2012 /CNW/ - AKITA Drilling Ltd. ("AKITA") announced today that that it has been awarded a five year contract with a major independent operator for the provision of a new pad drilling rig ("Rig #26") in the Wood Buffalo Region of Alberta.  Rig #26, which is scheduled to become available for use by the second half of 2013, will be in addition to a pad rig that AKITA constructed for the same customer in 2011 and is operating for the same customer.  Rig #26's estimated cost is $17.5 Million.  Construction of the rig will occur in Nisku and will be managed using AKITA's personnel and infrastructure.  At the completion of construction, Rig #26 will be operated through its Joint Venture, Akita Wood Buffalo Drilling.

AKITA is an Alberta corporation engaged in the contract drilling business in Western Canada and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AKT.

Murray Roth, Vice-President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, [phone].