Birch Lake Energy Inc. Provides Corporate Update

CALGARY, Feb. 21, 2012 /CNW/ - Birch Lake Energy Inc. ("Birch Lake" or the "Corporation) (TSXV: BLK) is pleased to announce the election of two new members to its Board of Directors. Mr. Jesse Meidl and Mr. Tony Boogmans were elected to the Board of Directors at the Corporation's annual general and special meeting of shareholders held in Calgary, Alberta on February 15, 2012.  In addition, Mr. Raymond P. Antony and Mr. George Tsafalas did not stand for re-election as directors at the meeting.  The Corporation wishes to thank Mr. Antony and Mr. Tsafalas for their contribution and commitment to Birch Lake.  Birch Lake's Board of Directors is now comprised of William H. Petrie, Jess Meidl and Tony Boogmans.

Mr. Meidl has over 15 years of experience in the oil and gas sector.  He is Chief Financial Officer of Caithness Petroleum Limited ("Caithness"), a private international energy company, headquartered in London, England.  Prior to joining Caithness, he was an  investment banker in the International Energy group of Thomas Weisel Partners in London.  Mr. Meidl was previously the Chief Financial Officer for Arsenal Energy Inc., an international exploration company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, which held production assets in Canada and the USA and exploration assets in Egypt, Colombia and Uzbekistan. Prior to that, Mr. Meidl was an Analyst at APF Energy Trust.  He qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in Calgary, where he specialised in oil and gas exploration and production and services. He also holds the ICAEW Corporate Finance qualification and a B.Comm. degree from the University of Saskatchewan.

Mr. Boogmans has over 30 years of experience in both private and public oil and gas companies in the areas of property evaluation, drilling, completions and workovers, field operations and marketing. He has been employed at Gulf Oil Canada, AOSTRA, Canadian Western Natural Gas Company Limited and Northwestern Utilities Limited. Mr. Boogmans was also one of the founders of Innovative Energy Ltd., which was later purchased by Denison Energy Inc., and where he continued as Manager, Oil & Gas Operations until its sale in March 2004. He later joined Silverwing Energy Inc., initially as a consultant, and later as VP Engineering until December 2005. Mr. Boogmans graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alberta in 1973, and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta.

The Corporation also announces that Mr. George Tsafalas resigned as Chief Financial Officer of the Corporation effective February 15, 2012.  The Corporation is currently searching for a new Chief Financial Officer.

About Birch Lake Energy Inc.

Birch Lake is a junior oil and gas company engaged in the exploration for and the acquisition, development and production of oil and natural gas reserves. The Corporation's common shares are listed to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "BLK".

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 release.

William H. Petrie
President and Chief Executive Officer
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