[OMNI ENERGY SERVICES CORP. LOGO]   NEWS RELEASE                    Nasdaq: OMNI

 4500 NE Evangeline Thwy.Carencro, LA 70520-Phone-337-896-6664-Fax 337-896-6655

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 No. 05-02

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: G. Darcy Klug, Executive Vice President
PHONE:(337) 896-6664

                      OMNI ANNOUNCES BRIDGE LOAN EXTENSION

        Company Also Announces Program to Dispose of Non-Essential Assets

      CARENCRO, LA - JANUARY 27, 2005 - OMNI ENERGY SERVICES CORP. (NASDAQ NM:
OMNI) announced today it has entered into a Forbearance Agreement ("Agreement")
to extend the maturity of its $6.5 million bridge loan from January 15, 2005 to
March 15, 2005. Under the terms of the Agreement, the Company reduced the
remaining outstanding principal balance by $0.5 million and agreed to increase
the interest rate to 15% per annum during the extension period.

      The Company also announced that it has completed an assessment of the
future capital requirements of its Aviation Division, including a review of
future capital requirements in connection with certain strategic transactions
currently under consideration. OMNI has concluded that certain of its aviation
assets are under utilized, are not essential to the continued realignment of the
Aviation Division and no longer meet OMNI's long-term goals and objectives for
that division. Accordingly, the Company announced today that it will dispose of
certain non-essential aviation assets and use the proceeds to reduce long-term
debt. The sale of these assets is expected to be concluded during the second
quarter of 2005 and could reduce the Company's outstanding long-term debt by as
much as 20%.

      Commenting on the Agreement and the proposed sale of non-essential
aviation assets, James C. Eckert, OMNI's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
said, "The extension of the maturity date of the bridge loan provides us the
time necessary to complete certain permanent financing agreements currently
under negotiation. When completed, funding under these new permanent agreements
will be used to restructure our existing long-term debt and provide working
capital necessary to complete various strategic transactions. Also, we believe
that a program to eliminate debt related to non-essential assets and investing
this same capital into our more profitable business segments will translate into
improved profitability from all of our business segments and greater value for
our shareholders."

      Headquartered in Carencro, LA, OMNI Energy offers a broad range of
integrated services to geophysical companies engaged in the acquisition of
on-shore seismic data and through its aviation division, transportations
services to oil and gas companies operating in the shallow, offshore waters of
the Gulf of Mexico. The company provides its services through several business
divisions: Seismic Drilling, Aviation (including helicopter support),
Environmental, Permitting and Seismic Survey. OMNI's services play a significant
role with geophysical companies who have operations in marsh, swamp, shallow
water and the U.S. Gulf Coast also called transition zones and contiguous dry
land areas also called highland zones.

      Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe
harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks
associated with the outcome of litigation in which OMNI is involved OMNI's
ability to sell certain non-essential aviation assets on terms favorable to
OMNI, if at all, OMNI's ability to obtain financing on terms favorable to OMNI,
if at all, OMNI's dependence on activity in the oil and gas industry, labor
shortages, international expansion, dependence on significant customers,
seasonality and weather risks, competition, technological evolution, completion
of potential acquisitions on terms favorable to OMNI, and other risks detailed
in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.