EPL
Energy Partners, Ltd.                              Energy Partners, Ltd.
                               News Release        201 St. Charles Avenue,
                                                   Suite 3400
                                                   New Orleans, Louisiana 70170
                                                   (504) 569-1875


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For Immediate Release To:                        For Information Contact:
Analysts, Financial Community, Media             Al Petrie  (504) 799-1953
                                                            alpetrie@eplweb.com

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              EPL High Bidder on Six Central Gulf of Mexico Blocks


New Orleans, Louisiana, March 20, 2003...Energy Partners, Ltd. ("EPL) (NYSE:EPL)
announced today that it was the high bidder on six blocks encompassing 30,000
gross acres at the Central Gulf of Mexico Lease Sale 185 held yesterday in New
Orleans by the U. S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service.
All of the blocks are located on the Continental Shelf of the Gulf of Mexico in
water depths ranging from 40 feet to 300 feet. The total amount of EPL's bids on
these blocks was approximately $4 million. The Minerals Management Service will
evaluate all high bids received at the sale and will accept or reject bids based
on its evaluation.

The six blocks and EPL's working interest in each block include:

         West Cameron Block 604              100%
         East Cameron Block 36                50%
         South Marsh Island Block 109         25%
         South Timbalier Block 41             60%
         South Timbalier Block 46            100%
         South Timbalier Block 180           100%

EPL will operate four of the six blocks. South Timbalier Block 41 is adjacent to
EPL's currently producing South Timbalier Block 26 while South Timbalier Block
180 is the north offset to EPL's currently producing South Timbalier Block 185.
EPL said that prospects on as many as three of the blocks could be drilled in
2003.

Founded in 1998, EPL is an independent oil and natural gas exploration and
production company based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Company's operations are
focused in the shallow to moderate depth waters of the Gulf of Mexico Shelf.



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Any statements made in this news release, other than those of historical fact,
about an action, event or development, which the Company hopes, believes or
anticipates may or will occur in future, are "forward-looking statements" under
U. S. securities laws. Such statements are subject to various assumptions, risks
and uncertainties, which are specifically described in our Annual Report on Form
10-K for fiscal year ended December 31, 2002 filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance or an assurance that the Company's current assumptions and
projections are valid. Actual results may differ materially from those
projected.
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