EXHIBIT 99.1


                       AMERICAN NATURAL ENERGY CORPORATION
                           7030 South Yale, Suite 404
                              Tulsa, Oklahoma 74136
                       Tel: 918-481-1440 Fax: 918-481-1473


         AMERICAN NATURAL ENERGY CORPORATION ANNOUNCES DRILLING ACTIVITY


TULSA, OKLAHOMA, OCTOBER 28, 2003. American Natural Energy Corporation ("ANEC")
(TSX Venture:ANR.U) announced today that it has commenced drilling of the first
well in the current phase of ANEC's drilling program on its ExxonMobil Joint
Development area in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. This phase of the drilling
program also includes an additional three development and four exploratory
wells. The first well is a development well being drilled to approximately
10,300 feet on the DSCI 145.

ANEC also has completed the hook-up of a gas sales line and currently selling
natural gas delivered into a Transco interstate pipeline.

ANEC is a Tulsa, Oklahoma based independent exploration and production company
with operations in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. For further information please
contact Michael Paulk, CEO at 918-481-1440 or Steven P. Ensz, CFO at
281-367-5588.

This Press Release may contain statements which constitute forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and
current expectations of ANEC, its directors, or its officers with respect to the
future business, well drilling and operating activities and performance of ANEC.
Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not
guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that
actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking
statements as a result of various factors, including, among others, the levels
of and fluctuations in the prices for natural gas and oil and the demand for
those commodities and the outcome of the ANEC's development and exploration
activities, including the success of its current well drilling activities.
Important additional factors that could cause such differences are described in
ANEC's periodic reports and other filings made with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and may be viewed at the Commission's Website at www.sec.gov.