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 OPERATING ACTIVITIES

TULSA, OKLAHOMA, FEBRUARY 18, 2004. American Natural Energy Corporation ("ANEC")
(TSX Venture:ANR.U) announced the successful recompletion of two wells
originally drilled in the second quarter of 2003 within its ExxonMobil Joint
Development project in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana (the "Development Area").
The recompleted wells are currently producing at the combined rate of 500
barrels of oil per day and 600 mcf of natural gas per day. ANEC owns a 31.25%
working interest in each of the wells. In addition, two wells announced in our
January 6, 2004 press release are currently producing at a combined rate of 3.5
mmcf of natural gas per day and approximately 30 barrels of condensate per day.
ANEC owns a 31.5% working interest in each of these wells.

ANEC has a rig currently drilling at 9,900 feet within the Development Area to a
projected depth of approximately 11,000 feet. As a result of the recent drilling
activities, ANEC has earned an additional 2,560 acres under the ExxonMobil Joint
Development Agreement ("Agreement") increasing the total area under the
Agreement to approximately 11,000 acres. As previously announced, the term of
the Agreement has been extended to November 2007.

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.

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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 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.