CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Feb. 5, 2010) -

Southern Pacific Resource Corp. ("Southern Pacific" or the "Corporation") (TSX VENTURE:STP) is pleased to announce that TSX Venture Exchange has identified Southern Pacific as #1 in the oil and gas sector of the 2010 TSX Venture 50, a ranking of the strongest performers listed on TSX Venture Exchange. TSX Venture 50 consists of 10 emerging companies in five industry sectors that have been identified as leaders in Canada's public venture market.

Byron Lutes, Southern Pacific's President & CEO, said the TSX Venture Exchange's announcement serves as reinforcement of the success of the Corporation's balanced growth strategy.

"It's a tremendous honour to be identified as the top emerging company in the oil and gas sector," Mr. Lutes said. "The selection of Southern Pacific to the TSX Venture 50 is a reflection of the market's recognition of our significant heavy oil production base in Senlac, Saskatchewan and the advanced stage of the application for our first thermal oil sands project in Athabasca, Alberta."

The 2010 TSX Venture 50 were selected based on four equally weighted criteria including return on investment, trading, analyst coverage and market capitalization growth in Cleantech, Diversified Industries, Mining, Oil & Gas and Technology and Life Sciences sectors.

"We are pleased to celebrate the 2010 TSX Venture 50," said John McCoach, President, TSX Venture Exchange. "These outstanding companies are proven leaders in their respective sectors and we are proud to have them listed on TSX Venture Exchange. We wish them all continued success."

The information contained herein is for information purposes only and is not an invitation to purchase securities listed on TSX Venture Exchange and/or Toronto Stock Exchange. TMX Group Inc. and its affiliates do not endorse or recommend any securities referenced. Neither TMX Group Inc. nor its affiliated companies represents, warrants or guarantees the accuracy or the completeness of the information. You should not rely on the information contained herein for any trading, business or financial purposes. TMX Group Inc. and its affiliates assume no liability for any errors or inaccuracies herein or any use or reliance upon this information.