HOUSTON, May 12, 2004 – Swift Energy Company (NYSE: SFY) today announced that Deanna L. Cannon was elected to serve on Swift Energy Company’s Board of Directors at its annual shareholder meeting held Tuesday, May 11, 2004.

Ms. Cannon currently serves as President of Cannon & Company CPA’s PLC, a privately held consulting firm. Through December 2003, she served as Chief Financial Officer of Miller Exploration Company from November 2001 and Vice President—Finance and Corporate Secretary of Miller Exploration from June 1999. From May 1998 to June 1999, she served as Assistant Vice President—Finance of Miller Exploration. Miller Exploration Company was a publicly held independent oil and gas exploration and production company that has since been acquired by Edge Petroleum Corporation. She also served as director of Miller Oil Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Miller Exploration, from May 2001 to December 2003. Previously, Ms. Cannon was employed in public accounting for 16 years, initially for Arthur Andersen & Co. in Jacksonville, Florida and later for Plante & Moran, LLP in Traverse City, Michigan. Ms. Cannon holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant. She is a member of the Michigan Oil and Gas Association, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants.

Terry Swift, President and CEO of Swift Energy noted, “I am extremely pleased to welcome Deanna Cannon to the Board of Swift Energy. Deanna bolsters our Board further, with relevant industry and financial experience, and will have an immediate impact with her familiarity of issues that face today’s independent producers. Deanna’s election is an affirmation of our continued pledge to our stakeholders that we are committed to maintaining a high quality Board of Directors.”

Celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year, Swift Energy Company was founded in 1979 with its headquarters in Houston, Texas. Swift Energy engages in developing, exploring, acquiring and operating oil and gas properties, with a focus on onshore and inland waters oil and natural gas reserves in Texas and Louisiana and onshore oil and natural gas reserves in New Zealand. The Company has consistently shown long-term growth in its proved oil and gas reserves, production and cash flow through a disciplined program of acquisitions and drilling, while maintaining a strong financial position.