HOUSTON, February 7, 2006 – Swift Energy Company (NYSE: SFY) announced today that Mr. Ed Duncan has been appointed Vice President – Exploration effective immediately.

Mr. Duncan has provided geological and geophysical consulting services to Swift Energy Company for the past two years and has been instrumental in the acquisition and interpretation of the 3-D seismic survey at Lake Washington Field as well as the approximately 650 square mile 3-D seismic merged data set extending from Lake Washington to the Bay de Chene Field.

He brings over 25 years of experience in domestic and international exploration programs. He has extensive experience in the Gulf Coast and upper Texas coastal plain. Mr. Duncan has managed exploration and production activities in the Gulf of Mexico and has handled regional Gulf Coast resource assessments including onshore deep gas resource evaluation projects. Most recently, Mr. Duncan was President of Beta4 Exploration and Production Consultants, Inc. He has also held positions at the Bureau of Economic Geology (University of Texas at Austin), BP Exploration Company, Sohio Petroleum Corporation and U.S. Mineral Corporation. Mr. Duncan completed his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Geological Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin.

Terry Swift, CEO of Swift Energy, commented, “Ed’s addition to the team as Vice President of Exploration will provide Swift with further leadership in our exploratory and geosciences efforts, specifically those that Swift Energy is currently undertaking in southern Louisiana and New Zealand, and also enhances our future global exploration efforts.”

Swift Energy Company, founded in 1979 and headquartered in Houston, 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 Louisiana and Texas and oil and natural gas reserves in New Zealand. Over the Company’s 26-year history, Swift Energy has 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.