1615 Poydras Street • New Orleans, LA 70112

Financial & Media Contact: David P. Joint (504) 582-4203 McMoRan Exploration Co. Declares Quarterly Cash Dividends on Preferred Stocks


NEW ORLEANS, LA, April 19, 2013 - McMoRan Exploration Co. (NYSE: MMR) today declared the following cash dividends payable on May 15, 2013 to holders of record as of May 1, 2013 on its preferred stocks:
• $14.375 per share of MMR's 5¾% Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock.
• $20.00 per share of MMR's 8% Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock.
McMoRan Exploration Co. is an independent public company engaged in the exploration, development and production of natural gas and oil in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico Shelf and onshore in the Gulf Coast area. Additional information about McMoRan is available on its internet website "www.mcmoran.com".
# # #

1

distributed by