DELTA PETROLEUM CORPORATION

Roger A. Parker, CEO and Chairman

Kevin K. Nanke, Treasurer and CFO

Dave Donegan, VP Corporate Communications

370 Seventeenth Street, Suite 4300

Denver, Colorado 80202

For Immediate Release

DELTA PETROLEUM CORPORATION ANNOUNCES PRODUCTION FOR QUARTER ENDED MARCH 31, 2006 AND GUIDANCE FOR QUARTER ENDING JUNE 30, 2006

DENVER, Colorado (April 19, 2006) -- Delta Petroleum Corporation (NASDAQ: DPTR), an independent energy exploration and development company (“Delta” or “the Company”), announced its production for the quarter ended March 31, 2006, provided production guidance for the quarter ending June 30, 2006 and confirmed its expectations for the closing of the Castle Energy Corporation merger.

PRODUCTION UPDATE AND GUIDANCE

For the quarter ended March 31, 2006, the Company will report net production of approximately 4.1 Bcfe which is in line with the production guidance provided by the Company on March 7, 2006. This represents an increase of 15% over the same period a year ago and an increase of 32% from the previous quarter for production from continuing operations.

The Company is providing production guidance for the quarter ending June 30, 2006 of 4.2 to 4.4 Bcfe. The Company’s current production rate is approximately 54 Mmcfe per day. Production guidance does not include expected production from any wells from which we are not currently selling oil and/or gas. We expect that wells that are being drilled or completed in the Newton Field, the Midway Loop Prospect, the Opossum Hollow field and the Howard Ranch area may provide additional production.

If meaningful increases are experienced, we may provide other updates during the quarter. We will be issuing our first quarter earnings within the next few weeks and will provide an operations update at that time.

CASTLE ENERGY CORPORATION MERGER

The previously announced merger with Castle Energy Corporation is expected to close by the end of April 2006. The merger remains subject to various conditions, including the approval of Castle’s stockholders.

Forward-looking statements in this announcement are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements are based on management’s present expectations, estimates and projections, but involve risks and uncertainty, including without limitation, uncertainties in the projection of future rates of production, unanticipated recovery or production problems, unanticipated results from wells being drilled or completed, the effects of delays in completion of gas gathering systems, pipelines and processing facilities, as well as general market conditions, competition and pricing. Please refer to the Company’s reports on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2005 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for additional information. The Company is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any obligation) to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

For further information contact the Company at (303) 293-9133 or via email at info@deltapetro.com

RJ Falkner & Company, Inc., Investor Relations Counsel at (800) 377-9893 or via email at

info@rjfalkner.com

SOURCE: Delta Petroleum Corporation