Attention Business And Energy Editors:

Forbes Energy Services Reports Selected Operating Data for July 2008

    ALICE, Texas, Aug. 20 /CNW/ -- Forbes Energy Services Ltd. (TSX: FRB)
today announced its rig and trucking hours billed for the month of July 2008.



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                                            For the month ending
                              July 31, 2008    June 30, 2008     July 31, 2007
    >>

    <<
    Working days                   22               21                21
    Rig hours                    35,665           32,803            15,115
    Truck hours                 100,969          102,194            57,577
    >>
    Forbes Energy Services cautions that several factors other than those
discussed above may impact the Company's operating results and that a
particular trend regarding the factors above may or may not be indicative of
the Company's current or future financial performance.
    Forbes Energy Services is an independent oilfield services contractor
that provides a broad range of drilling-related and production-related
services to oil and natural gas companies, primarily onshore in Texas.

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     Contacts:  Forbes Energy Services Ltd.
                L. Melvin Cooper, SVP & CFO
                361-664-0549
    >>

    <<
                DRG&E
                Ken Dennard, Managing Partner
                Ben Burnham, AVP
                713-529-6600

    >>

For further information: L. Melvin Cooper, SVP & CFO of Forbes Energy
Services Ltd., +1-361-664-0549; or Ken Dennard, Managing Partner, or Ben
Burnham, AVP, both of DRG&E, +1-713-529-6600, for Forbes Energy Services Ltd.