HOUSTON, Dec. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Natural Resource Partners L.P. (NYSE:NRP) today reported that it has acquired overriding royalty interests in the Marcellus Shale for $30.3 million. The acquisition was funded through the partnership’s credit facility.

The acquisition is on approximately 88,000 net acres located mainly in the liquids rich region of the Marcellus Shale. The acreage is currently leased and includes established production as well as significant additional planned development potential.

This acquisition continues to diversify NRP’s revenues and expand NRP’s unconventional oil and gas holdings, which currently include assets located primarily in the Marcellus Shale, Mississippi Lime, and Haynesville Shale plays.

Company Profile

Natural Resource Partners L.P. is a master limited partnership headquartered in Houston, TX, with its operations headquarters in Huntington, WV. NRP is principally engaged in the business of owning and managing mineral reserve properties. NRP primarily owns coal, aggregate and oil and gas reserves across the United States that generate royalty income for the partnership.

For additional information, please contact Kathy H. Roberts at 713-751-7555 or kroberts@nrplp.com. Further information about NRP is available on the partnership’s website at http://www.nrplp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such statements include the development by the lessees of the oil and gas. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the partnership expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions made by the partnership based on its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the partnership. These risks include, but are not limited to, decreases in demand for coal; changes in operating conditions and costs; production cuts by our lessees; commodity prices; unanticipated geologic problems; changes in the legislative or regulatory environment and other factors detailed in Natural Resource Partners’ Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Natural Resource Partners L.P. has no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Natural Resource Partners L.P.