EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

BETWEEN:

GRAN TIERRA ENERGY INC. , an Alberta corporation (“ GTEI ”) and GRAN TIERRA ENERGY INC. , a Nevada corporation (“ Gran Tierra ”)

DANA QUENTIN COFFIELD , an individual ordinarily resident in the City of Calgary in the Province of Alberta

1.1             Position.

The Company confirms the appointment of the Executive to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer.  The Executive will undertake those duties and responsibilities set out in Schedule “A” to this Agreement as well as those duties reasonably assigned to the Executive by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”).  The Executive will report to the Board.  The parties agree that the relationship between the Company and the Executive created by this Agreement is that of employer and employee.

1.2             Other Engagements.

The Executive shall not engage in any other business, profession or occupation which would conflict with the performance of his duties and responsibilities under this Agreement, either directly or indirectly, including accepting appointments to the boards of other companies without the prior written consent of the Board.

1.3             Reassignment.

The Company shall not reassign the Executive to another position within the Company itself, or to a position within a subsidiary, affiliated or related corporate entity (“ Member Company ” or “ Member Companies ”) or alter the duties, responsibilities, title, or reporting lines of the Executive or change the location of the Executive’s employment unless the Executive agrees to such reassignment or alteration.

1.4             Travel.

The Executive shall be employed at the Company’s location in Calgary, Alberta.  The Executive shall be available for such business related travel as may be required for the purposes of carrying out the Executive’s duties and responsibilities.  The Executive shall be entitled to business class tickets for domestic or international flights with a duration of more than 1 hour.  The Executive will be entitled to choose suitable accommodations when travelling on Company business.

Executive’s employment with the Company is for no specified duration and constitutes at-will employment.  Executive’s employment may be terminated at any time by either of the Parties, subject to the provisions of Article 9.

The Executive will be paid an annual salary in an amount determined by the Board, subject to applicable statutory deductions (the “ Base Salary ”).  The Executive’s Base Salary will be payable in accordance with Company practices and procedures as they may exist from time to time.  Base Salary will be reviewed and may be increased on an annual basis by the Board, with input from the Executive.

4.1             Bonus Eligibility.

The Executive shall be eligible to receive an annual bonus payment in addition to Base Salary and other compensation for each year of the Executive’s employment (the “ Bonus ” ) as determined by the Board from time to time.

4.2             Bonus Payment.

The Bonus shall be payable within sixty (60) days after the end of the fiscal year (but in no event later than March 15 of such following year), and will be based upon the Executive’s performance during the preceding year.

The Executive shall be entitled to participate in and to receive all rights and benefits under any life insurance, disability, medical, dental, health and accident plans maintained by the Company for its employees and for its executive officers specifically.  During a leave of absence for disability, the Company will continue to pay the Executive’s Base Salary (less any amounts paid pursuant to a short term disability insurance policy) until such time as the Executive begins to receive long-term disability insurance benefits.

The Executive will be entitled to five weeks vacation per year.  Payment of all vacation pay will be at Base Salary.  The Executive will arrange vacation time to suit the essential business needs of the Company.  Unused vacation entitlement will be carried over into the following calendar year to a maximum entitlement of eight weeks in any one year.  On leaving the employment of the Company for whatever reason, the Company will compensate the Executive for any accrued but unused vacation entitlement based upon the Executive’s then current Base Salary.

The Company will provide the Executive with the right to participate in stock option plans and/or incentive award plans approved by the Board.

The Company recognizes that the Executive will incur expenses in the performance of the Executive’s duties.  The Company shall reimburse the Executive for any reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred in the course of employment.  To the extent that any expense reimbursements payable pursuant to this Agreement are subject to the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”), any such reimbursements payable pursuant to this Agreement shall be paid no later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred, the amount of expenses reimbursed in one year shall not affect the amount eligible for reimbursement in any subsequent year, and the right to reimbursement under this Agreement will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

9.1             Termination Without Notice.

This Agreement and the Executive’s employment with the Company may be terminated, without the Company being obligated to provide the Executive with advance notice of termination or pay in lieu of such notice, whether under contract, statute, common law or otherwise, in the following circumstances:

(a)             Voluntary Resignation.

In the event the Executive voluntarily resigns, except where the Executive resigns for Good Reason as provided for in this Agreement, the Executive will give a minimum of sixty (60) days’ advance written notice to the Company.  The Executive will not be entitled to receive any further compensation or benefits whatsoever other than those which have accrued up to the Executive’s last day of active service with the Company.  The Company may, at its discretion, waive in whole or in part such notice by paying the Executive, following his last day of active service, his Base Salary during the balance of such sixty (60) day period in lieu to the Executive on the Company’s regular payroll dates.  This payment of Base Salary in lieu of notice is intended to be exempt from Code Section 409A under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(4).

(b)             Cause.

"Cause" is defined as any of the following:

(a) conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, a felony;

(b) participation in a fraud against the Company;

(c) participation in an act of dishonesty against the Company intended to result in your personal enrichment;

(d) willful material breach of the Company's written policies;

(e) intentional significant damage to the Company's property by you;

(f) material breach of this Agreement; or

(g) conduct by you that, in the good faith and reasonable determination of the Board, demonstrates gross unfitness to serve provided that in such event, the Company shall provide notice to you describing the nature of the gross unfitness and you shall thereafter have ten (10) days to cure such gross unfitness if such gross unfitness is capable of being cured.

The Company may not terminate your employment for Cause unless and until you receive a copy of a resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company ("Board") finding that in the good faith opinion of the Board, that "Cause" exists and specifying the particulars thereof in reasonable detail.

9.2           Termination by the Company without Cause.

The Company may terminate the Executive’s employment without Cause at any time.  If such termination constitues a “separation from service” (as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h)), and provided the Executive executes and allows to become effective the Company’s standard form of release of claims within thirty (30) days following the separation from service, the Company will pay the Executive cash severance (the “ Separation Package ”) equal to two years’ Total Cash Compensation in a lump sum on the date that is thirty (30) days after the separation from service.

“Total Cash Compensation” is defined as the annualized amount of Base Salary plus Bonus Payment for the prior 12-month period.

9.3             Termination by the Executive for Good Reason.

Should the Executive terminate his employment for Good Reason, as hereinafter defined, and provided such termination constitues a separation from service, and provided further that the Executive executes and allows to become effective the Company’s standard form of release of claims within thirty (30) days following the separation from service, the Company will pay the Executive the Separation Package set out in section 9.2 in a lump sum on the date that is thirty (3