ARC Energy Trust announces a decrease in distribution amount effective February 16, 2009 and a decrease to the 2009 capital program

CALGARY, Jan. 12 /CNW/ - (AET.UN and ARX - TSX) ARC Energy Trust (the
"Trust" or "ARC") announced today that in light of the continued weak
commodity price environment and the increasing disparity between the U.S. WTI
and Canadian oil price, the Board of Directors has determined that the cash
distribution to be paid on February 16, 2009, in respect of the January 2009
production, for unitholders of record on January 30, 2009, will be $0.12 per
trust unit. This is a decrease of $0.03 per unit. The ex-distribution date is
January 28, 2009. Distributions are reviewed regularly in the context of
commodity prices and other factors and are subject to revision by the Board of
Directors.
In our December 5, 2008 news release, ARC announced that it intends to
spend approximately $200 million in the first half of 2009 on its capital
program and that the full year capital program would be reviewed on an ongoing
basis. ARC is on track to spend approximately $200 million in the first half
of 2009 and believes it is prudent to reduce the full year capital program to
approximately $450 million through a reduction in capital costs and a deferral
of some capital spending into the first quarter of 2010. Despite these changes
to the 2009 capital program ARC is maintaining its 2009 production guidance at
64,000 to 65,000 boe per day. As per ARC's normal practice this will be
reviewed at mid year. ARC still expects the first 60 mmcf per day of new
processing capacity at Dawson to be on stream in the first quarter of 2010.
The strength and flexibility of ARC's balance sheet is paramount to the
Trust so it is in a strong position to finance the development of its Montney
resources, to continue to manage its base assets and take advantage of
possible strategic acquisition opportunities should they present themselves.

ARC Energy Trust is one of Canada's largest conventional oil and gas
royalty trusts with an enterprise value of approximately $5 billion. The Trust
expects 2009 oil and gas production to average 64,000 to 65,000 barrels of oil
equivalent per day from six core areas in western Canada. ARC Energy Trust
units trade on the TSX under the symbol AET.UN and ARC Resources exchangeable
shares trade under the symbol ARX.

Note: Barrels of oil equivalent (boe) may be misleading, particularly if
used in isolation. In accordance with NI 51-101, a boe conversion ratio for
natural gas of 6 mcf: 1 bbl has been used, which is based on an energy
equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does
not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead.

ADVISORY - In the interests of providing ARC unitholders and potential
investors with information regarding ARC, including management's assessment of
ARC's future plans and operations, certain information contained in this
document are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe
harbour" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995 and the Ontario Securities Commission. Forward-looking statements
in this document include, but are not limited to, ARC's internal projections,
expectations or beliefs concerning future operating results, and various
components thereof; the production and growth potential of its various assets,
estimated total production and production growth for 2009 and beyond; the
sources, deployment and allocation of expected capital in 2009; and the
success of future development drilling prospects. Readers are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no
assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based
will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous
assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and
specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts,
projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may
cause ARC's actual performance and financial results in future periods to
differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or
results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

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ARC RESOURCES LTD.
John P. Dielwart,
President and Chief Executive Officer
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