MENA Hydrocarbons Inc. ("MENA" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:MNH) announces
that Loon Latakia Limited, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Kulczyk Oil
Ventures ("KOV"), and operator of Block IX in Syria in which MENA holds a 30 %
interest, has suspended all exploration operations in Syria, including the
drilling of the Itheria-1 well.


As a result of KOV suspending its exploration activities in Syria, the drilling
of the Itheria-1 well, the first exploration well being drilled by MENA and its
joint venture partners on Syria Block IX, has been suspended at a depth of 2,072
metres. MENA supports the decision of its joint venture partners to suspend
operations in Syria at this difficult time. 


The original planned target depth of the Itheria-1 well was 3,256 metres. The
well was designed to explore multiple zones within a large structure with
four-way dip closure defined by 3D seismic in an area approximately 200
kilometres due east of the City of Latakia. The Affendi Sandstone of Ordovician
age, one of several objectives, was penetrated at a depth of approximately 1,475
metres and did not have sufficient porosity or permeability to be a potential
reservoir. The geological and petrophysical information obtained thus far at
Itheria will now be assessed to review the prospectivity of the primary
objectives deeper in Itheria and in the nearby Bashaer prospect.


As a result of difficult current operating conditions in the country, KOV
requested an extension of the first exploration period of the Block IX
Production Sharing Agreement from the Syrian government authorities which
extension was refused. The Production Sharing Agreement remains in effect and
discussions with the Syrian government authorities concerning the block are
continuing. In the meantime, MENA and its joint venture partners will continue
to evaluate their options in respect of the block and will monitor operating
conditions in Syria extremely closely to assess when, and if, a recommencement
of its Syrian operations is possible.


About MENA Hydrocarbons

MENA Hydrocarbons is an international oil and gas company focused on growing an
asset base of production, development and high impact exploration in the Middle
East and North Africa region. In Egypt, MENA owns and operates the development
lease for the Lagia oil field, a 32 square kilometre onshore block located on
the Sinai Peninsula, directly adjacent to the Gulf of Suez. In Syria, MENA owns
a 30% participating interest in Block 9 in Syria, a 10,032 square kilometre
onshore block prospective for crude oil, natural gas and condensate. In the
United States, MENA owns 6,242 gross acres (with an 81.2% average working
interest) in Northwestern Montana with light/medium oil reserves, and 36,201
gross acres (with a 99.5% average working interest) in East-Central Utah
prospective for both commercial gas sand and coal bed methane. MENA's shares
currently trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "MNH". 


Further information 

For more information, please see MENA's corporate presentation on
www.menahydrocarbons.com.


Forward looking information 

This news release contains forward-looking information relating to the Company's
future plans for its Syrian assets and completion of a full evaluation of the
Itheria prospect and other statements that are not historical facts. Such
forward-looking information is subject to important risks, uncertainties and
assumptions. The results or events predicated in this forward-looking
information may differ materially from actual results or events. As a result,
you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking
information.


Forward-looking information is based on certain factors and assumptions
regarding, among other things, the impact of increasing competition; the general
stability of the economic and political environments in which the Company
operates or owns interests; the timely receipt of any required regulatory
approvals; the ability of the Company to obtain qualified staff, equipment and
services in a timely and cost efficient manner; drilling results; the ability of
the operator of the projects which the Company has an interest in to operate the
field in a safe, efficient and effective manner; the ability of the Company to
obtain financing on acceptable terms; field production rates and decline rates;
the ability to replace and expand oil and natural gas reserves through
acquisition, development of exploration; the timing and costs of pipeline,
storage and facility construction and expansion and the ability of the Company
to secure adequate product transportation; future oil and natural gas prices;
currency, exchange and interest rates; the regulatory framework regarding
royalties, taxes and environmental matters in the jurisdictions in which the
Company operates; and the ability of the Company to successfully market its oil
and natural gas products, and other similar matters. While the Company considers
these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to
it, they may prove to be incorrect.


Forward looking-information is subject to certain factors, including risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from what is
currently expected. These factors include risks associated with instability of
the economic and political environments in which the Company operates or owns
interests, oil and gas exploration, development, exploitation, production,
marketing and transportation, loss of markets, volatility of commodity prices,
currency fluctuations, imprecision of reserve estimates, environmental risks,
competition from other producers, inability to retain drilling rigs and other
services, incorrect assessment of the value of acquisitions, the inability to
settle the definitive terms of the farmout arrangements, failure to realize the
anticipated benefits of acquisitions, delays resulting from or inability to
obtain required regulatory approvals and ability to access sufficient capital
from internal and external sources, reliance on key personnel, regulatory risks
and delays, including risks relating to the acquisition of necessary licenses
and permits, environmental risks and insurance risks.


The estimates of resources in this news release constitute forward-looking
information which are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including
those associated with the drilling and completion of future wells, limited
available geological data and uncertainties regarding the actual production
characteristics of, and recovery efficiencies associated with, the reservoirs,
all of which are being assumed. As estimates, there is no guarantee that the
estimated resources will be recovered or produced. Actual resources may be
greater than or less than the estimates provided in this presentation.
Information concerning the independent evaluation from which these estimates are
derived may be accessed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.


You should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should
not rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect
to, the Company is under no obligation and does not undertake to update this
information at any particular time, except as required by law.