MENA Hydrocarbons Inc. Announces Spud of the Itheria-1 Exploration Well in Block 9, Syria

MENA Hydrocarbons Inc. ("MENA" or the "Company") (TSX VENUTRE:MNH) is pleased to
announce the commencement of drilling operations in Syria with the spud of
Itheria-1, the first exploration well on Block 9, Syria.


The planned total depth of the well is 3,256 metres and it is expected to take
80 days to drill, on a dry hole basis. The Itheria-1 well will test a large
structure with four-way dip closure defined by 3D seismic. Primary targets are
sandstones of Ordivician age. 


Graham Lyon, President and Chief Executive Officer of MENA said: "The Itheria
prospect, the first of two 2011 exploration wells to assess the prospectivity of
Block 9, provides MENA with a high impact exploration opportunity which is one
further step in the MENA strategy of delivering a portfolio of development,
production and high impact exploration."


Pursuant to a farmout agreement, MENA Hydrocarbons (Syria) Ltd., an indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of MENA will fund 60% of the costs for the drilling of
Itheria-1 with Triton Petroleum Pte Ltd. and Loon Latakia Ltd. (an indirect
wholly-owned subsidiary of Kulczyk Oil Ventures Inc.) each paying 20% of the
remaining costs. The well is being operated by Loon Latakia Limited.


About Syria, Block 9

MENA owns a 30% participating interest in a Syrian concession for the exclusive
right to explore the onshore exploration block in north western Syria known as
"Block 9". The concession is for an initial exploration period of 4 years, which
term may be extended for up to 5 years subject to the satisfaction of certain
conditions. Block 9 is located on the north western flank of the hydrocarbon
producing Palmyrides Basin. The block, which comprises 10,032 square kilometres
(2,478,876 acres), is prospective for crude oil, natural gas and condensate.
Major gas and oil pipelines lie in close proximity to the initial exploration
focus area in the southeast part of Block 9.


RPS Energy Canada Ltd. ("RPS") prepared a report dated March 21, 2011
estimating, as at December 31, 2010, the oil and gas prospective resources of
two prospect locations (Itheria and Bashaer) in Block 9 in Syria (the "Block 9
Resource Report"). The Block 9 Resource Report was prepared in accordance with
the COGE Handbook, and the definitions contained in NI 51 101 and the COGE
Handbook, for the Syria Block 9 consortium consisting of Loon Latakia Ltd.
(Kulczyk Oil Ventures), MENA and Triton Petroleum Pte Ltd.


The tables below summarize RPS' "high", "best" and "low" estimates for
prospective oil and solution gas resources of the Itheria and Bashaer prospect
locations in Block 9 in Syria:




                       Prospective Resources Summary                        
                         100% field basis, unrisked                         
                                                                            
                                          Low      Best      High           
Prospect      Resources Category     Estimate  Estimate  Estimate      Mean 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
Itheria(1)    Oil (MMbbls)                 80       300       677       350 
              Gas (Bscf)                   57       225       530       268 
                                                                            
Bashaer(1)    Oil (MMbbls)                 50        94       165       102 
              Gas (Bscf)                   25        47        82        51 
                                                                            
                                                                            
                                                                            
                        Prospective Resources Summary                       
                  MENA 30% working interest basis, unrisked                 
                                                                            
                                          Low      Best      High           
Prospect      Resources Category     Estimate  Estimate  Estimate      Mean 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
                                                                            
Itheria(1)    Oil (MMbbls)                 24        90       203       105 
              Gas (Bscf)                   17        68       159        81 
                                                                            
Bashaer(1)    Oil (MMbbls)                 15        28        49        31 
              Gas (Bscf)                  7.5        14        25        15 
                                                                            
                                                                            
Notes:                                                                      

1.  "GPoS" or "Geological Probability of Success" is estimated by RPS to be
    19% for the Itheria prospect and 14% for the Bashaer prospect. This
    concept refers to the technical chance of success of a geological model
    as it applies to the entire volumetric expectation curve between P0 and
    P100. No commercial cut-off is applied and the geological chance should
    not be taken as necessarily equivalent to the commercial success chance.
    Geological chances calculated by multiplying play chance (source,
    reservoir and seal) and prospect specific chance (trap and timing, seal,
    charge and reservoir). 



The petroleum resources set out above are classified as "prospective resources".
Prospective resources are those quantities of petroleum estimated, as of a given
date, to be potentially recoverable from undiscovered accumulations by
application of future development projects. Prospective resources have both an
associated chance of discovery and a chance of development. There is no
certainty that any portion of the resources will be discovered. If discovered,
there is no certainty that it will be commercially viable to produce any portion
of the resources.


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 kilometer 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 kilometer
onshore block prospective for crude oil, natural gas and condensate. MENA's
shares currently trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "MNH".


Forward looking information 

This news release contains forward-looking information relating to the drilling
of the Itheria-1 well, resource estimates 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.