CJSC Somon Oil Begins Seismic Program in the Republic of Tajikistan

BAAR, Switzerland, July 12, 2011 -

Manas Petroleum Corp. (”Manas”) (TSX-V: MNP; OTCBB: MNAP) is
pleased to announce the commencement of the second seismic survey
on CJSC Somon Oil Company’s WEST and NORTH WEST licenses in the
Republic of Tajikistan. This program includes up to 774 km of 2D
seismic survey, which up to 115 km will be acquired over the WEST
license and up to 659 km will be acquired over the NORTH WEST
license. An additional 24 km will extend across the Kyrgyz-Tajik
border into Manas’ Tuzluk license in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Somon Oil, a 90% owned subsidiary of DWM Petroleum AG, signed
the agreement for Seismic Services with the Tajikistan branch of
the Kazakh company, DANK Scientific Industrial Firm (”DANK”), on
June 29, 2011. DANK has extensive experience in the hydrocarbon
exploration industry performing seismic work in the larger Caspian
region. DANK also performed Somon’s seismic survey in 2010. The
seismic work will be conducted with vibrators, airguns (a
significant volume of the data is to be acquired across the Karakum
Reservoir, for the first time), with the remainder utilizing
dynamite as a source.

This seismic survey is being carried out to improve the quality
of the existing prospect data, and hence increase the chances of
success of the exploratory wells to be drilled upon completion and
interpretation of the new seismic data. The first well is
anticipated to be spudded at the end of the first quarter of
2012.

Santos International Ventures Pty Ltd (”Santos International”).,
a wholly owned subsidiary of Santos Ltd., has an option to farm-in
to Somon Oil pursuant to an option agreement signed between DWM
Petroleum AG, Santos International (and others) on December 10,
2007.  The Production Sharing Agreement has yet to be ratified
and remains one of the hurdles for Santos exercising the option.
Prior to exercise of that option, Santos International has agreed
to provide preliminary discretionary funding towards the costs of
the abovementioned seismic, although binding fully funded
commitments are not intended to arise until exercise of the option.
Once exercised, it is intended that (subject to further agreement
on terms), Santos International will fully fund the seismic survey
and that these costs will be credited to the total funding
commitments to be agreed.

Somon has also commenced the process of obtaining all required
permits to commence drilling operations in the Chkalovsk area (WEST
license) as well as in the West Supetau area (NORTH WEST
license).

About Manas Petroleum Corp.

Manas Petroleum is an international oil and gas company with
primary focus on exploration and development in South-Eastern
Europe, Central Asia and Mongolia. In Albania, Manas participates
in a 1.7 million acre exploration project through its equity
interest in Petromanas Energy Inc., a Canadian public company. In
Kyrgyz Republic, Manas has signed a US$54 million farm-out
agreement with Santos International, a subsidiary of one of
Australia’s largest oil and gas companies. In addition to the
development of its Kyrgyz Republic project, Santos is developing
the company’s neighboring Tajikistan license under an option farm
out agreement. In Mongolia, Manas owns record title to the two
Production Sharing Contracts covering Blocks XIII and XIV through
its wholly-owned subsidiary Gobi Energy Partners GmbH, but 26% of
the beneficial ownership interest in these blocks is held in trust
for others.

DISCLAIMER

Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are projections of events, revenues,
income, future economic performance or management’s plans and
objectives for future operations. In some cases you can identify
forward-looking statements by the use of terminology such as “may”,
“should”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “expects”, “intends”,
“forecasts”, “plans”, “future”, “strategy”, or words of similar
meaning. Forward-looking statements in this press release include
statements about Manas’ belief that the results of the new seismic
survey will improve the quality of existing data and increase the
chances of success of an exploratory well, its anticipation that
the first exploratory well will be spudded in the first quarter of
2012, its belief that the production sharing agreement in
Tajikistan will be ratified and that it remains one of the hurdles
for Santos exercising its farm-in option and its anticipation that
Santos will fully fund the seismic survey.  While these
forward-looking statements and any assumptions upon which they are
based are made in good faith and reflect current judgment regarding
the direction of Manas’ business, actual results will almost always
vary, sometimes materially, from any estimates, predictions,
projections, assumptions or other future performance suggested in
this press release. These statements are only predictions and
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors,
including the risks presented by the market price and volume of
trading in shares of Petromanas Energy Inc., field conditions and
the risks described in Manas periodic disclosure documents filed on
SEDAR and EDGAR, copies of which are also available on the
company’s website at www.manaspetroleum.com. Any of these
risks could cause Manas’ or its industry’s actual results, levels
of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different
from any future results, levels of activity, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking
statements. Except as required by applicable law, including the
securities laws of the United States and Canada, Manas does not
intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform
these statements to actual results.

For further information please contact:

Roger Jenny
Corporate Secretary
Manas Petroleum Corp.
Bahnofstr. 9, P.O. Box 155
CH-6341 Baar, Switzerland
Phone: +41-44-718-10-30
Fax: +41-44-718-10-39
Email:  href="mailto:info@manaspete.com">info@manaspete.com
Web:  href="www.manaspete.com">www.manaspete.com

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