Maple Energy plc : Board Appointment

12 January 2012 MAPLE ENERGY PLC ("Maple" or the "Company") BOARD APPOINTMENT

Maple Energy plc (AIM: MPLE; LIMA: MPLE), an integrated energy company with assets in Peru, is pleased to announce that Mr. Francisco Mesquita Neto has been appointed as an independent, non- executive director on the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") effective from 11 January 2012. Mr. Mesquita will also serve on the Company's Remuneration Committee. For further information, please see below.

Francisco Mesquita Neto

Mr. Mesquita, Brazilian, age 56, currently specializes in consulting on corporate strategy and governance.
Between 2008 and 2010, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Unialco S/A, a Brazilian ethanol and sugar producer. During his tenure as CEO, Unialco's facilities produced approximately 325,000 cubic metres of ethanol and 365,000 tons of sugar per annum. He was appointed CEO after four years serving as an independent, non-executive board member of the company.
Mr. Mesquita was also Chief Executive Officer of Totalcom Group, the largest Brazilian advertising group, from 2004 to early 2008.
He started his career in 1980 in the marketing department of Group O Estado de S. Paulo, one of the most important media companies in Brazil, serving as CEO from 1988 to 2003 and Chairman from
2000 to 2005.
Mr. Mesquita is currently a member of the board of directors or advisory board of the following companies: Group O Estado de S. Paulo, Banco Triangulo S/A (a bank owned by Grupo Martins, the largest wholesaler in Brazil), Sociedade Cultura Artística (a non-profit organization), and Fundação Zerbini (Instituto do Coração - Public Hospital). He also serves as a member of the Corporate Governance Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce of Brazil and is a Certified Director by the Brazilian Institute for Corporate Governance.
Previously, Mr.Mesquita served on the board of directors or advisory board of numerous companies including the Banco Mercantil de São Paulo (1990-1995), Maritima Insurance (2003-2006), Papel de Imprensa S/A (paper production) (1987-2001), BCP (mobile phone company in São Paulo Metropolitan Area and the northeast region of Brazil) (1999-2003), OESP Mídia (Yellow pages publisher) (1999-2003), Unialco S/A (2004-2008), Agrenco Brasil S/A (2011), and Agrenco Limited (2011). Agrenco Brasil S/A and Agrenco Limited are both in judicial recuperation. Mr. Mesquita became an independent, non-executive director of these two companies at the request of certain creditors after the companies entered into judicial recuperation.
Mr. Mesquita holds a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University in New York and a
Bachelor of Business Administration from Universidade Mackensie in São Paulo, Brazil.
In connection with the appointment, the Board authorised the issuance of options to acquire up to
45,000 ordinary shares of US$0.01 each in the share capital of the Company to Mr. Mesquita, in accordance with the Company's Share Option Plan 2007, as amended. The options have been issued at an exercise price of 76p per option, with one-third of the options vested annually over a three-year period from the date of the grant.
There are no other disclosures required under Schedule Two (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.

For further information, please contact: Maple Energy plc (+ 51 1 611 4000)

Rex W. Canon, Chief Executive Officer, President, and Executive Director

Cenkos Securities plc

Jon Fitzpatrick [phone]

Ken Fleming [phone]

Mirabaud Securities Ltd ([phone])

Peter Krens

Rory Scott

Buchanan ([phone])

Mark Edwards

Ben Romney

About Maple Energy and its subsidiaries

Maple is an integrated independent energy company, listed in London and Lima, with subsidiary assets and operations in Peru engaging in numerous aspects of the energy industry, including:

• The development of an ethanol project;

• Exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas; and

• Refining, marketing, and distribution of hydrocarbon products.

Maple was admitted to AIM on 13 July 2007 and trades under the symbol "MPLE". The Company was also admitted to the Lima Stock Exchange on 21 December 2007 where it trades under the same symbol.

Operations

Maple's operations are conducted and revenues are generated through its majority-owned subsidiaries. Principal operations consist of the following:

• Ethanol Project. Project developer and owner of an ethanol project located in the Piura

Region on the North coast of Peru;

• Oil Production. Operator and holder of 100% working interests in its crude-oil producing properties, Blocks 31-B, 31-D, and 31-E;

• Refining, Marketing, and Distribution Operations. Operator of the Pucallpa Refinery and Sales Plant, which has capacity to refine up to (i) 3,400 barrels per day of crude oil producing Residual 5 fuel oil, (ii) 3,000 barrels per day of crude oil producing Residual 6 fuel oil, or (iii)

4,100 barrels per day of natural gasolines. This plant also includes sales and distribution operations in the central Peruvian jungle, central Peruvian highlands, and Lima regions; and

• Oil and Gas Exploration. Significant exploration opportunities through a:

- 100% working interest in Block 31-E, containing the new shale gas opportunity; and

- 33.77% working interest in the Aguaytía Deep Prospect in Block 31-C.