Sonde Resources Corp. Announces Initiation of Western Canada Strategic Alternatives Process

CALGARY, ALBERTA, Jan 09 (MARKET WIRE) --
Sonde Resources Corp. ("Sonde" or the "Company") (TSX:SOQ) (NYSE MKT:SOQ)
(NYSE Amex:SOQ) reports that it has retained FirstEnergy Capital Corp.
("FirstEnergy") to initiate a process to explore and evaluate potential
strategic alternatives with regard to Sonde's western Canadian production
and exploratory acreage, with a view to enhancing shareholder value. In
particular, the Company seeks alternatives that will reduce emphasis on
legacy producing assets, and facilitate a focus on creating value from
its large portfolio of exploratory acreage, which contains significant
holdings in the Duvernay, Montney, Detrital-Banff and Wabamun plays of
west central Alberta.

Sonde has approximately 354,000 net acres of land (238,000 undeveloped).
Of Sonde's undeveloped acreage inventory, there are approximately 94,500
net acres in the Duvernay, 44,000 net acres in the Montney, 43,000 net
acres in the Detrital-Banff and 51,000 net acres in the emerging Wabamun
play.

Sonde's western Canadian assets produced 2,155 barrels of oil equivalent
per day in the third quarter of 2012 with 83 percent of its production in
the southern Alberta cash-generating unit focused in the Greater
Drumheller area. Sonde's production was 68 percent natural gas and 32
percent liquids. At September 30, 2012, Sonde had $24.6 million in cash
and an undrawn bank facility of $30 million.

As financial advisor to the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Sonde,
FirstEnergy will assist in the process of analyzing and evaluating
prospects and options available to the Company, which may include, among
other alternatives, a sale of all or a material portion of the assets of
the Company, a strategic investment in Sonde's undeveloped acreage, a
joint venture, or a merger or other business combination involving Sonde.
The Board has established a Special Committee comprised of independent
directors to oversee the strategic review process.

Sonde has not set a timetable for the completion of the strategic
alternatives process and it does not intend to comment further regarding
the process unless a specific transaction is approved by the Board, the
strategic alternatives process is concluded or it is otherwise determined
that further disclosure is necessary. There can be no assurances that the
process will result in a transaction of any form.

Further information on the assets and process will be available via
FirstEnergy in early January, 2013. Questions regarding the process
should be directed to the FirstEnergy contacts listed below.

Sonde recently announced it has reached a definitive farm out of a 66.67%
interest in its offshore North Africa Joint Oil Block. The farm out calls
for a transition of operatorship from Sonde to its new partner and
potential removes the uncertainty of funding its exploratory well
obligations or penalties. The farm out of the Joint Oil Block remains
subject to various approvals including that of Joint Oil.

Sonde Resources Corp. is a Calgary, Alberta, Canada based energy company
engaged in the exploration and production of oil and natural gas. Its
operations are located in Western Canada, and offshore North Africa. See
Sonde's website at www.sonderesources.com to review further detail on
Sonde's operations.

Boe Presentation - Reserve and resource information is commonly reported
in units of barrel of oil equivalent ("boe"). For purposes of computing
such units, natural gas is converted to equivalent barrels of oil using a
conversion factor of six thousand cubic feet to one barrel of oil. This
conversion ratio of 6:1 is based on an energy equivalent conversion
method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a
value equivalency at the wellhead. Such disclosure of boe's may be
misleading, particularly if used in isolation.

Forward Looking Information - This news release contains "forward-looking
information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws
and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, among
others, those concerning the Company's planned Western Canada strategic
review process. There can be no assurances that the process will result
in a transaction of any form.

Such forward-looking information or statements are based on a number of
risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results or
other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated and which
may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among
other things, market and operating conditions, management's expectations
regarding future growth, plans for and result of exploration and
development activities, availability of capital, future commodity prices
and differentials and capital and other expenditures. Actual results
could differ materially due to a number of factors, including, without
limitation, changes in market conditions, operational risks in
development, exploration and production; the uncertainty of reserve and
resource estimates; the uncertainty of estimates and projections in
relation to production; volatility in the capital markets and changes in
the availability of capital generally. Additional assumptions and risks
relating to the Company and its business and affairs are set out in
detail in the Company's Annual Information Form, available on SEDAR at
www.sedar.com., and the Corporation's annual reports on Form 40-F on file
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Although management believes that the expectations reflected in the
forward-looking information or forward-looking statements are reasonable,
prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
information or forward-looking statements because Sonde can provide no
assurance those expectations will prove to be correct. Sonde bases its
forward-looking statements and forward-looking information on information
currently available and do not assume any obligation to update them
unless required by law.

Contacts:
Sonde Resources Corp.
Suite 3200, 500 - 4th Avenue S.W.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 2V6

Sonde Resources Corp.
Kurt A. Nelson
Chief Financial Officer
(403) 503-7944
knelson@sonderesources.com
www.sonderesources.com

FirstEnergy Capital Corp.
Suite 1100, 311 - 6th Avenue S.W.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2P 3H2

FirstEnergy Capital Corp.
Erik B. Bakke
Managing Director, Corporate Finance
(403) 262-0649
ebbakke@firstenergy.com

FirstEnergy Capital Corp.
Brian F. Dunn
Managing Director, Acquisitions & Divestitures
(403) 262-0602
bfdunn@firstenergy.com
www.firstenergy.com

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