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Whiting Petroleum Corp. Announces Third Quarter 2007 Earnings of $1.14 Per Share

October 30, 2007
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DENVER, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Whiting Petroleum Corporation today reported third quarter 2007 net income of $47.7 million, or $1.14 per basic share and $1.13 per diluted share, on total revenues of $233.5 million. Third quarter 2007 net income included net after-tax gains related to property sales of $17.8 million or $0.42 per share. Third quarter 2007 financial results compared to third quarter 2006 net income of $49.5 million, or $1.35 per basic and diluted share, on total revenues of $207.6 million. Discretionary cash flow in the third quarter of 2007 totaled $108.0 million versus the $126.7 million reported for the same period in 2006. A reconciliation of discretionary cash flow to net cash provided by operating activities is included at the end of this news release.

The decrease in third quarter 2007 net income and discretionary cash flow compared to the third quarter of 2006 was primarily the result of a 4% decrease in equivalent volumes sold, a 19% decrease in natural gas price realizations, and higher lease operating costs. The 4% decrease in production was due in part to property sales, which reduced third quarter 2007 production volumes by a total of approximately 65,000 barrels of oil equivalent (BOE). Despite the impact of property sales on production, third quarter production of 3.74 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBOE) exceeded the second quarter 2007 production total of 3.72 MMBOE. The third quarter 2007 production of 3.74 MMBOE was composed of 2.48 million barrels of crude oil (66%) and 1.26 MMBOE of natural gas (34%). The third quarter 2007 production total equates to a daily average production rate of 40,640 BOE versus the comparable 2006 period of 42,260 BOE per day.

Nine Months Financial and Operating Results

For the nine months ended September 30, 2007, Whiting reported net income of $84.9 million, or $2.20 per basic share and $2.19 per diluted share, on total revenues of $586.4 million. This compared to net income of $128.4 million, or $3.50 per basic share and $3.49 per diluted share, on total revenues of $592.2 million during the first nine months of 2006. Discretionary cash flow for the first nine months of 2007 totaled $282.3 million, compared to $342.4 million in the comparable 2006 period.

Production in the first nine months of 2007 totaled 11.00 MMBOE, or 40,280 BOE per day, compared to 11.36 MMBOE, or 41,600 BOE per day, in the first nine months of 2006.

James J. Volker, Whiting’s Chairman, President and CEO, commented, “We are pleased with the progress of project implementation at our two CO2 projects and our drilling programs in the Bakken and the Piceance. Development activities at the Postle field have raised its net daily production to 5,600 BOE per day at the end of October from 5,300 BOE per day in May 2007 and 4,200 BOE per day in June 2005. We are currently injecting 112 million cubic feet (MMcf) of CO2 per day into the field’s producing Morrow formation, including areas of the Postle field recently prepared for CO2, the HMU unit and the west half of the WHMU unit. We expect to see a response in these newly prepared areas during the second half of 2008. The implementation of our CO2 flood at the North Ward Estes field is on schedule. We are currently injecting 14 MMcf per day of CO2 into the start-up area at North Ward Estes, and we expect to raise this rate to 100 MMcf per day by the end of the first quarter of 2008.” Mr. Volker continued, “We are currently drilling two wells at our Robinson Lake prospect in North Dakota. At our Piceance Basin Boies Ranch prospect in northwest Colorado, two wells are currently awaiting completion operations, and two more wells are currently being drilled. We expect to have test results from the two wells at Robinson Lake and the four wells at Boies Ranch by year end.”

   Third Quarter 2007 Financial and Operating Highlights   —  Whiting’s expansion of its CO2 flood at the Postle field, located in       Texas County, Oklahoma, is generating positive results.  At the end of       October, net production from the field was averaging approximately       5,600 BOE per day.  This compares to the field’s average net       production of 5,300 BOE per day in May 2007.  The Company is currently       injecting approximately 112 MMcf of CO2 per day into the field’s       producing reservoir, the Morrow formation, at a depth of approximately       6,100 feet.    —  On May 22, 2007, Whiting initiated its CO2 flood in the North Ward       Estes field, located in Ward and Winkler Counties, Texas.  The Company       is currently injecting approximately 14 MMcf of CO2 per day into the       Yates formation, the field’s producing reservoir, at a depth of       approximately 2,600 feet.  Whiting’s target for CO2 injection into the       field is 100 MMcf per day by the end of the first quarter of 2008.       The Company expects an initial response from this CO2 flood during the       second half of 2008.  Net production from North Ward Estes to date in       October has been averaging approximately 5,150 BOE per day.    —  Whiting is currently drilling two horizontal wells on its Robinson       Lake prospect in Mountrail County, North Dakota.  Both wells will       target the Middle Bakken formation at a depth of approximately 9,900       feet.  The Company holds an average working interest of 93% and an       average net revenue interest of 74% in the two new wells.  Whiting       expects to have production test results from both wells before year       end.    

Whiting’s discovery well on the Robinson Lake prospect, the Peery State 11-25H, was completed in May of 2007 in the Middle Bakken formation with an initial flow rate of 1,081 barrels of oil and 1.0 MMcf of gas per day. The current flow rate is 300 barrels of oil and 300 thousand cubic feet (Mcf) of gas per day. This triple-lateral well drilled approximately 21,000 feet of horizontal well bore. Whiting holds a 99% working interest (80% net revenue interest) in the discovery well and is the operator.

Whiting’s Robinson Lake prospect encompasses 118,000 gross acres (81,000 net acres), on which it plans to drill 18 Middle Bakken wells during the next 26 months. Based on 1,280-acre units, a total of 90 potential Middle Bakken locations exist on the Company’s acreage at Robinson Lake. Some 640-acre units may also be drilled; consequently, the well count may vary. Whiting currently has one drilling rig and one large workover rig working full time at Robinson Lake and plans to add a second drilling rig in January 2008 and a third drilling rig by the end of the first quarter of 2008. The workover rig is being used to drill the lateral sections of the wells.

   —  Immediately east of the Robinson Lake prospect is the Parshall field.       Whiting owns 66,000 gross (14,000 net) acres in the Parshall field,       where we have participated in 22 wells.  The initial 11 wells were       completed between June 2006 and September 2007 and had average initial       production rates of approximately 1,324 BOE per day per well.  Seven       wells are currently undergoing completion operations while another       four are currently being drilled.  Whiting holds an average 20%       working interest in the non-operated Parshall field.  An additional       eight wells are currently budgeted to be drilled in Parshall field       during the remainder of 2007.  In addition, Whiting is drilling a 100%       working interest well in the northeast portion of Parshall field.    —  During the third quarter, Whiting moved two rigs into the Piceance       Basin to drill Williams Fork and Iles wells on its Boies Ranch and       Jimmy Gulch properties in Rio Blanco County, Colorado.  Each rig has       drilled one well at Boies Ranch to a total depth of approximately       11,500 feet.  These two wells are currently awaiting completion       operations, and two more wells are currently being drilled.  Drilling       operations are expected to commence at Jimmy Gulch in the first       quarter of 2008.  We are drilling groups of four to eight wells off of       pads, with each rig moving to the next well on the same pad.  Across       our Boies Ranch and Jimmy Gulch prospects, our ownership ranges from       50% to 100% working interests and 49% to 89% net revenue interests.       Whiting holds a 100% working interest and an average net revenue       interest of 86% in the two new Boies Ranch wells that have reached       total depth.  In the two wells that are being drilled, the Company       owns a 100% working interest and an average net revenue interest of       89%.    

In the first half of 2007, Whiting drilled and completed three gas producers at Boies Ranch, with each well flowing at an initial rate of approximately 2.3 MMcf of gas per day from the Williams Fork and Iles formations. Production from these three wells was shut in for most of the third quarter and all of October as repairs were made to a nearby gas plant where Boies Ranch gas is processed. Production is expected to resume from the Boies Ranch area in November at a restricted gross rate of approximately 3.0 MMcf of gas per day (1.5 MMcf of gas per day net to the Company’s interests). The three productive wells at Boies Ranch are capable of producing at a combined gross rate of 4.75 MMcf of gas per day. Whiting plans to drill a total of 106 wells on its Boies Ranch and nearby Jimmy Gulch areas through 2009. The wells are scheduled to be drilled on 20-acre spacing units. The Company plans to have a minimum of two drilling rigs running full time in the Piceance Basin through 2008.

   —  Whiting received $40.1 million in proceeds from the sale of the       Company’s 50% non-operated working interest in several gas fields       located in LaSalle and Webb Counties, Texas.  The effective date of       the sale was July 1, 2007.  Whiting used the net proceeds from the       sale to reduce bank debt.    —  Whiting’s bank syndicate increased its borrowing base to $900.0       million effective November 1, 2007.  At September 30, 2007, Whiting       had drawn $220.0 million under the credit agreement.    

The following table summarizes the Company’s net production and commodity price realizations for the quarters ended September 30, 2007 and 2006:

                                             Three Months Ended   Production                               9/30/07       9/30/06      Change   Oil and condensate (MMBls)                 2.48          2.52        (2%)   Natural gas (Bcf)                          7.55          8.19        (8%)   Equivalent (MMBOE)                         3.74          3.89        (4%)    Average Sales Price   Oil and condensate (per Bbl):     Price received                         $67.51        $62.11         9 %     Effect of crude oil hedging             (0.85)        (0.15)   Realized price                           $66.66        $61.96         8 %    Natural gas (per Mcf):     Price received                          $5.06         $6.23       (19%)     Effect of natural gas hedging               –             –   Realized price                            $5.06         $6.23       (19%)     

Whiting realized a loss of $2.1 million on its crude oil hedges during the third quarter of 2007, as compared to a loss of $0.4 million in the third quarter of 2006. A summary of Whiting’s outstanding crude oil hedges is included later in this news release. The Company currently has no outstanding natural gas hedges.

Third Quarter and First Nine Months Costs and Margins

A summary of cash revenues and cash costs on a per BOE basis is as follows:

                                                   Per BOE                                     Three Months            Nine Months                                    Ended Sept. 30,        Ended Sept. 30,                                    2007        2006       2007        2006   Sales price, net of hedging    $54.43      $53.34     $50.55      $52.07   Lease operating expense         14.30       11.88      14.05       11.91   Production tax                   3.53        3.21       3.17        3.24   General & administrative         2.88        2.58       2.54        2.58   Exploration                      2.11        1.44       1.74        1.86   Cash interest expense            3.91        4.40       4.69        4.32   Cash income tax expense          0.91       (1.05)      0.50        0.05                                  $26.79      $30.88     $23.86      $28.11     

Whiting’s production tax rate in the third quarter averaged 6.4%, slightly above the Company’s guidance of 6.0% to 6.3%. The increase was primarily due to the change in the Company’s property mix associated with recent divestitures and drilling successes.

During the third quarter of 2007, the Company’s basis differential for natural gas compared to NYMEX was $1.10 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf) of gas, which compared to guidance of $0.50 to $0.70 per Mcf. The larger differential was primarily the result of significantly widening price differentials for Rocky Mountain gas during the third quarter.

The Company’s third quarter DD&A rate per BOE was below previously announced guidance. This was primarily the result of increasing the pricing assumptions in our reserve report, which had the effect of extending the economic life of many of our wells. This created additional economic reserve volumes and a correspondingly lower DD&A rate.

During the third quarter, the company-wide basis differential for crude oil compared to NYMEX was $7.52 per barrel, which compared to $8.44 per barrel in the third quarter of 2006 and $7.64 per barrel in the second quarter of 2007.

Third Quarter and First Nine Months 2007 Drilling Summary

The table below summarizes Whiting’s drilling activity and exploration and development costs incurred for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2007:

                              Gross/Net Wells Completed                                                               Expl. & Dev.                                       Total New    % Success      Cost           Producing   Non-Producing   Drilling       Rate     (in millions)    Q307   73 / 37.5      4 / 2.0      77 / 39.5    95% / 95%      $137.6    9M07  205 / 102.2     5 / 3.0     210 / 105.2   98% / 97%      $390.7     

Currently, Whiting is operating 12 drilling rigs and 43 workover rigs on its properties and is participating in the drilling of 10 non-operated wells. Of these workover rigs, 23 are currently operating in the North Ward Estes field and six are working in the Postle field.

Outlook for Fourth Quarter and Full-year 2007

The following statements provide a summary of certain estimates for the fourth quarter and full-year 2007 based on current forecasts.

   Guidance for the fourth quarter of 2007 and full-year 2007 is as follows:                                                         Guidance                                             Fourth Quarter    Full-Year                                                 2007            2007   Production (MMBOE)                         3.70 – 3.80    14.70 – 14.80   Lease operating expense per BOE          $14.00 – $14.40 $14.05 – $14.15   General and admin. expense per BOE        $2.55 –  $2.65  $2.50 –  $2.60   Interest expense per BOE                  $4.30 –  $4.40  $4.90 –  $5.00   Depr., depletion and amort. per BOE      $13.70 – $13.95 $13.15 – $13.40   Prod. taxes (% of production revenue)      6.3% – 6.7%     6.2% – 6.4%   Oil Price Differentials to NYMEX per Bbl  $7.50 –  $8.00  $7.75 –  $8.25   Gas Price Differentials to NYMEX per Mcf  $1.00 –  $1.20  $0.90 –  $1.00      Oil Hedges and Fixed-Price Gas Contracts  

Whiting’s outstanding oil hedges and fixed-price gas contracts as of October 1, 2007 are summarized below:

              Contracted Volume   NYMEX Price Collar Range   As a Percentage                                                                    of                                                                Sept. 2007    Hedges      Bbls per Month              (per Bbl)         Oil Production      2007      Q4           110,000               $49.00 – $71.50         —  /14%      Q4           300,000               $50.00 – $76.50         —  /37%      2008      Q1           110,000               $49.00 – $70.65         —  /14%      Q1           120,000               $60.00 – $73.90         —  /15%      Q1           100,000               $65.00 – $80.30         —  /12%      Q2           110,000               $48.00 – $71.60         —  /14%      Q2           120,000               $60.00 – $74.65         —  /15%      Q2           100,000               $65.00 – $80.50         —  /12%      Q3           110,000               $48.00 – $70.85         —  /14%      Q3           120,000               $60.00 – $75.60         —  /15%      Q3           100,000               $65.00 – $81.00         —  /12%      Q4           110,000               $48.00 – $70.20         —  /14%      Q4           120,000               $60.00 – $75.85         —  /15%      Q4           100,000               $65.00 – $81.20         —  /12%                                                                As a Percentage                     Natural Gas Volumes 2007 Contract Price        of      Fixed Price             in                 (1)            Sept. 2007      Contracts          MMBtu per Month       per MMBtu       Gas Production     Oct. 2007 – May 2011      29,000              $4.75               1%   Oct. 2007 – Sep. 2012     66,000              $4.21               3%    (1) Annual 4% price escalation on fixed price contracts.      Selected Operating and Financial Statistics                                          Three Months         Nine Months                                   Ended September 30,  Ended September 30,                                        2007      2006       2007      2006   Selected operating statistics   Production     Oil and condensate, MBbl           2,480     2,523      7,106     7,333     Natural gas, MMcf                  7,551     8,191     23,336    24,146     Oil equivalents, MBOE              3,739     3,888     10,995    11,357   Average Prices     Oil, Bbl (excludes hedging)       $67.51    $62.11     $58.37    $59.52     Natural gas, Mcf (excludes      hedging)                          $5.06     $6.23      $6.14     $6.83   Per BOE Data     Sales price (including hedging)   $54.43    $53.34     $50.55    $52.07     Lease operating                   $14.30    $11.88     $14.05    $11.91     Production taxes                   $3.53     $3.21      $3.17     $3.24     Depreciation, depletion and      amortization                     $13.19    $10.99     $13.02    $10.30     General and administrative         $2.88     $2.58      $2.54     $2.58   Selected Financial Data    (In thousands, except per share    data)     Total revenues and other income $233,528  $207,587   $586,355  $592,236     Total costs and expenses        $156,181  $138,772   $450,890  $401,611     Net income                       $47,713   $49,544    $84,850  $128,414     Net income per common share,      basic                             $1.14     $1.35      $2.20     $3.50     Net income per common share,      diluted                           $1.13     $1.35      $2.19     $3.49      Average shares outstanding,      basic                            42,027    36,751     38,555    36,742     Average shares outstanding,      diluted                          42,152    36,838     38,728    36,810     Net cash provided by operating      activities                     $122,656  $132,635   $272,609  $351,880     Net cash used in investing      activities                     $(82,318)$(160,981) $(325,047)$(428,692)     Net cash provided by financing      activities                     $(39,523)  $20,023    $50,771   $70,180      Conference Call  

The Company’s management will host a conference call with investors, analysts and other interested parties on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. EDT (10:00 a.m. CDT, 9:00 a.m. MDT) to discuss Whiting’s third quarter 2007 financial and operating results. Please call (866) 831-6243 (U.S./Canada) or (617) 213-8855 (International) and enter the pass code 29722268 to be connected to the call. Access to a live Internet broadcast will be available at http://www.whiting.com/ by clicking on the link titled “Webcasts.” Slides for the conference call will be available on this website beginning at 11:00 a.m. (EDT) on October 31, 2007.

A telephonic replay will be available beginning approximately two hours after the call on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 and continuing through Wednesday, November 7, 2007. You may access this replay at (888) 286-8010 (U.S./Canada) or (617) 801-6888 (International) and entering the pass code 89699053. You may also access a web archive at http://www.whiting.com/ beginning approximately one hour after the conference call.

About Whiting Petroleum Corporation

Whiting Petroleum Corporation, a Delaware corporation, is an independent oil and gas company that acquires, exploits, develops and explores for crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids primarily in the Permian Basin, Rocky Mountains, Mid-Continent, Gulf Coast and Michigan regions of the United States. The Company trades publicly under the symbol WLL on the New York Stock Exchange. For further information, please visit http://www.whiting.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that we believe to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than historical facts, including, without limitation, statements regarding our future financial position, business strategy, projected revenues, earnings, costs, capital expenditures and debt levels, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, words such as we “expect,”"intend,”"plan,”"estimate,”"anticipate,”"believe” or “should” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such statements.

These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: declines in oil or gas prices; our level of success in exploitation, exploration, development and production activities; adverse weather conditions that may negatively impact development or production activities; the timing of our exploration and development expenditures, including our ability to obtain drilling rigs and CO2; our ability to obtain external capital to finance acquisitions; our ability to identify and complete acquisitions and to successfully integrate acquired businesses, including our ability to realize cost savings from completed acquisitions; unforeseen underperformance of or liabilities associated with acquired properties; our ability to successfully complete our planned and potential asset dispositions; inaccuracies of our reserve estimates or our assumptions underlying them; failure of our properties to yield oil or gas in commercially viable quantities; uninsured or underinsured losses resulting from our oil and gas operations; our inability to access oil and gas markets due to market conditions or operational impediments; the impact and costs of compliance with laws and regulations governing our oil and gas operations; risks related to our level of indebtedness and periodic redeterminations of our borrowing base under our credit agreement; our ability to replace our oil and gas reserves; any loss of our senior management or technical personnel; competition in the oil and gas industry in the regions in which we operate; risks arising out of our hedging transactions and other risks described under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2007. We assume no obligation, and disclaim any duty, to update the forward-looking statements in this news release.

SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

For further information and discussion on the selected financial data below, please refer to Whiting Petroleum Corporation’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2007, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                       WHITING PETROLEUM CORPORATION             CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited)                               (In thousands)                                                 September 30,    December 31,                                                     2007            2006    ASSETS    CURRENT ASSETS:     Cash and cash equivalents                       $8,705        $10,372     Accounts receivable trade, net                  95,240         97,831     Deferred income taxes                           10,284          3,025     Prepaid expenses and other                       6,982         10,484       Total current assets                         121,211        121,712    PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:     Oil and gas properties, successful      efforts method:       Proved properties                          3,161,900      2,828,282       Unproved properties                           56,825         55,297     Other property and equipment                    38,062         44,902        Total property and equipment               3,256,787      2,928,481      Less accumulated depreciation, depletion      and amortization                             (596,601)      (495,820)    Total property and equipment, net              2,660,186      2,432,661    DEBT ISSUANCE COSTS                               16,022         19,352    OTHER LONG-TERM ASSETS                            13,625         11,678    TOTAL                                         $2,811,044     $2,585,403                          WHITING PETROLEUM CORPORATION             CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited)              (In thousands, except share and per share data)                                                     September 30,  December 31,                                                       2007          2006   LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY    CURRENT LIABILITIES:     Accounts payable                                 $17,623      $21,077     Accrued liabilities                               66,702       58,504     Accrued interest                                  24,237        9,124     Oil and gas sales payable                         19,676       19,064     Accrued employee compensation and benefits        15,115       17,800     Production taxes payable                          14,558        9,820     Current portion of tax sharing liability           3,565        3,565     Current portion of derivative liability           23,959        4,088        Total current liabilities                      185,435      143,042    NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES:     Long-term debt                                   836,663      995,396     Asset retirement obligations                      40,318       36,982     Production Participation Plan liability           31,847       25,443     Tax sharing liability                             24,749       23,607     Deferred income taxes                            210,894      165,031     Long-term derivative liability                     4,548        5,248     Other long-term liabilities                        3,644        3,984        Total non-current liabilities                1,152,663    1,255,691    COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES    STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:     Common stock, $0.001 par value; 75,000,000      shares authorized, 42,481,679 and 36,947,681      shares issued and outstanding as of      September 30, 2007 and December 31, 2006,      respectively                                         42           37     Additional paid-in capital                       967,907      754,788     Accumulated other comprehensive loss             (17,277)      (5,902)     Retained earnings                                522,274      437,747        Total stockholders’ equity                   1,472,946    1,186,670    TOTAL                                           $2,811,044   $2,585,403                          WHITING PETROLEUM CORPORATION          CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (Unaudited)                   (In thousands, except per share data)                                        Three Months Ended    Nine Months Ended                                          September 30,       September 30,                                         2007      2006       2007     2006   REVENUES AND OTHER INCOME:     Oil and gas sales                $205,594  $207,752   $557,953 $601,259     Loss on oil and natural gas      hedging activities                (2,101)     (375)    (2,101)  (9,859)     Gain on sale of properties         29,682         –     29,682        –     Interest income and other             353       210        821      836       Total revenues and other income 233,528   207,587    586,355  592,236   COSTS AND EXPENSES:     Lease operating                    53,472    46,183    154,512  135,236     Production taxes                   13,197    12,492     34,888   36,819     Depreciation, depletion and      amortization                      49,308    42,737    143,214  116,947     Exploration and impairment         10,420     6,647     26,239   22,903     General and administrative         10,780    10,035     27,941   29,285     Change in Production     Participation Plan      liability                          2,254     1,799      6,404    5,942     Interest expense                   16,263    18,879     56,514   54,479     Unrealized derivative loss            487         –      1,178        –       Total costs and expenses        156,181   138,772    450,890  401,611   INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES           77,347    68,815    135,465  190,625   INCOME TAX EXPENSE:     Current                             3,401    (4,075)     5,542      537     Deferred                           26,233    23,346     45,073   61,674       Total income tax expense         29,634    19,271     50,615   62,211   NET INCOME                          $47,713   $49,544    $84,850 $128,414   NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE,    BASIC                                $1.14     $1.35      $2.20    $3.50   NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE,    DILUTED                              $1.13     $1.35      $2.19    $3.49   WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES    OUTSTANDING, BASIC                  42,027    36,751     38,555   36,742   WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES    OUTSTANDING, DILUTED                42,152    36,838     38,728   36,810                          WHITING PETROLEUM CORPORATION  

Reconciliation of Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Discretionary

                                 Cash Flow                               (In thousands)                                                        Three Months Ended                                                            Sept. 30,                                                        2007         2006    Net cash provided by operating activities          $122,656     $132,635    Exploration                                           7,903        5,617    Changes in working capital                          (22,533)     (11,533)    Discretionary cash flow (1)                        $108,026     $126,719                                                            Nine Months Ended                                                            Sept. 30,                                                        2007         2006    Net cash provided by operating activities          $272,609     $351,880    Exploration                                          19,081       21,161    Changes in working capital                           (9,423)     (30,662)    Discretionary cash flow (1)                        $282,267     $342,379      (1) Discretionary cash flow is computed as net income plus exploration and       impairment costs, depreciation, depletion and amortization, deferred       income taxes, non-cash interest costs, non-cash compensation plan       charges, unrealized derivative losses and other non-current items less       the gain on sale of properties and marketable securities.  The       non-GAAP measure of discretionary cash flow is presented because       management believes it provides useful information to investors for       analysis of the Company’s ability to internally fund acquisitions,       exploration and development.  Discretionary cash flow should not be       considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income, income from       operations, net cash provided by operating activities or other income,       cash flow or liquidity measures under GAAP and may not be comparable       to other similarly titled measures of other companies.  

Whiting Petroleum Corporation

CONTACT: John B. Kelso, Director of Investor Relations of WhitingPetroleum Corp., +1-303-837-1661, john.kelso@whiting.com

Web site: http://www.whiting.com/