UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Exhibit 1.1

WHITING PETROLEUM CORPORATION
(a Delaware corporation)
3,000,000 Shares of 6.25% Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

Dated: June 17, 2009

WHITING PETROLEUM CORPORATION
(a Delaware corporation)
3,000,000 Shares of 6.25% Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock
(Par Value $.001 Per Share)
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

June 17, 2009

MERRILL LYNCH & CO.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
          Incorporated
as Representative of the several Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto

One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     Whiting Petroleum Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) confirms its agreement with Merrill Lynch & Co. and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (“Merrill Lynch”), each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”, which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Merrill Lynch is acting as representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”), and the QIU (as defined below), with respect to the issue and sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the respective numbers of shares of the Company’s 6.25% Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”), par value $0.001 per share and liquidation preference of $100 per share, which shall have the rights, powers and preferences set forth in the Certificate of Designations (the “Certificate of Designation”), set forth in said Schedule A, and with respect to the grant by the Company to the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of the option described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any part of 450,000 additional shares of Preferred Stock to cover overallotments, if any. The aforesaid 3,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock (the “Initial Securities”) to be purchased by the Underwriters and all or any part of the 450,000 shares of Preferred Stock subject to the option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the “Option Securities”) are hereinafter called, collectively, the “Securities.”

     The Securities will be convertible into shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share (“Common Stock”), in the manner described in the Certificate of Designation. The shares of Common Stock into which the Securities may be converted are referred to herein as the “Underlying Securities.”

     The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representative deems advisable after this agreement (the “Agreement”) has been executed and delivered.

     The Company hereby confirms its engagement of Raymond James & Associates, Inc. (“Raymond James”) as, and Raymond James hereby confirms its agreement with the Company to render services as, a “qualified independent underwriter”, within the meaning of Section (b)(15) of Rule 2720 of the Conduct

Rules of The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “NASD Conduct Rules”) with respect to the offering and sale of the Securities. Raymond James, solely in its capacity as the qualified independent underwriter and not otherwise, is referred to herein as the “QIU”. The price at which the Securities will be sold to the public shall not be higher than the maximum price nor shall the dividend rate be lower than the minimum yield recommended by the QIU.

     The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-159055), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, which registration statement became effective upon filing under Rule 462(e) of the rules and regulations of the Commission (the “1933 Act Regulations”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Such registration statement covers the registration of the Securities and the Underlying Securities under the 1933 Act. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430B (“Rule 430B”) of the 1933 Act Regulations and paragraph (b) of Rule 424 (“Rule 424(b)”) of the 1933 Act Regulations. Any information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of and included in such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B is referred to as “Rule 430B Information.” Each prospectus used in connection with the offering of the Securities that omitted Rule 430B Information is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.” Such registration statement, at any given time, including the amendments thereto to such time, the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at such time and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof or included therein by 1933 Act Regulations, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” The Registration Statement at the time it originally became effective is herein called the “Original Registration Statement.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act at the time of the execution of this Agreement and any preliminary prospectuses that form a part thereof, is herein called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”).

     All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information that is “described,” “contained,” “included” or “stated” in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information that is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) that is incorporated by reference in or otherwise deemed by 1933 Act Regulations to be a part of or included in the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be.

     SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties .

     (a)  Representations and Warranties by the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time referred to in Section 1(a)(ii) hereof and as of the Closing Time referred to in Section 2(c) hereof, and as of each Date of Delivery (if any) referred to in Section 2(b) hereof, and agree with each Underwriter, as follows:

     (i) Status as a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer . (A) At the time of filing the Original Registration Statement, (B) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act or form of prospectus), (C) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) of the 1933 Act Regulations) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 of the 1933 Act Regulations and (D) at the date hereof, the Company was and is a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405(1)(i)(A) of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”), including not having been and not being an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement,” as defined in Rule 405, and the Securities, since their registration on the Registration Statement, have been and remain eligible for registration by the Company on a Rule 405 “automatic shelf registration statement”. The Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations objecting to the use of the automatic shelf registration statement form.

     At the time of filing the Original Registration Statement, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.

     (ii) Registration Statement, Prospectus and Disclosure at Time of Sale . The Original Registration Statement became effective upon filing under Rule 462(e) of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 462(e)”) on May 8, 2009, and any post-effective amendment thereto also became effective upon filing under Rule 462(e). No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with.

     Any offer that is a written communication relating to the Securities made prior to the filing of the Original Registration Statement by the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this paragraph only, of Rule 163(c) of the 1933 Act Regulations) has been filed with the Commission in accordance with the exemption provided by Rule 163 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 163”) and otherwise complied with the requirements of Rule 163, including without limitation the legending requirement, to qualify such offer for the exemption from Section 5(c) of the 1933 Act provided by Rule 163.

     At the respective times the Original Registration Statement and each amendment thereto became effective, at each deemed effective date with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations and at the Closing Time, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations, and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

     Neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement was issued and at the Closing Time (and, if any Option Securities are purchased, at the Date of Delivery), included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to

make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

     Each preliminary prospectus (including the prospectus or prospectuses filed as part of the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereto) complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

     As of the Applicable Time, neither (x) the Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below) and the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below) as of the Applicable Time, all considered together (collectively, the “General Disclosure Package”), nor (y) any individual Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the General Disclosure Package, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

     As used in this subsection and elsewhere in this Agreement:

     “Applicable Time” means 7:00 am (Eastern time) on June 18, 2009 or such other time as agreed by the Company and Merrill Lynch.

     “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), relating to the Securities that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) is a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission or (iii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

     “Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule C hereto.

     “Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

     “Statutory Prospectus” as of any time means the prospectus relating to the Securities that is included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to that time, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof.

     Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the public offer and sale of the Securities or until any earlier date that the issuer notified or notifies the Representative as described in Section 3(e), did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including any document incorporated by reference therein and any preliminary or other prospectus deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified.

     The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein.

     (iii) Incorporated Documents . The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”), and, when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, (a) at the time the Original Registration Statement became effective, (b) at the earlier of the time the Prospectus was first used and the date and time of the first contract of sale of Securities in this offering and (c) at the Closing Time, did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

     (iv) Independent Accountants . The accountants who certified the financial statements and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement are independent public accountants with respect to the Company as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

     (v) Financial Statements . The financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes, present fairly in all material respects, on the basis set forth in the Prospectus, the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statement of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of Company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified; said financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved. The supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects in accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein. The summary financial information included in the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement.

     All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the 1934 Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the 1933 Act, to the extent applicable.

     (vi) No Material Adverse Change in Business . Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”), (B) there have been no transactions entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, other than those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, and (C) except as described in the Prospectus, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

     (vii) Good Standing of the Company . The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Certificate of Designation; and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

     (viii) Good Standing of Subsidiaries . Each of Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation, Whiting Programs, Inc. and Equity Oil Company (each a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of each such Subsidiary has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of any Subsidiary was issued in violation of the preemptive or similar rights of any securityholder of such Subsidiary. As of the date of this Agreement, the only subsidiaries of the Company are the Subsidiaries, Whiting Transpetco LP, LLC, Whiting Transpetco GP, LLC and Shaw Resources Limited, LLC. The subsidiaries of the Company, other than the Subsidiaries, considered in the aggregate as a single subsidiary, do not constitute a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X.

     (ix) Capitalization . The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans referred to in the Prospectus). The shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; none of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company was issued in violation of the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the Company.

     (x) Authorization and Enforceability of Agreements . This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

     (xi) Authorization and Description of Securities . The Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters from the Company have been duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement, and, when issued and delivered by the Company pursuant to this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the Securities conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus and such description conforms in all material respects to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same, including the Certificate of Designation; no holder of the Securities will be subject to personal liability by reason of being such a holder; and the Securities are not subject to the preemptive or other similar

rights of any securityholder of the Company, and will be convertible at the option of the holders thereof into the Underlying Securities in accordance with the Certificate of Designation.

     (xii) The Underlying Securities . The Underlying Securities have been duly authorized and reserved, and, when issued and delivered upon conversion of the Securities, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and no preemptive or similar rights of stockholders exist with respect to any of the Underlying Securities.

     (xiii) The Certificate of Designation . The Certificate of Designation has been duly authorized by the Company and conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.

     (xiv) No Convertible Stock . Other than (A) the 1,500,000 shares of preferred stock previously designated by the Company as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share, which will be issued upon the exercise of the Company’s preferred share purchase rights, and (B) options to purchase shares of Common Stock that have been granted to employees of the Company or its subsidiaries, there are no outstanding securities of the Company convertible into, exchangeable for or evidencing the right to purchase or subscribe for any shares of capital stock of the Company and there are no outstanding or authorized options, warrants or rights of any character obligating the Company to issue any shares of its capital stock or any securities convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or subscribe for any shares of such stock.

     (xv) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts . Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its respective charter or by-laws or (B) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”), except for such violations or defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Company’s compliance with the Certificate of Designation and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and in the Registration Statement (including the offering, issuance and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, the issuance and delivery of the Underlying Securities pursuant to the Certificate of Designation and the use of the proceeds to the Company from the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus under the caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder and thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such action result in any violation of (A) the provisions of the charter or by-laws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (B) any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their assets, properties or operations (except for such violations that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect). As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to

require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

     (xvi) Absence of Labor Dispute . No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of their or any subsidiary’s principal suppliers, manufacturers, customers or contractors, which, in either case, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xvii) Absence of Proceedings . There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against or affecting the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, which is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance by the Company its obligations hereunder. The aggregate of all pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Company or any subsidiary of the Company is a party or of which any of their respective property or assets is the subject which are not described in the Registration Statement, including ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xviii) Accuracy of Exhibits . There are no contracts or documents which are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein or to be filed as exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.

     (xix) Possession of Intellectual Property . The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess, or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to carry on the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice or is otherwise aware of any infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xx) Absence of Further Requirements . No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or agency is necessary or required for the Company’s execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the issuance and delivery of the Securities or the Underlying Securities, the Company’s compliance with the Certificate of Designation, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or by the Prospectus with respect to the Securities, except (A) as such as have been already obtained or made, (B) as may be required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations or state securities laws, (C) for the filing of the Certificate of Designation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and (D) for the filing of a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the Commission with respect to the Preferred Stock.

     (xxi) Absence of Manipulation . Neither the Company nor any affiliate of the Company has taken, nor will the Company or any affiliate take, directly or indirectly, any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which would be expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

     (xxii) Possession of Licenses and Permits . The Company and its subsidiaries possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, except where the failure so to possess would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xxiii) Title to Property . The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries, including, without limitation, all oil and gas producing properties, and good title to all other properties owned by them, including, without limitation, all assets and facilities used by the Company and its subsidiaries in the production and marketing of oil and gas, in each case, free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims, restrictions or encumbrances of any kind except such as (a) are described in the Prospectus or (b) do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or any of its subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its subsidiaries holds properties described in the Prospectus, including, without limitation, all oil and gas producing properties of the Company and its subsidiaries and all assets and facilities used by the Company and its subsidiaries in the production and marketing of oil and gas, are in full force and effect, except where such would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any written notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease, except where such would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

     (xxiv) Environmental Laws . Except as described in the Registration Statement and except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, (A) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, code, policy or rule of common law or any judicial or administrative interpretation thereof, including any judicial or administrative order, consent, decree or judgment, relating to pollution or protection of human health, the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata) or wildlife, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to the release or threatened release of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, wastes, toxic substances, hazardous

substances, petroleum or petroleum products, asbestos-containing materials or mold (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) or to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), (B) the Company and its subsidiaries have all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, (C) there are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any of its subsidiaries and (D) there are no events or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to form the basis of an order for clean-up or remediation, or an action, suit or proceeding by any private party or governmental body or agency, against or affecting the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Hazardous Materials or any Environmental Laws.

     (xxv) Registration Rights . There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company under the 1933 Act.

     (xxvi) Independent Petroleum Engineers . Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc., whose report as of December 31, 2008 is referenced in the Prospectus, was, as of the date of such report, and is, as of the date hereof, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries. R.A. Lenser & Associates, Inc., whose report as of December 31, 2006 is referenced in the Prospectus, was, as of the date of such report, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries. Ryder Scott Company, L.P., whose report as of December 31, 2006 is referenced in the Prospectus, was, as of the date of such report, an independent petroleum engineer with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries.

     (xxvii) Accuracy of Reserve Information . The information underlying the estimates of reserves of the Company and its subsidiaries, which was supplied by the Company to (A) Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc. for purposes of auditing the reserve reports and estimates of the Company and preparing the letter (the “Reserve Report Letter”) of Cawley, Gillespie & Associates, Inc. and (B) R.A. Lenser & Associates, Inc. and Ryder Scott Company, L.P., including, without limitation, production, costs of operation and development, current prices for production, agreements relating to current and future operations and sales of production, was true and correct in all material respects on the dates such estimates were made and such information was supplied and was prepared in accordance with customary industry practices; other than normal production of the reserves and intervening spot market product price fluctuations described in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor its subsidiaries is aware of any facts or circumstances that would result in an adverse change in the reserves, or the present value of future net cash flows therefrom, as described in the Prospectus and as reflected in the Reserve Report Letter, that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; estimates of such reserves and present values as described in the Prospectus and reflected in the Reserve Report Letter comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of Regulation S-X and Industry Guide 2 under the 1933 Act.

     (xxviii) Oil and Gas Agreements . The participation agreements, joint development agreements, joint operating agreements, farm-out agreements and other agreements described in the Prospectus relating to the Company or its subsidiaries’ rights with respect to the ownership, lease or operation of oil and gas properties, the acquisition of interests in oil and gas properties or the exploration for, development of or production of oil and gas reserves thereon, constitute valid and binding agreements of the Company and its subsidiaries that are parties thereto and, to the best knowledge of the Company, of the other parties thereto, enforceable in accordance with their

terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and except as enforcement thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

     (xxix) Insurance . The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain insurance covering their properties, operations, personnel and businesses that, in the Company’s reasonable judgment, insures against such losses and risks as are adequate in accordance with customary industry practices to protect the Company and its subsidiaries and their businesses.

     (xxx) Accounting Controls and Disclosure Controls . The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (1) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (3) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (4) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year, there has been (I) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (II) no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

     The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.

     (xxxi) Pending Proceedings and Examinations . The Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act, and the Company is not the subject of a pending proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.

     (xxxii) No Unlawful Contributions or Other Payments . Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA, and the Company, its subsidiaries and, to the knowledge of the Company, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA.

     (xxxiii) No Conflict with Money Laundering Laws . Except as would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the operations of the Company and its

subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

     (xxxiv) Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance . There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

     (xxxv) No Conflict with OFAC Laws . Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”).

     (b)  Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any of its subsidiaries delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

     SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing .

     (a)  Initial Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the price per share and on the terms set forth in Schedule B, the number of Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional number of Initial Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof. Each Security will be convertible into shares of Common Stock in the manner provided in the Certificate of Designation (the “Conversion Price”), which Conversion Price is subject to adjustment in certain events as provided in the Certificate of Designation.

     (b)  Option Securities. In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, to purchase up to an additional 450,000 shares of Preferred Stock from the Company at the price per share and on the terms set forth in Schedule B, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Initial Securities but not payable on