Whiting''s full-year 2008 capital budget is $740 million, excluding any acquisition costs. Whiting estimates that net production from the properties to be acquired from Chicago Energy was 19 MMcfe per day in March 2008.

Whiting has increased its exploration and development budget by $100 million to $740 million for 2008.

Whiting stock (WLL: chart) rose $1.48 to $78.44 and traded as high as $80 in the morning. In the last twelve months of trading the stock has traded between $35.80 and $80.