Brigham Exploration Names Curtis Harrell as CFO And Director, and Appoints Other Executive Officers.

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 17, 1999--

Brigham Exploration Company (Nasdaq:BEXP) announced today it has elected Curtis F. Harrell as Chief Financial Officer and a director of the Company.

In addition, Jeffery E. Larson has been promoted to Vice President of Exploration and Christopher A. Phelps has been promoted to Vice President of Finance and Strategic Planning.

As Chief Financial Officer, Curtis Harrell will direct the Company's finance and accounting activities, including the initiation, structuring and execution of capital formation transactions to fund its exploration activities.

Mr. Harrell has thirteen years of financial and operational experience in the energy industry. Most recently, he was Executive Vice President and Partner at R. Chaney & Company Inc., an equity investment firm focused on the energy industry, where he managed the firm's investment origination efforts in the U.S., focusing on investments in corporate equity securities of energy companies in the exploration and production and oilfield service industry segments.

Prior to R. Chaney & Company, Mr. Harrell was a Director of Domestic Corporate Finance for Enron Capital & Trade Resources Inc., where he was responsible for initiating and executing a variety of debt and equity financing transactions for independent exploration and production companies.

Before joining Enron Capital & Trade Resources, Mr. Harrell spent eight years working in corporate finance and reservoir engineering roles for two public independent exploration and production companies, Kelley Oil & Gas Corporation and Pacific Enterprises Oil Company Inc.

He has a bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree in business administration from Southern Methodist University.

In his new role as Vice President of Exploration, Mr. Larson will work with Bud Brigham to direct Brigham's exploration activities, including the development and management of its inventory of 3-D seismic drilling prospects.

Mr. Larson joined Brigham in October 1997 as Gulf Coast Exploration Manager in its Houston office where he co-managed the Company's successful expansion into the onshore Gulf Coast province through the initiation and assemblage of high potential 3-D seismic projects and drilling opportunities.

In November 1998, Mr. Larson relocated to Brigham's corporate office in Austin where he assumed an expanded role in directing the Company's exploration activities in the Anadarko Basin, in addition to the further advancement of its Gulf Coast activities.

Prior to joining Brigham, Mr. Larson was a Senior Staff Explorationist in the Offshore Department of Burlington Resources, a large independent exploration company, where he was responsible for generating exploration and development drilling opportunities. Mr. Larson worked at Burlington for seven years in various roles of increasing responsibility within its exploration department. Prior to Burlington, Mr. Larson spent five years at Exxon as a Production Geologist and Research Scientist.

He has a bachelor's degree in Earth Science from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota and a master's degree in Geology from the University of Montana.

In his new role as Vice President of Finance and Strategic Planning, Christopher Phelps will be responsible for directing Brigham's capital budgeting, corporate strategic planning and investor relations activities. Mr. Phelps joined Brigham in January 1998 as Manager of Finance and Investor Relations where he focused on the origination and execution of corporate finance transactions and corporate communications with shareholders and the investment community.

Prior to joining Brigham, Mr. Phelps was a Vice President in the Investment Banking Department of Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., a major international securities brokerage and investment banking firm, where he spent over five years executing a variety of capital raising and mergers and acquisition transactions principally for independent exploration and production companies.

He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin.

After more than six years of valued service to Brigham Exploration, Jon L. Glass and Craig M. Fleming have resigned as Vice President of Exploration and Chief Financial Officer, respectively, to jointly pursue other business opportunities in the energy industry.

Bud Brigham, the Company's Chairman, CEO and President, stated, "On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are extremely excited about the new additions to our Company's executive management team. We have always had excellent success at attracting top-flight talent, and Curtis is the latest example. It's rare to find a CFO and Director with such a remarkable base of experience and knowledge in both areas of capital formation and oil and gas operations. Our management team members possess unique and complementary expertise that will drive the successful execution of our corporate strategic goals. In addition, I am personally very excited since these changes afford me the opportunity to take a more active role in the technical management of our very exciting 3-D driven exploration program."

Bud Brigham further said, "Jon Glass and Craig Fleming provided distinguished leadership to our Company throughout the years, and most recently they made significant contributions to position our Company for its next phase of drill bit driven growth. We have benefited from their talents and wish them the best in their future endeavor together."

ABOUT BRIGHAM EXPLORATION

Brigham Exploration Company is an independent exploration and production company that applies 3-D seismic imaging and other advanced technologies to systematically explore and develop onshore domestic natural gas and oil provinces. For more information about Brigham Exploration, please visit the Company's Web site at www.bexp3d.com or contact Investor Relations at 512/427-3444.