8-K

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report
(Date of earliest
event reported):	December 15, 2010

Whiting Petroleum Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	1-31899	20-0098515
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

1700 Broadway, Suite 2300, Denver, Colorado 80290-2300
(Address of principal executive offices, including ZIP code)

(303) 837-1661
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 C.F.R. §230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 C.F.R. §240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 C.F.R. §240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 C.F.R. §240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

     (b) On December 15, 2010, Graydon D. Hubbard informed the Board of Directors of Whiting Petroleum Corporation (the “Company”) that he would retire as a director of the Company effective January 1, 2011.

          As a result of the appointment of James T. Brown as the Company’s President and Chief Operating Officer described in paragraph (c) below, James J. Volker will no longer serve as the President of the Company effective January 1, 2011. Mr. Volker will continue to serve as the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

     (c) On December 15, 2010, the Company’s Board of Directors appointed James T. Brown as the President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company effective January 1, 2011. Mr. Brown is 58 years of age and joined the Company in May 1993 as a consulting engineer. In March 1999, he became Operations Manager, in January 2000, he became Vice President of Operations, and in May 2007, he became Senior Vice President. Mr. Brown has over 30 years of oil and gas experience in the Rocky Mountains, Gulf Coast, California and Alaska. Mr. Brown is a graduate of the University of Wyoming, with a Bachelor’s Degree in civil engineering, and the University of Denver, with an MBA. There are no family relationships between Mr. Brown and any director or executive officer of the Company.

     (d) On December 15, 2010, the Board of Directors of the Company appointed Allan R. Larson as a director of the Company effective January 1, 2011, to serve for a term expiring at the Company’s 2012 annual meeting of stockholders. The Board of Directors of the Company also appointed Mr. Larson to serve on the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board of Directors.

          A copy of the Company’s press release announcing Mr. Larson’s appointment and Mr. Hubbard’s retirement and the Company’s press release announcing Mr. Brown’s appointment, both issued by the Company on December 16, 2010, are filed as Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2, respectively, and are incorporated by reference herein.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)	Not applicable.
(b)	Not applicable.
(c)	Not applicable.
(d)	Exhibits:

(99.1)	Press Release of Whiting Petroleum Corporation announcing Mr. Larson’s appointment and Mr. Hubbard’s retirement, dated December 16, 2010.
(99.2)	Press Release of Whiting Petroleum Corporation announcing Mr. Brown’s appointment, dated December 16, 2010.

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SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	WHITING PETROLEUM CORPORATION
Date: December 16, 2010	By:	/s/ James J. Volker
		James J. Volker
		Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

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WHITING PETROLEUM CORPORATION
FORM 8-K
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Number			Description
	(99.1	)	Press Release of Whiting Petroleum Corporation announcing Mr. Larson’s appointment and Mr. Hubbard’s retirement, dated December 16, 2010.
	(99.2	)	Press Release of Whiting Petroleum Corporation announcing Mr. Brown’s appointment, dated December 16, 2010.

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Company contact:	John B. Kelso, Director of Investor Relations
	303.837.1661 or john.kelso@whiting.com

Whiting Petroleum Corporation Names Allan R. Larson to Its
Board and Announces Retirement of Graydon D. Hubbard

DENVER — December 16, 2010 — Whiting Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: WLL) today announced that it has named Allan R. Larson to the Company’s Board of Directors effective as of January 1, 2011. Mr. Larson will replace Graydon D. Hubbard, who notified the Company’s Board of Directors of his retirement effective as of January 1, 2011.

Over the last 30 years, Mr. Larson has been the owner and manager of Larson Petroleum, LLC, an oil and gas exploration and development company. He has provided geological services to companies such as Amoco Production Company and Mesa Petroleum Company. Mr. Larson is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University with an undergraduate degree in geology and of the University of California — Los Angeles with MA and PhD degrees in Geology.

James J. Volker, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Whiting Petroleum, said, “I am pleased to have Al Larson joining Whiting’s Board of Directors. Al’s extensive experience in the oil and gas industry, especially in the Rocky Mountain Basins, will be a great addition to Whiting’s Board.

I would also like to thank Dee Hubbard for his many years of dedicated service as a director of Whiting, particularly as chairman of the Audit Committee. Dee’s

considerable analytical skills contributed to Whiting’s Board during a period of strong growth for the company and benefited our stockholders. Philip Doty who was elected to the Whiting Board of Directors on August 11, 2010 will replace Dee as Chairman of our Audit Committee.”

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’s largest projects are in the Bakken and Three Forks plays in North Dakota and its Enhanced Oil Recovery fields in Oklahoma and Texas. The Company trades publicly under the symbol WLL on the New York Stock Exchange. For further information, please visit www.whiting.com.

EX-99.2

Exhibit 99.2

Company contact: John B. Kelso, Director of Investor Relations
303.837.1661 or john.kelso@whiting.com

Whiting Petroleum Corporation Elects James T. Brown President and COO

James J. Volker Remains Chairman and CEO

Mark R. Williams Elected Senior Vice President, Exploration and Development

DENVER — December 16, 2010 — Whiting Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: WLL) today announced that its Board of Directors elected James T. Brown President and Chief Operating Officer of Whiting Petroleum Corporation, effective January 1, 2011. Mr. Brown joined Whiting Petroleum Corporation in May 1993 as a consulting engineer, became Operations Manager in 1999, was elected Vice President of Operations in 2000 and has held the position of Senior Vice President since May 2007. He began his career with Shell Oil Company in 1975 and subsequently held engineering and supervisory positions at BP and his own consulting firm. He has oil and gas experience in most Lower 48 basins as well as Alaska. Mr. Brown holds a Bachelor’s Degree in civil engineering from the University of Wyoming and an MBA from the University of Denver.

James J. Volker continues to serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Whiting Petroleum Corporation. Mr. Volker joined Whiting in August 1983 as Vice President of Corporate Development and served in that position through April 1993. In March 1993, he became a contract consultant to Whiting and served in that capacity until August 2000, at which time he became Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Volker was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer and a director in January 2002. Mr. Volker was co-founder, Vice President and later President of Energy Management Corporation from 1971 through 1982. He has more than 39 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry. Mr. Volker has a degree in finance from the University of Denver, an MBA from the University of Colorado and has completed H. K. VanPoolen and Associates course of study in reservoir engineering.

Whiting’s Board of Directors also elected Mark R. Williams to the position of Senior Vice President, Exploration and Development of Whiting Petroleum Corporation. Mr. Williams joined the Company in December 1983 as Exploration Geologist and has been Vice President of Exploration and Development at Whiting since December 1999. He has 27 years of domestic and international experience in the oil and gas industry. Mr. Williams holds a Master’s Degree in geology from the Colorado School of Mines and a Bachelor’s Degree in geology from the University of Utah.

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’s largest projects are in the Bakken and Three Forks plays in North Dakota and its Enhanced Oil Recovery fields in Oklahoma and Texas. The Company trades publicly under the symbol WLL on the New York Stock Exchange. For further information, please visit www.whiting.com.

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