Brigham Exploration (Brigham) has signed a purchase and sale agreement to acquire approximately 10,000 net acres in the northeastern portion of its Rough Rider project area.

Brigham also announced three additional high initial rate Bakken wells including its highest initial rate operated well in Mountrail County, and as a result, Brigham has now completed 16 consecutive long lateral high frac stage Bakken and Three Forks wells with an average initial 24 hour peak rate of approximately 2,417 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

The 10,000 net acre acquisition, which is subject to due diligence to be performed by Brigham and expected to close on or before April 10, brings Brigham’s acreage position in Rough Rider to approximately 115,000 net acres and increases its core acreage position in the Williston basin to approximately 157,000 net acres.

The 10,000 net acre acquisition adds over 23 net potential Bakken drilling locations assuming 1280 acre spacing and three wells per spacing unit. Brigham plans to drill its first operated Rough Rider Three Forks well during the second quarter of 2010, and with success, the newly acquired acreage adds over 23 net potential Three Forks locations to Brigham’s inventory.

The company has reported the completion of its operated Jerome Anderson 15-10 #1H Bakken well in its Ross project area in Mountrail county, North Dakota at an early 24 hour peak rate of 3,115 (2,678 bopd and 2.62 mmcf/d) barrels of oil equivalent per day. Brigham maintains a 50% working interest in the Jerome Anderson, which was completed with 30 fracture stages and is Brigham’s initial rate completion to date in the Ross project area.

Subsequent to completing several high fracture stage short laterals, Brigham has now completed four consecutive long lateral high frac stage Bakken and Three Forks wells in its Ross Area with an average early 24 hour flow back rate of approximately 2,442 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Also participating in the Jerome Anderson with a 49% working interest was Lario Oil & Gas.

Brigham has also reported the completion of two operated Bakken wells in its Rough Rider project area. The Papineau Trust 17-20 #1H and Kalil 25-36 #1H produced 3,042 (2,616bopd and 2.55mmcf/d) and 1,586 (1,334bopd and 1.51mmcf/d) barrels of oil equivalent, respectively, during early 24 hour peak flow back periods.

The company maintains an approximate 43% working interest in the Papineau, which was completed with 29 fracture stages, and an approximate 38% working interest in the Kalil, which was completed with 30 fracture stages. Also participating in the Papineau and the Kalil was US Energy. Brigham will back in for 35% of US Energy’s working interest in the Papineau and Kalil upon achieving group payout of wells seven through ten under the drilling participation agreement.

Brigham has completed the 12 long lateral fracture stage wells in Rough Rider at an average early 24 hour peak flow back rate of approximately 2,409 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The Papineau represents the long lateral well completed by Brigham in McKenzie county, North Dakota with more than 19 fracture intervals. Previously, Brigham completed the Figaro 29-32 #1H with 19 intervals at a 24 hour peak flow back rate of 1,895 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Brigham’s development of its core operated Ross and Rough Rider project areas in Mountrail, Williams and McKenzie counties is proceeding with one well currently fracing, four wells currently waiting on completion, three wells drilling and one location rigging up.