Cimarex Reports Oklahoma District Court Ruling

DENVER, Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cimarex Energy Co. (NYSE: XEC) today
announced that the Tulsa County District Court entered a final judgment in the
H.B. Krug, et al. v. Helmerich & Payne, Inc. ("H&P") case. In November 2008,
the jury found that up to $6.845 million should be awarded to plaintiff
royalty owners. The jury also rendered an advisory ruling to the Court that
up to $61.622 million should be paid to disgorge H&P's alleged profits since
1989 resulting from its possession of the $6.845 million.

On January 8, 2009, the Court issued a judgment for damages of $6.845 million.
The Court also increased the jury's $61.622 million disgorgement of profits
award to $119.523 million based on the Court's calculation of the alleged
profits H&P earned on the $6.845 million (for a total award of $126.368
million).

Pursuant to the 2002 spin-off transaction to shareholders of H&P by which
Cimarex became a publicly-traded entity, Cimarex assumed the assets and
liabilities of H&P's exploration and production business.

Cimarex will appeal the district court's judgments.

This lawsuit originally was filed in 1998 and addresses H&P's conduct
pertaining to a 1989 take-or-pay settlement, along with potential drainage
issues and other related matters.

About Cimarex Energy
Denver-based Cimarex Energy Co. is an independent oil and gas exploration and
production company with principal operations in the Mid-Continent, Permian
Basin and Gulf Coast areas of the U.S.

This communication contains statements that constitute forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations and beliefs and
are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the
forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are more fully
described in SEC reports filed by Cimarex. While Cimarex makes these
forward-looking statements in good faith, management cannot guarantee that
anticipated future results will be achieved. Cimarex assumes no obligation and
expressly disclaims any duty to update the information contained herein except
as required by law.

SOURCE Cimarex Energy Co.

Mark Burford, Director of Capital Markets of Cimarex Energy Co.,
+1-303-295-3995