Chesapeake Begins Tender Offer to Buy Bronco Drilling

Chesapeake Begins Tender Offer to Buy Bronco Drilling

Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Chesapeake Energy Corp.

Chesapeake announced that it, through a new wholly owned subsidiary, Nomac Acquisition, Inc., is commencing a cash tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares of common stock of Bronco Drilling. On April 15, 2011, the companies previously announced a definitive agreement whereby Chesapeake would acquire Bronco in a cash tender offer and subsequent merger for approximately $315 million, including debt, net working capital and outstanding warrants.

Upon the successful closing of the tender offer, Bronco stockholders will receive $11.00 in cash for each share of Bronco common stock tendered in the offer, without interest and less any required withholding taxes. If more than 50 percent of the shares of Bronco common stock on a fully diluted basis (but less than all of the outstanding shares of Bronco common stock) are tendered, and all other closing conditions are satisfied, any remaining shares not tendered will be converted into the right to receive the same consideration in cash in connection with a merger of Nomac Acquisition into Bronco. Following the transaction, Bronco will be an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Chesapeake.

Today Chesapeake will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a tender offer statement on Schedule TO that provides the terms of the tender offer, and Bronco will file a solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 that includes the recommendation of Bronco's board of directors that Bronco stockholders accept the tender offer and tender their shares in the offer. As previously disclosed, the board of directors of each of Bronco and Chesapeake has unanimously approved the transaction.

The tender offer will expire at Midnight, New York City time, on May 23, 2011 unless extended in accordance with the merger agreement and the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC. The closing of the tender offer is conditioned upon the valid tender of a majority of the outstanding shares of Bronco common stock on a fully diluted basis. As previously disclosed, stockholders holding shares representing approximately 32% of Bronco’s outstanding common stock have agreed, among other things, to tender all of their shares in the tender offer. In addition, Bronco’s directors and executive officers, who beneficially own in the aggregate approximately 1.7% of the outstanding shares of Bronco common stock (excluding unvested restricted shares), have indicated that they intend to tender their shares in the tender offer.

The closing of the transaction is conditioned upon expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and other customary closing conditions.