Clayton Williams Energy Provides Financial Guidance for 2009

Clayton Williams Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: CWEI) today filed a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission to provide financial guidance disclosures for the year ending December 31, 2009. This guidance was furnished to provide public disclosure of the estimates being used by the Company to model its anticipated results of operations for the periods presented.

A copy of these disclosures accompanies this release or may be obtained electronically by accessing the Company’s website at www.claytonwilliams.com.

Clayton Williams Energy, Inc. is an independent energy company located in Midland, Texas.

Except for historical information, statements made in this release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on assumptions and estimates that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information; however, management's assumptions and the Company's future performance are subject to a wide range of business risks and uncertainties, and there is no assurance that these goals and projections can or will be met. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, production variance from expectations, volatility of oil and gas prices, the need to develop and replace reserves, the substantial capital expenditures required to fund operations, exploration risks, uncertainties about estimates of reserves, competition, government regulation, costs and results of drilling new projects, and mechanical and other inherent risks associated with oil and gas production. These risks and uncertainties are described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Financial Guidance Disclosures Follow

CLAYTON WILLIAMS ENERGY, INC.

FINANCIAL GUIDANCE DISCLOSURES FOR 2009

Overview

Clayton Williams Energy, Inc. and its subsidiaries have prepared this document to provide public disclosure of certain financial and operating estimates in order to permit the preparation of models to forecast our operating results for each quarter during the year ending December 31, 2009. These estimates are based on information available to us as of the date of this filing, and actual results may vary materially from these estimates. We do not undertake any obligation to update these estimates as conditions change or as additional information becomes available.

The estimates provided in this document are based on assumptions that we believe are reasonable. Until our actual results of operations for these periods have been compiled and released, all of the estimates and assumptions set forth herein constitute "forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this document that address activities, events or developments that we expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future, or may have occurred through the date of this filing, including such matters as production of oil and gas, product prices, oil and gas reserves, drilling and completion results, capital expenditures and other such matters, are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following: the volatility of oil and gas prices; the unpredictable nature of our exploratory drilling results; the reliance upon estimates of proved reserves; operating hazards and uninsured risks; competition; government regulation; and other factors referenced in filings made by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

As a matter of policy, we generally do not attempt to provide guidance on:

As discussed in "Capital Expenditures”, approximately 50% of our planned 2009 exploration and development expenditures relate to exploratory prospects. Exploratory prospects involve a higher degree of risk than development prospects. To offset the higher risk, we generally strive to achieve a higher reserve potential and rate of return on investments in exploratory prospects. Actual results from our exploratory drilling activities, when ultimately reported, may have a material impact on the estimates of oil and gas production and exploration costs stated in this guidance.

Summary of Estimates

The following table sets forth certain estimates being used by us to model our anticipated results of operations for each quarter during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2009. When a single value is provided, such value represents the mid-point of the approximate range of estimates. Otherwise, each range of values provided represents the expected low and high estimates for such financial or operating factor. See "Supplementary Information.”

Capital Expenditures

The following table sets forth, by area, certain information about our planned exploration and development activities for 2009.

We have increased our estimates for capital expenditures in fiscal 2009 from $56 million to $78.5 million. The change in estimated expenditures for 2009 reflects higher expected levels of exploration and development activities in the Permian Basin, East Texas Bossier and South Louisiana. Our actual expenditures during fiscal 2009 may be substantially higher or lower than these estimates since our plans for exploration and development activities may change during the year. Other factors, such as prevailing product prices and the availability of capital resources, could also increase or decrease the ultimate level of expenditures during fiscal 2009.

Based on these current estimates, approximately 50% of our planned expenditures for exploration and development activities for fiscal 2009 will relate to exploratory prospects, as compared to approximately 30% in fiscal 2008.

Supplementary Information

Oil and Gas Production

The following table summarizes, by area, our estimated daily net production for each quarter during the year ending December 31, 2009. These estimates represent the approximate mid-point of the estimated production range.

Accounting for Derivatives

The following summarizes information concerning our net positions in open commodity derivatives applicable to periods subsequent to March 31, 2009. The settlement prices of commodity derivatives are based on NYMEX futures prices.

Swaps:

We did not designate any of the derivatives shown in the preceding tables as cash flow hedges under SFAS 133; therefore, all changes in the fair value of these contracts prior to maturity, plus any realized gains or losses at maturity, will be recorded as other income (expense) in our statement of operations.