Exhibit 99.1

                                                                         N E W S

Cimarex Energy Co.                                                       CIMAREX
1700 Lincoln Street, Suite 1800
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: (303) 295-3995


         Cimarex Announces First-Quarter Production Volumes and Provides
                               Operations Update


DENVER,  April 24, 2008 - Cimarex  Energy Co. (NYSE:  XEC) today  announced that
first-quarter  2008 oil and gas production  volumes averaged 476.2 million cubic
feet equivalent per day (MMcfe/d),  up 8% from the first-quarter 2007 average of
441.5 MMcfe/d.

      Reflecting positive results from new horizontal oil wells in southeast New
Mexico and West Texas,  first-quarter  oil production  grew 16% to an average of
22,757  barrels per day. Gas  production in the latest  quarter  averaged  339.7
million  cubic feet per day (MMcf/d),  an increase of 5% from the  first-quarter
2007  average  of  324.2  MMcf/d.   First-quarter   2008   production   excludes
approximately 11 MMcfe/d for the Spraberry and Gulf of Mexico Main Pass property
sales which closed near year-end 2007.

      First-quarter  2008  prices  are  expected  to be in the range of $8.30 to
$8.40 per thousand cubic feet of gas and $94.10 to $94.60 per barrel of oil. Gas
price realizations benefited from strong prices for natural gas liquids.

      Exploration and Development Activity

      First-quarter  2008 drilling totaled 126 gross (76 net) wells,  completing
91% as producers. Cimarex currently has 36 operated rigs running. Full year 2008
exploration and development  capital investment is still projected to range from
$1.1 - $1.3 billion.

      Mid-Continent

      First-quarter  2008 drilling  totaled 70 gross (34 net) wells,  completing
95% as producers.  First-quarter  2008 Mid-Continent  production  averaged 206.9
MMcfe/d, an increase of 13% over first-quarter 2007.

      Texas Panhandle Granite Wash drilling totaled 29 gross (21 net) wells with
100% completed as producers.  Notable wells  commencing  production in the first
quarter  include  Courson  Ranch 4-13 (35%  working  interest)  at 3.1  MMcfe/d,
Flowers 61-22 (100% working  interest) at 2.3 MMcfe/d,  Hobart Ranch 27-68 (100%
working  interest) at 1.9 MMcfe/d and the Earp 58 5H (35%  working  interest) at
3.5 MMcfe/d.



      Anadarko Basin and Southern  Oklahoma  drilling  totaled 31 gross (11 net)
wells  with 90% being  completed  as  producers.  In the  Anadarko  Basin,  five
horizontal  wells have been  drilled in the  Woodford  Shale and three wells are
drilling.  The wells drilled are in various stages of completion and evaluation.
Fourteen  operated  rigs are  currently  drilling in the  Mid-Continent  region,
including nine in the Texas Panhandle.

      Permian Basin

      First-quarter  2008 Permian  drilling totaled 50 gross (37 net) wells, 96%
of which were completed as producers.  First-quarter  2008  production  averaged
159.7 MMcfe/d,  a 15% increase over the first quarter of 2007. Oil production in
the first quarter of 2008 reached  another  record high 12,050  barrels per day,
33% greater than the first quarter of 2007. Increased oil production is a result
of  successful  horizontal  drilling  programs in southeast  New Mexico and West
Texas.

      Southeast New Mexico first-quarter 2008 drilling totaled 27 gross (17 net)
wells with 93% being completed as producers.  Recent wells brought on production
in southeast New Mexico include the Bierstadt 12 Fee 4H (100% working  interest)
at 300  barrels  oil  equivalent  per day  (BOE/d),  Crow Flats 16 State 3H (62%
working interest) at 550 BOE/d,  Maroon 24 Fee 1H (100% working interest) at 250
BOE/d and White City 10 Fed 2 (100% working interest) at 1.0 MMcfe/d.

      A total of 23 gross (19 net) wells were  drilled in West  Texas,  of which
100% were completed as producers. In Ward and Reeves Counties drilling totaled 4
gross (3 net) horizontal wells in the Third Bone Spring  formation.  Recent Bone
Spring wells brought on production include the Cimarex University 18-31 1H (100%
working  interest)  at 400  BOE/d,  Cimarex  University  18-38 2H (100%  working
interest) at 360 BOE/d,  Cimarex  University 20-43 1H (100% working interest) at
250 BOE/d and the Fortson 47-1H (35% working interest) at 700 BOE/d.

      Cimarex has 16 operated  rigs  drilling  in the Permian  Basin,  including
seven in southeast New Mexico and nine in West Texas.

      Gulf Coast/Gulf of Mexico

      Cimarex drilled six gross (four net) Gulf Coast wells in the first quarter
of 2008,  completing 83% as producers.  First-quarter 2008 Gulf Coast production
volumes  averaged  83.0  MMcfe/d,  an  increase of 12% from  first-quarter  2007
volumes of 73.9 MMcfe/d.  Offshore  production volumes averaged 22.1 MMcfe/d, as
compared  to 37.8  MMcfe/d  in the first  quarter of 2007.  Decline in  offshore
production  is a result  of an  inactive  drilling  program,  natural  reservoir
decline and the sale of operated Main Pass properties.



      Yegua/Cook Mountain drilling in Liberty and Hardin Counties, Texas totaled
three gross (2.4 net) wells with a 100% success rate. Wells recently  commencing
production  include the Leonora  (70%  working  interest)  at 10.3  MMcfe/d (5.6
MMcf/d of gas and 780 barrels of oil per day) and Pic Realty Corp 1 (72% working
interest) at 17.6 MMcfe/d (11.9 MMcf/d of gas and 950 barrels of oil per day).


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

Cimarex Energy Co.
Mark Burford, Director of Capital Markets
303-295-3995
www.cimarex.com