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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. 1)
          Filed by the Registrant þ
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o

    Check the appropriate box:
o   Preliminary Proxy Statement
o   Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
o   Definitive Proxy Statement
þ   Definitive Additional Materials
o   Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
BRIGHAM EXPLORATION COMPANY
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
 
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
 

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SUPPLEMENT TO PROXY STATEMENT FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

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BRIGHAM EXPLORATION COMPANY
6300 Bridge Point Parkway
Building Two, Suite 500
Austin, Texas 78730
SUPPLEMENT TO PROXY STATEMENT FOR THE
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held on May 28, 2009
     This proxy statement supplement dated May 18, 2009, supplements the proxy statement (which we refer to as the “Proxy Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2009 relating to the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Brigham Exploration Company to be held on Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 9:00 a.m., local time, at our offices at 6300 Bridge Point Parkway, Building Two, Suite 500, Austin, Texas 78730. The purpose of this supplement is to correct errors in the Proxy Statement as described below. Other than as described herein, this supplement does not modify or update the Proxy Statement in any way.
Summary Compensation Table
     As a result of certain calculation errors, the amounts of Stock Awards and Option Awards for 2008 included in the Summary Compensation Table on page 22 of the Proxy Statement are incorrect for each of our named executive officers. As a result, the amount of Total Compensation included in the Summary Compensation Table is also incorrect for each of our named executive officers. The corrected Summary Compensation Table is below.
     The table below summarizes the total compensation paid to or earned by our named executive officers for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006.
Summary Compensation Table
For Fiscal Years Ending December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006
                                                                         
                                                    Change in              
                                                    Pension              
                                                    Value and              
                                                    Nonqualified              
                                            Non-Equity     Deferred              
                            Stock     Option     Incentive Plan     Compensation     All Other        
Name           Salary     Bonus     Awards     Awards     Compensation     Earnings     Compensation     Total  
& Principal Position   Year     ($)     ($)     ($) (a)     ($) (a)     ($)     ($) (b)     ($) (c)     ($)  
Ben M. Brigham
     2008     $ 405,132     $ —     $ 68,905     $ 201,890     $ —     $ —     $ 9,328     $ 663,570  
Chief Executive Officer,
     2007       383,367       111,455       89,056       220,580       81,465       —       23,431       909,354  
President and Chairman of the Board
     2006       367,500       91,875       62,756       232,830       85,312       —       15,230       855,503  
 
                                                                        
Eugene B. Shepherd, Jr.
     2008       284,979       —     $ 68,905     $ 201,450       —       —       3,875       537,964  
Executive Vice President
     2007       268,449       78,659       89,056       264,140       57,045       —       19,375       776,724  
and Chief Financial Officer
     2006       251,260       101,820       62,756       325,740       37,689       —       11,402       790,667  
 
                                                                        
David T. Brigham
     2008       241,238       —     $ 68,905     $ 175,665       —       —       3,875       494,223  
Executive Vice President — Land
     2007       227,583       66,514       89,056       199,138       48,361       —       19,375       650,027  
 
                                                                        
and Administration and Director
     2006       214,383       87,053       62,756       223,230       32,157       —       11,402       630,981  
 
                                                                        
Jeffery E. Larson
     2008       225,794       —     $ 68,905     $ 180,205       —       —       6,319       481,223  
Executive Vice President —
     2007       211,655       75,931       89,056       203,678       44,977       —       19,375       644,672  
 
                                                                        
Exploration
     2006       200,974       71,449       62,756       227,770       30,146       —       11,402       604,497  
 
                                                                        
A. Lance Langford
     2008       232,655       —     $ 68,905     $ 180,205       —       —       5,793       487,558  
Executive Vice President —
     2007       218,087       60,331       89,056       203,678       46,343       —       19,579       637,074  
 
                                                                        
Operations
     2006       207,081       73,620       62,756       227,770       31,062       —       11,402       613,691  
 
(a)   Stock and option award values represent the compensation cost of awards recognized for financial statement purposes for under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 as revised (FAS 123R). Assumptions utilized to determine FAS 123R values can be found in Note 13 Stock Based Compensation included in our Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008.
 
(b)   We do not maintain either a pension or a non-qualified deferred compensation plan.

 

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(c)   All Other Compensation includes the 401(k) match outlined in above 401(k) Matching and Performance Contributions. Each of the Named Executive Officers’ All Other Compensation for 2008 includes $3,875 in 401(k) matching contributions, which is comprised of the base 25% contribution. All Other Compensation for 2008 also includes $2,072 of insurance premiums paid by us and di minimis perquisites of $3,381 for Ben M. Brigham, $1,918 for A. Lance Langford and $2,444 for Jeffery E. Larson. Each of the Named Executive Officers’ All Other Compensation for 2007 includes $19,375 in 401(k) matching and performance contributions, which is comprised of the base 25% contribution and the 100% performance match. All Other Compensation for 2007 also includes $2,549 of insurance premiums paid by us and di minimis perquisites of $1,507 for Ben M. Brigham and $204 for A. Lance Langford. All Other Compensation for 2006 includes $10,500 in 401(k) matching and performance contributions, which is comprised of the base 25% contribution and the 45% performance match. All Other Compensation for 2006 also includes di minimis perquisites of $4,370 for Ben M. Brigham and $902 for each of the other named executives.
     As a result of certain calculation errors, the amount of Grant Date Fair Market Value of Stock and Option Awards Value included in the Grants of Plan Based Awards Table on page 23 of the Proxy Statement is incorrect for each of our named executive officers. The corrected Grants of Plan Based Awards Table is below.
Grant of Plan Based Awards
     The table below summarizes all grants of plan base awards made during 2008.
2008 Grants of Plan Based Awards
                                                                                                 
                                                            All Other     All Other                        
                                                            Stock     Option                     Grant Date  
            Estimated Possible Payouts     Estimated Future Payouts     Awards:     Awards:                     Fair Market  
            Under Non-Equity Incentive Plan     Under Equity Incentive Plan     Number of     Number of     Exercise or             Value of  
            Awards     Awards (a)     Shares of     Securities     Base Price     Closing     Stock and  
            Thresh-                     Thresh-                     Stock or     Underlying     of Option     Price on     Option  
            old     Target     Maximum     old     Target     Maximum     Units     Options     Awards     Grant Date     Awards  
Name   Grant Date     ($)     ($) (a)     ($)     (#)     (#)     (#)     (#)     (#)     ($/SharI(b)     ($/Share)     ($)  
Ben M. Brigham
     1/1/2008                                                       5,000                     $ 7.52     $ 37,600  
 
     10/10/2008                                                               40,000     $ 5.08                  
 
     4/15/2009     $ 0     $ 0                                                                          
Eugene B. Shepherd, Jr.
     1/1/2008                                                       5,000                       7.52     $ 37,600  
 
                                                                     40,000       5.08                  
 
     4/15/2009       0       0                                                                          
David T. Brigham
     1/1/2008                                                       5,000                       7.52     $ 37,600  
 
                                                                     40,000       5.08                  
 
     4/15/2009       0       0                                                                          
Jeffery E. Larson
     1/1/2008                                                       5,000                       7.52     $ 37,600  
 
                                                                     40,000       5.08                  
 
     4/15/2009       0       0                                                                          
A. Lance Langford
     1/1/2008                                                       5,000                       7.52     $ 37,600  
 
                                                                     40,000       5.08                  
 
     4/15/2009       0       0                                                                          
 
(a)   We do not maintain equity incentive plans based on incentive thresholds. See All Other Stock Awards for inclusion of restricted stock awards.
 
(b)   Option exercise price is equal to the mean between the high and low sales prices on the date of grant. If the market is closed on the grant date, the mean of the prior trading day high and low prices is used.

 

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     As a result of certain calculation errors, the amount of Value Realized on Vesting included in the Options Exercised and Stock Vested Table on page 25 of the Proxy Statement is incorrect for each of our named executive officers. The corrected Options Exercised and Stock Vested Table is below.
Options Exercised and Stock Vested
     The number and value of options and stock acquired by our named executive officers in 2008 are set forth in the following table.
Options Exercised and Stock Vested
                                 
    Option Awards     Stock Awards  
                    Number of        
    Number of Shares     Value Realized     Shares Acquired     Value Realized  
    Acquired on Exercise     on Exercise     on Vesting     on Vesting  
Name   (#)     ($)     (#)     ($)  
Ben M. Brigham
     50,000       510,250       10,000       92,325  
Eugene B. Shepherd, Jr.
     —       —       10,000       92,325  
David T. Brigham
     10,000       121,500       10,000       92,325  
Jeffery E. Larson
     107,249       611,798       10,000       92,325  
A. Lance Langford
     10,000       109,457       10,000       92,325  
     As a result of certain calculation errors, the Number of Securities Underlying Options Vesting Upon a Fundamental Change of Control and the Option Exercise Prices in the table on page 27 of the Proxy Statement are incorrect for each of our named executive officers. The corrected table is below.
     The following table summarizes the number and value of options for which vesting is accelerated upon a fundamental change. Value is calculated using the year-end market price of $3.20 per share less the exercise price times the number of options. Options that are out of the money are not included for valuation purposes.
                         
    Number of Securities                
    Underlying Options             Value of Options  
    Vesting Upon             Realized Upon  
    Fundamental     Option Exercise     Change of  
    Change of Control     Price     Control  
Name   (#)     ($)     ($)  
Ben M. Brigham
     18,000     $ 8.835     $ —  
 
     16,000     $ 12.310     $ —  
 
     36,000     $ 6.145     $ —  
 
     40,000     $ 5.080     $ —  
 
                      
Total
     111,000             $ —  
 
                        
Eugene B. Shepherd, Jr.
     16,000     $ 8.835     $ —  
 
     16,000     $ 12.310     $ —  
 
     42,000     $ 6.145     $ —  
 
     40,000     $ 5.080     $ —  
 
                      
Total
     114,000             $ —  
 
                        
David T. Brigham
     12,000     $ 8.835     $ —  
 
     18,000     $ 12.310     $ —  
 
     36,000     $ 6.145     $ —  
 
     40,000     $ 5.080     $ —  
 
                      
Total
     106,000             $ —  

 

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    Number of Securities                
    Underlying Options             Value of Options  
    Vesting Upon             Realized Upon  
    Fundamental     Option Exercise     Change of  
    Change of Control     Price     Control  
Name   (#)     ($)     ($)  
Jeffery E. Larson
     12,000     $ 8.835     $ —  
 
     20,000     $ 12.310     $ —  
 
     36,000     $ 6.145     $ —  
 
     40,000     $ 5.080     $ —  
 
                      
Total
     108,000             $ —  
 
                        
A. Lance Langford
     12,000     $ 8.835     $ —  
 
     20,000     $ 12.310     $ —  
 
     36,000     $ 6.145     $ —  
 
     40,000     $ 5.080     $ —  
 
                      
Total
     108,000             $ —  
     As a result of certain calculation errors, the amount of Stock Awards included in the Director Compensation Table on page 29 of the Proxy Statement is incorrect for each of our directors except Scott W. Tinker. As a result, the amount of Total Compensation included in the Director Compensation Table is also incorrect for each of our directors except Scott W. Tinker. The corrected Director Compensation Table is below.
Director Compensation
     The following table summarizes the annual compensation for our non-employee directors during 2008.
Director Compensation Table
For Fiscal Year-Ending December 31, 2008
                                                         
                                    Change in Pension              
    Fees                             Value and Non-              
    Earned or                     Non-Equity     Qualified Deferred              
    Paid in     Stock     Option     Incentive Plan     Compensation     All Other        
    Cash     Awards     Awards     Compensation     Earnings     Compensation     Total  
Name   ($)     ($)     ($) (a)     ($)     ($)     ($)     ($)  
Harold D. Carter (b)
   $ 43,600     $ —     $ 43,400     $ —     $ —     $ 30,000     $ 117,000  
Stephen C. Hurley
     52,750       —       43,400       —       —               96,150  
Stephen P. Reynolds
     53,300       —       43,400       —       —               96,700  
Hobart A. Smith
     41,550       —       43,400       —       —               84,950  
Scott W. Tinker
     38,625       —       20,940       —       —               59,565  
 
(a)   Option award value represents the compensation cost of awards recognized for financial statement purposes for 2008 under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 as revised (FAS 123R). Assumptions utilized to determine FAS 123R values can be found in Note 13 Stock Based Compensation included in our Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008. The grant date fair market value of these awards as calculated per FAS 123R was $17,600 per director. (b) For Harold D. Carter, All Other Compensation includes $30,000 in fees earned as a consultant to us on various aspects of our business and strategic issues.
     If you have already delivered your proxy prior to receiving this letter, you do not need to take any action unless you wish to revoke or change your vote on any of the proposals. You may revoke a proxy at any time prior to its exercise by voting at a later time by Internet or telephone; voting in person at the meeting; or delivering to our Corporate Secretary a proxy with a later date or a written revocation of your proxy.