SEC Form 4

FORM 4		UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Estimated average burden hours per response: 0.5
	Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* SHEPHERD EUGENE B (Last) (First) (Middle) 6300 BRIDGE POINT PARKWAY BLDG 2 SUITE 500 (Street) AUSTIN TX 78730 (City) (State) (Zip)	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol BRIGHAM EXPLORATION CO [ BEXP ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) Director 10% Owner X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below) Executive V.P. and CFO
	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 09/10/2011
	4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock, par value $.01(1)	09/10/2011		F		1,323	D	$28.45	164,376	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	$6.145	09/02/2011		G(2)	V		42,000	09/14/2007(5)	09/14/2013	Common Stock	42,000	$0	28,000	D
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	$6.145	09/02/2011		G(2)	V	42,000		09/14/2007(5)	09/14/2013	Common Stock	42,000	$0	42,000	I	By Trust
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	$2.2	09/02/2011		G(3)	V		40,000	04/22/2010(6)	04/22/2019	Common Stock	40,000	$0	60,000	D
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	$2.2	09/02/2011		G(3)	V	40,000		04/22/2010(6)	04/22/2019	Common Stock	40,000	$0	40,000	I	By Trusts
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	$5.955	09/02/2011		G(4)	V		108,000	08/10/2010(7)	08/10/2019	Common Stock	108,000	$0	162,000	D
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	$5.955	09/02/2011		G(4)	V	108,000		08/10/2010(7)	08/10/2019	Common Stock	108,000	$0	108,000	I	By Trust
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	$19.12	09/02/2011		G(4)	V		20,000	04/29/2011(8)	04/29/2020	Common Stock	20,000	$0	80,000	D
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	$19.12	09/02/2011		G(4)	V	20,000		04/29/2011(8)	04/29/2020	Common Stock	20,000	$0	20,000	I	By Trust
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	$5.08	09/02/2011		G(4)	V		13,250	10/10/2009(9)	10/10/2015	Common Stock	13,250	$0	26,750	D
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)	$5.08	09/02/2011		G(4)	V	13,250		10/10/2009(9)	10/10/2015	Common Stock	13,250	$0	13,250	I	By Trust

Explanation of Responses:

1. Reflects reporting person's exchange of restricted stock for the tax withholding obligation that was triggered by the vesting of the restricted stock.

2. The reporting person transferred this option as a gift to a trust for the benefit of his spouse.

3. The reporting person transferred 23,066 options as a gift to a trust for the benefit of himself and 16,934 options as a gift to a trust for the benefit of his spouse.

4. The reporting person transferred this option as a gift to a trust for the benefit of himself.

5. The option vested in five equal annual installments beginning on September 14, 2007.

6. The option vests in five equal annual installments beginning on April 22, 2010.

7. The option vests in five equal annual installments beginning on August 10, 2010.

8. The option vests in five equal annual installments beginning on April 29, 2011.

9. The option vests in five equal annual installments beginning on October 10, 2009.

	/s/ Eugene B. Shepherd, Jr.	09/13/2011
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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