Whittier Energy Announces Drilling and Operations Update; 17 New Wells Successfully Drilled in First Half 2006

Whittier Energy Corporation (Nasdaq:WHIT) announced
today that the Company has successfully drilled 17 new wells in the
first half of 2006 out of a total of 20 wells drilled. In addition,
four more wells have been successfully drilled to date during the
third quarter giving the Company a success rate of 87.5% for the year.
Eleven wells successfully drilled and completed are waiting on final
pipeline connections.
   The Company also announced today that total production for the
second quarter of 2006 was approximately 1.48 billion cubic feet of
natural gas equivalent (Bcfe) and total production for the first six
months of 2006 was approximately 2.73 Bcfe. Average daily production
for second quarter 2006 was 16.23 million cubic feet of natural gas
equivalent (Mmcfe) compared to approximately 14 Mmcfe per day during
first quarter 2006.
   For the third quarter of 2006, the Company expects six wells in
its Southeast Texas 3D project and one additional well in the Esperson
Dome field to be turned to sales by the end of August. In addition,
the Duhon #1 well located in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, was shut-in
for repairs early in the third quarter. The Company owns a 9.75%
working interest in this well that was producing 15 Mmcfe per day (1
Mmcfe per day net) before it was shut-in. The Company expects the well
to be back on line by the end of August.

   About Whittier Energy Corporation

   Whittier Energy Corporation is an independent oil and gas
exploration and production company headquartered in Houston, Texas,
with operations in Texas and Louisiana. Whittier Energy also holds
non-operated interests in fields located in the Gulf Coast, Oklahoma,
Wyoming and California. To find out more about Whittier Energy
Corporation (Nasdaq:WHIT), visit www.whittierenergy.com.

   Forward-Looking Statements

   Certain statements included in this news release are intended as
"forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. The Company cautions that actual future results
may vary materially from those expressed or implied in any
forward-looking statements. More information about the risks and
uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements are found
in the Company's SEC filings, which are available free of charge on
the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov.