SM Energy Announces Public Offering of $400,000,000 of Senior Notes Due 2025

SM Energy Company (NYSE: SM) today announces that it intends, subject to market and other conditions, to offer $400,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of a series of senior unsecured notes due 2025 (the “Notes”). SM Energy intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to fund the concurrent tender offer announced today to purchase any and all of its outstanding 6.625% Senior Notes due 2019, repay outstanding borrowings under its credit facility, and for general corporate purposes.

Wells Fargo Securities, BofA Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan, Barclays, BBVA and RBC Capital Markets are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. The Notes are being offered and will be sold pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement that was previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This offering is being made only by means of a prospectus and related prospectus supplement, both dated May 7, 2015. Before you invest, you should read the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus in that registration statement for more complete information about this offering. When available, copies of these documents may be obtained from any of the underwriters by contacting:

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
608 2nd Avenue
South Minneapolis, MN 55402
Attention: Client Support
Phone: (800) 645-3751 Opt 5
E-mail: wfscustomerservice@wellsfargo.com

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
222 Broadway, 11th Floor
New York, New York 10038
Attention: Prospectus Department
Phone: (800) 294-1322
E-mail: dg.prospectus_requests@baml.com

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions
1155 Long Island Avenue
Edgewood, NY 11717
Attn: Post-Sale Fulfillment

You may also obtain these documents free of charge when they are available by visiting the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

INFORMATION ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities laws, including forecasts and projections. The words “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “budget,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “will” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, which may cause SM Energy's actual results to differ materially from results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks include factors such as the availability, proximity and capacity of gathering, processing and transportation facilities; the uncertainty of negotiations to result in an agreement or a completed transaction; the uncertain nature of announced acquisition, divestiture, joint venture, farm down or similar efforts and the ability to complete any such transactions; the uncertain nature of expected benefits from the actual or expected acquisition, divestiture, joint venture, farm down or similar efforts; the volatility and level of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids prices; uncertainties inherent in projecting future rates of production from drilling activities and acquisitions; the imprecise nature of estimating oil and gas reserves; the availability of additional economically attractive exploration, development, and acquisition opportunities for future growth and any necessary financings; unexpected drilling conditions and results; unsuccessful exploration and development drilling results; the availability of drilling, completion, and operating equipment and services and uncertainties related to the costs of such equipment and services; the risks associated with the Company's commodity price risk management strategy; uncertainty regarding the ultimate impact of potentially dilutive securities; and other such matters discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of SM Energy's 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K, as such risk factors may be updated from time to time in the Company's other periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak as of the date of this announcement. Although SM Energy may from time to time voluntarily update its prior forward-looking statements, it disclaims any commitment to do so except as required by securities laws.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

SM Energy Company is an independent energy company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in onshore North America. SM Energy routinely posts important information about the Company on its website. For more information about SM Energy, please visit its website at www.sm-energy.com.