A Whiting Petroleum pump jack near Bainville, Mont. Whiting on Tuesday priced an offering of 35 million shares at $30 a piece. Photo: Associated Press The most anticipated energy deal of the year is off the table. Eyes have been on Whiting Petroleum Corp., the biggest crude producer in North Dakota, for the past month as the debt-laden company reportedly explored refuge from plunging oil prices in the arms of a buyer . But Instead, Whiting said Tuesday that it would issue more equity, diluting shareholders’ stock, and take on more debt. “We are currently exploring asset sales of noncore properties. We are not, however, pursuing any significant strategic transaction at this time,” the company said in a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission. A takeover of Whiting would have set a benchmark value for U.S. oil producers as crude continues to trade roughly 50% lower than […]