Whiting Petroleum Corp ( WLL.N ), North Dakota’s largest oil producer, is seeking a possible buyer, according to the Wall Street Journal, but a person familiar with the board’s thinking told Reuters he was not aware of any such plan. The Denver-based company began seeking a buyer after tumbling crude oil prices CLc1 eroded its market value, the Journal reported earlier on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. Three months ago, Whiting closed on its $1.55 billion buyout of Kodiak Oil & Gas to become the largest oil company in North Dakota, home to the Bakken shale formation, one of the world’s largest crude reserves. Clinching Kodiak helped Whiting eclipse rival Continental Resources Inc ( CLR.N ), guaranteeing years of growth potential and access to even more lucrative acreage across North Dakota, the No. 2 U.S. oil producing state. Although the deal increased the […]