Pioneer Natural Resources Announces Closing of Carmeuse Industrial Sands Acquisition

Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE:PXD) ('Pioneer?) today
announced the closing of its previously announced acquisition of
Carmeuse Industrial Sands ('CIS?) for approximately $297 million before
normal closing adjustments. Pioneer also announced that the name of this
U.S. industrial sands business is being changed to Premier Silica LLC
('Premier Silica?).

Premier Silica is the number one producer of Hickory frac sand (Brady
Brown ?) used as proppant for fracture stimulating oil and gas wells in
the U.S. Hickory sand is considered to be the highest quality brown sand
for fracture stimulation. Premier Silica′s sand mine in Brady, Texas,
has more than 30 years of proven brown sand reserve life and is the
industry′s largest resource base for brown sand in the U.S. Pioneer′s
primary source for its growing brown sand requirements to fracture
stimulate wells in the liquids-rich Spraberry vertical, horizontal
Wolfcamp Shale and Barnett Shale Combo plays in Texas will continue to
be Premier Silica′s Brady mine.

Premier Silica is led by a highly experienced and technically proficient
management team with more than 150 years of combined experience in the
industrial sands business.

Pioneer is a large independent oil and gas exploration and production
company, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with operations in the United
States. For more information, visit Pioneer′s website at www.pxd.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities
Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act.These
statements include any statement that does not relate strictly to
historical facts.In particular, statements, express or implied,
regarding the benefits of, and synergies from, the CIS acquisition and
Pioneer′s sand requirements, future growth opportunities and financial
condition and results of operation are forward-looking statements.These
forward-looking statements are based on management′s current plans,
expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future
events. While our management considers these plans, expectations,
estimates, assumptions and beliefs to be reasonable, they are inherently
difficult to predict and subject to a number of risks and uncertainties.These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks
related to mineral estimates, fluctuation of prices for sand and the
risks discussed in the 'Risk Factors? sections of, as well as any other
cautionary language in, Pioneer′s public filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC).Actual results may differ materially
from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements
contained in this news release.Each forward-looking statement in
this news release speaks only as of the date of this news release, and
Pioneer undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such statement
except as required by law.

Inaccuracies in estimates of mineral reserves and resource deposits
could result in lower than expected supplies and sales and higher than
expected costs.The proved reserve estimates contained in this
news release have been calculated in compliance with the SEC′s Industry
Guide 7 and are based on an independent review by mining and geological
consultants engaged by CIS in 2011.However, commercial sand
reserve estimates are necessarily imprecise and depend to some extent on
statistical inferences drawn from available drilling data, which may
prove unreliable. There are numerous uncertainties inherent in
estimating quantities and qualities of commercial sand reserves and
resources and costs to mine recoverable reserves, including many factors
beyond Pioneer′s control. Estimates of economically recoverable
commercial sand reserves necessarily depend on a number of factors and
assumptions, all of which may vary considerably from actual results,
such as:

• geological and mining conditions and/or effects from prior mining
  that may not be fully identified by available data or that may differ
  from experience;
• assumptions concerning future prices of commercial sand products,
  operating costs, mining technology improvements, development costs and
  reclamation costs; and
• assumptions concerning future effects of regulation, including the
  issuance of required permits and taxes by governmental agencies.

Pioneer Natural Resources

Investors

Frank
Hopkins, 972-969-4065

or

Eric Pregler, 972-969-5756

or

Media
and Public Affairs

Susan Spratlen, 972-969-4018

or

Suzanne
Hicks, 972-969-4020