Exhibit 99.1



News ReleaseTHE BEARD COMPANYHarvey Parkway301 N.W. 63rd Street, Suite 400Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73116For Immediate Release






THE BEARD COMPANY REPORTS

SECOND QUARTER OPERATING RESULTS



OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma  August 20, 2009 -- The Beard Company (OTCBB: BRCO) today reported its operating results for the second quarter and first half of 2009.



Net earnings attributable to common shareholders totaled $4,850,000, or $0.46 per diluted share, in the six months ended June 30, 2009, compared with net earnings attributable to common shareholders of $2,538,000, or $0.26 per diluted share, in the comparable 2008 period.  Revenues approximated $350,000 in the first half of 2009, versus $751,000 in the year-earlier period.



For the quarter ended June 30, 2009, the Company reported net earnings of $5,123,000, or $0.49 per diluted share, versus a net loss of ($339,000), or ($0.05) per share, in the second quarter of 2008.  Revenues totaled approximately $43,000 in the most recent quarter, versus $373,000 in the prior-year period.



Operating results for the second quarter and first half of 2009 benefited from pre-tax gains of (i) $4,897,000 attributable to the sale of the Companys remaining interest in the McElmo Dome CO2Unit and (ii) $832,000 from the settlement of the Visa litigation.  The first six months of 2008 included a pre-tax gain of $3,339,000 from the sale of 35% of the Companys interest in McElmo Dome.  No gain on sale was recorded in the second quarter of 2008.



Our improved bottom-line results in the second quarter and first half of 2009 were entirely attributable to the McElmo sale and the Visa settlement, stated Herb Mee, Jr., Beards President.  During the remainder of the year we will focus our efforts on the commencement of secondary oil recovery operations in the Dilworth Field and securing at least one, and hopefully two, of the coal reclamation projects that are currently in the negotiation stage.  At the same time, we will devote considerable time and resources to our Geohedral mining investment, where we believe the results of our activities during the past 15 months should enable us to attract a major mining partner for the development of our Alaska project.



We have already made considerable progress since we and our partners assumed operating control of the Dilworth Field in late April, and we expect to commence secondary recovery operations during the month of October.  As we indicated in earlier news releases, we believe the Company is in the midst of a major turnaround, with progress evident on a number of fronts.



There is ample evidence of the turnaround.  Last year we made considerable progress in cleaning up our balance sheet when we reduced the Companys total debt by approximately $6.6 million and improved shareholders equity by approximately $6.2 million.  We are pleased to report that such progress continued during the first half of 2009, when we reduced total debt by another $1.3 million and added an additional $4.9 million to shareholders equity, Mee concluded.



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About The Beard Company

The Beard Company creates, acquires, and/or invests in businesses, primarily related to natural resources, that management believes have high growth and/or above-average profit potential and can enhance shareholder value.  The Company is involved in oil and gas activities; coal reclamation activities; and minerals exploration and development through its Geohedral investment.

The Company is headquartered in Oklahoma City and its common stock trades on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol BRCO.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document may include statements that constitute forward-looking statements, usually containing the words believe, estimate, project, expect, anticipate, or similar expressions.  Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements.  Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to,  the ability to negotiate and execute contracts in connection with the Companys coal reclamation activities; future trends in commodities prices; financial, geological or mechanical difficulties affecting Geohedrals or Beard Dilworths planned geological work programs; uncertainties surrounding estimates of mineralized material; and other risks associated with the
Companys business.  By making these forward-looking statements, Beard undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes in the future.

For Additional Information, Please Contact:

Herb Mee, Jr., President, at (405) 842-2333 or via email athmee@beardco.com

or

RJ Falkner & Company, Inc., Investor Relations Counsel, at (800) 377-9893 or via email atinfo@rjfalkner.com



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THE BEARD COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIESBalance SheetsJune 30, 2009 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2008June 30,
        
        December 31,Assets
        2009
        
        2008Current assets:Cash and cash equivalents
        $     3,094,000
        
        $         182,000Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtfulreceivables of $31,000 in 2009 and 2008
        103,000
        
        185,000Prepaid expenses and other assets
        15,000
        
        5,000Assets of discontinued operations held for resale
        20,000
        
        26,000Total current assets
        3,232,000
        
        398,000Restricted certificate of deposit
        50,000
        
        50,000Investments and other assets
        804,000
        
        87,000Property, plant and equipment, at cost
        2,065,000
        
        2,561,000Less accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization
        1,086,000
        
        1,340,000Net property, plant and equipment
        979,000
        
        1,221,000Intangible assets, at cost
        75,000
        
        75,000Less accumulated amortization
        69,000
        
        66,000Net intangible assets
        6,000
        
        9,000$     5,071,000
        
        $      1,765,000Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity (Deficiency)Current liabilities:Trade accounts payable
        $          60,000
        
        $           97,000Accrued expenses
        231,000
        
        431,000Short-term debt
        45,000
        
        -Short-term debt - related entities
        -
        
        57,000Current maturities of long-term debt
        95,000
        
        895,000Current maturities of long-term debt - related entities
        -
        
        390,000Liabilities of discontinued operations held for resale
        54,000
        
        65,000Total current liabilities
        485,000
        
        1,935,000Long-term debt less current maturities
        409,000
        
        420,000Long-term debt - related entities
        2,150,000
        
        2,250,000Other long-term liabilities
        168,000
        
        172,000Shareholders' equity (deficiency):Convertible preferred stock of $100 stated value;5,000,000 shares authorized; 27,838 shares issuedand outstanding
        889,000
        
        889,000Common stock of $.0006665 par value per share;






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15,000,000 authorized;  9,912,457 and 9,830,586 sharesissued and outstanding in 2009 and 2008, respectively
        7,000
        
        7,000Capital in excess of par value
        42,676,000
        
        42,655,000Accumulated deficit
        (39,128,000)
        
        (43,978,000)Accumulated other comprehensive income
        24,000
        
        25,000Total shareholders' equity (deficiency) attributable to The Beard Company
        4,468,000
        
        (402,000)Noncontrolling interests
        (2,609,000)
        
        (2,610,000)Total shareholders' equity (deficiency)
        1,859,000
        
        (3,012,000)Commitments and contingencies$     5,071,000
        
        $     1,765,000






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THE BEARD COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIESResults of Operations(Unaudited)For Three MonthsEnded June 30,
        
        For Six MonthsEnded June 30,2009
        
        2008
        
        2009
        
        2008Revemues
        $     43,000
        
        $   373,000
        
        $   350,000
        
        $   751,000Expenses
        470,000
        
        500,000
        
        965,000
        
        925,000Operating loss
        (427,000)
        
        (127,000)
        
        (615,000)
        
        (174,000)Other income (expense):
        5,644,000
        
        (185,000)
        
        5,553,000
        
        2,942,000Earnings (loss) from continuing operationsbefore income taxes
        5,217,000
        
        (312,000)
        
        4,938,000
        
        2,768,000Income tax benefit (expense)
        (80,000)
        
        29,000
        
        (80,000)
        
        (25,000)Earnings (loss) from continuing operations
        5,137,000
        
        (283,000)
        
        4,858,000
        
        2,743,000Loss from discontinued operations
        (6,000)
        
        (233,000)
        
        -
        
        (491,000)Net earnings (loss)
        5,131,000
        
        (516,000)
        
        4,858,000
        
        2,252,000Amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests(Income) loss from continuing operations
        (8,000)
        
        1,000
        
        (8,000)
        
        1,000Loss from discontinued operations
        -
        
        176,000
        
        -
        
        285,000Net earnings (loss) attributable toThe Beard Company common shareholders
        $5,123,000
        
        $  (339,000)
        
        $4,850,000
        
        $2,538,000Net earnings (loss) per average common share outstandingB:Basic:Earnings (loss) from continuing operations
        $0.52
        
        $(0.04)
        
        $0.49
        
        $0.43Loss from discontinued operations
        (0.00)
        
        (0.01)
        
        0.00
        
        (0.03)Net earnings (loss)
        $0.52
        
        $(0.05)
        
        $0.49
        
        $0.40Net earnings (loss) per average common share outstandingB:Diluted:Earnings (loss) from continuing operations
        $0.49
        
        $(0.04)
        
        $0.46
        
        $0.28Loss from discontinued operations
        (0.00)
        
        (0.01)
        
        0.00
        
        (0.02)Net earnings (loss)
        $0.49
        
        $(0.05)
        
        $0.46
        
        $0.26Weighted average common shares outstanding:Basic
        9,912,000
        
        6,416,000
        
        9,906,000
        
        6,289,000Diluted
        10,543,000
        
        6,416,000
        
        10,537,000
        
        9,655,000








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