Penn West Energy Trust Confirms its May Cash Distribution

CALGARY, May 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- (TSX - PWT.UN; NYSE - PWE) Penn West Energy Trust ("Penn West") confirms that its May 2008 cash distribution will be CDN$0.34 per trust unit payable on June 13, 2008 to unitholders of record on May 30, 2008. The ex-distribution date is May 28, 2008.

The CDN$0.34 per unit is equivalent to approximately US$0.34 per unit (before deduction of any applicable Canadian withholding tax), using a par U.S./Canadian exchange rate. Registered unitholders with U.S. addresses will receive their distributions directly from our transfer agent, and will be paid in U.S. currency using the exchange rate in effect on the record date. Non-registered U.S. unitholders will receive their distributions through their brokers.

Penn West trust units and debentures are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols PWT.UN, PWT.DB.A, PWT.DB.B, PWT.DB.C, PWT.DB.D, PWT.DB.E and PWT.DB.F and Penn West trust units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PWE.

Source: Penn West Energy Trust

CONTACT: PENN WEST ENERGY TRUST, Suite 2200, 425 - First Street S.W.,
Calgary, Alberta, T2P 3L8, Phone: (403) 777-2500, Fax: (403) 777-2699, Toll
Free: 1-866-693-2707, Website: www.pennwest.com; Investor Relations: Toll
Free: 1-888-770-2633, E-mail: investor_relations@pennwest.com; William Andrew,
CEO, Phone: (403) 777-2502, E-mail: bill.andrew@pennwest.com; Jason Fleury,
Manager, Investor Relations, Phone: (403) 539-6343, E-mail:
jason.fleury@pennwest.com

2008-05-20 18:41:01 0367176 PRNEWSWIRE