Bloomberg Law
Feb. 2, 2021, 5:20 PM

Colorado Forced Mineral Extraction Plan Avoids Federal Challenge

Bernie Pazanowski
Bernie Pazanowski
Reporter

Colorado landowners’ challenge to a forced mineral pooling order by the state’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission was properly dismissed by a federal district court, the Tenth Circuit said.

Under Colorado law, the commission can force a pooling agreement on landowners at the request of an oil and gas company if certain conditions are met.

When a committee from the Wildgrass residential subdivision in Broomfield, Colo., rejected Extraction Oil & Gas Inc.'s request for the rights to the minerals under their property, Extraction petitioned the commission for a forced pooling order.

Wildgrass said that the hearing violated its due process ...