News
Colorado Severance Tax – New Case Allows Operators To Deduct The Cost Of Capital
A decision in late April, 2016, by the Colorado Supreme Court, allows deduction of the cost of capital for construction of gas processing and transportation facilities in calculating Colorado severance tax. In BP America Production Company v. Colorado Department of...
2012 and 2013 Local Fracking Regulations Held Invalid and Preempted by State Law
In companion decisions issued May 2, 2016, the Colorado Supreme Court (Gabriel, J.) affirmed district court summary judgment orders invalidating home-rule oil and gas regulations concerned with hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”). The Court relied on the intent and...
More Oil and Gas Regulation Headed for Colorado Ballots?
Come November, Colorado voters may decide whether oil and gas development should be subjected to more stringent regulation. Three ballot initiatives proposed by Boulder-based Coloradans Resisting Extreme Energy Development have survived legal challenges and are now...
Sheryl Howe presented to the Denver Association of Division Order Analysts
Welborn Shareholder, Sheryl Howe, presented at the Denver Association of Division Order Analysts (“DADOA”) 2016 Spring Seminar. The topic of the afternoon session was Enhance Your General Oil & Gas Knowledge. Sheryl’s presentation was entitled The Uniform Probate...
Rebecca Watson quoted in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
Welborn Shareholder, Rebecca Watson, is quoted in an article entitled "Locals worry BLM plans may exclude their voices" published in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. Read the article here.
More Local Government Control Over Oil and Gas Operations? Colorado House Says No.
Over the past several years, there has been an ongoing debate on whether local governments have the authority to limit or even ban oil and gas operations. In 2012, residents of the City of Longmont voted to approve a ban on hydraulic fracturing within city limits....
Tenth Circuit Grants Remittitur, Dramatically Reducing Large Wyoming Punitive Damages Award in Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Case
On April 1, 2016 the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued a significant opinion in the personal injury case Amber Nicole Lompe, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Sunridge Partners, LLC and Apartment Management Consultants, LLC, Defendants-Appellants, 10th...
Department of Transportation Proposes Rules Expanding Safety Regulations for Gas Gathering and Transmission Lines
The recent shale boom has greatly increased the amount of natural gas produced and transported across the country’s network of pipelines in recent years. Unfortunately, the increase in production has resulted in several significant environmental and safety incidents,...
2016 Wyoming Energy Plan – Doubling Down on Coal
In the face of a radically altered economic and energy picture for Wyoming, Governor Matt Mead released an updated energy strategy for the State on March 14, 2016. Titled “Leading the Charge: Wyoming’s Action Plan for Energy, Environment, and Economy,” the plan is an...
Who Determines What Constitutes a “Reasonable Offer to Lease” When it Comes to Involuntary Pooling? Another Example of Local Governments Attempting to Assert Control
One of the more loosely used terms from Colorado’s Conservation Act and Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (“COGCC”) Rules, and one of many lawyers’ favorite words to analyze, is the term “reasonable.” When filing for an involuntary pooling application in...
Energy Sector Layoffs – Considerations for Employers
Downsizing and employee layoffs are the harsh reality of the plunging oil prices, as reflected by the announcements of many oil and gas companies in recent weeks. When a reduction in force becomes unavoidable, employers with Colorado operations should take steps to...
University of Wyoming Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute Launches New Interactive Data Platform
The University of Wyoming’s Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute (“EORI”) recently made available to the public a new Interactive Data Platform (“IDP”). The IDP allows users to display and identify oil and gas information from the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation...