Updates
May 31, 2019: MRO denied.
May 30, 2019: see this note.
Original Post
From The Bismarck Tribune:
North Dakota's Board of University and School Lands is set to decide on an oil company's request for a leasing extension that the state land commissioner said may set precedent, if granted.
Marathon Oil Company has had four leases to about 470 mineral acres in Dunn County since May 2013. The Badlands-area tracts north of Killdeer have proven difficult to develop for a variety of reasons, such as rough terrain and locating a drill pad. Marathon Oil has spent more than $4 million related to the tracts.
Mineral tracts leased through the North Dakota Department of Trust Lands expire after five years, with two 180-day extensions available under certain conditions.
Rough terrain? Considering where oil companies drill around the world, it's hard to believe that "rough terrain" is that "rough" in North Dakota. This will be interesting to follow. It's likely I will miss the results of the hearing -- if I fail to post the decision, hopefully some reader who catches it will let me know.In March 2018, the Land Board, comprising five state elected officials with Gov. Doug Burgum as chairman, negotiated and granted a one-time 360-day leasing extension to Marathon Oil under amended contractual terms.
