Hinchey Calls on Dept. of Justice to Launch Anti-Trust Investigation of Two Major Natural Gas Companies
July 3, 2012 by The Catskill Chronicle
WASHINGTON, DC (July 3, 2012) – Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) yesterday called on the US Department of Justice to launch an anti-trust investigation of two major natural gas companies after a recent news report detailed a series of meetings and secret agreements between the two companies 
that led to a dramatically lower market value for land those companies leased for drilling in Michigan.
Reuters reported last week that Chesapeake Energy Corp. and Encana Corp. worked together to avoid competing for the same parcels of land so that each company would have no competition when making lease proposals to landowners and therefore be able to secure a cheap price. In a letter sent to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Hinchey also urged him to examine whether such anti-competitive practices took place elsewhere in the US
"I urge you to review this [Reuters] report, open an investigation into whether any federal antitrust laws were violated in this case, and assess whether violations may have been committed in other oil and gas lease bidding across the country," Hinchey wrote in his letter to Holder. "As you know, the recent boom in domestic oil and natural gas production has caused the industry to lease millions of acres for development on both private and public property. Chesapeake Energy Corp. and Encana Corp. represent two of the largest corporations in the oil and gas industry. Reuters reported Chesapeake has leased more than 15 million acres in the U.S. in the past 10 years while Encana has leased 2.5 million acres. These rivals often bid against each other for prime oil and gas rights in shale formations; however, prices and competition for leases in Michigan drastically fell after communications between these two companies began in 2010, when top executives discussed how to avoid bidding against each other in a public land auction and strategies for dealing with at least nine large private landowners."
To read the full story and the text of Hinchey’s letter, click here: Hinchey Calls for Anti-Trust Investigation
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The Catskill Chronicle 
Hinchey Calls on Dept. of Justice to Launch Anti-Trust Investigation of Two Major Natural Gas Companies
July 3, 2012 by The Catskill Chronicle
WASHINGTON, DC (July 3, 2012) – Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) yesterday called on the US Department of Justice to launch an anti-trust investigation of two major natural gas companies after a recent news report detailed a series of meetings and secret agreements between the two companies
that led to a dramatically lower market value for land those companies leased for drilling in Michigan.
Reuters reported last week that Chesapeake Energy Corp. and Encana Corp. worked together to avoid competing for the same parcels of land so that each company would have no competition when making lease proposals to landowners and therefore be able to secure a cheap price. In a letter sent to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Hinchey also urged him to examine whether such anti-competitive practices took place elsewhere in the US
"I urge you to review this [Reuters] report, open an investigation into whether any federal antitrust laws were violated in this case, and assess whether violations may have been committed in other oil and gas lease bidding across the country," Hinchey wrote in his letter to Holder. "As you know, the recent boom in domestic oil and natural gas production has caused the industry to lease millions of acres for development on both private and public property. Chesapeake Energy Corp. and Encana Corp. represent two of the largest corporations in the oil and gas industry. Reuters reported Chesapeake has leased more than 15 million acres in the U.S. in the past 10 years while Encana has leased 2.5 million acres. These rivals often bid against each other for prime oil and gas rights in shale formations; however, prices and competition for leases in Michigan drastically fell after communications between these two companies began in 2010, when top executives discussed how to avoid bidding against each other in a public land auction and strategies for dealing with at least nine large private landowners."
To read the full story and the text of Hinchey’s letter, click here: Hinchey Calls for Anti-Trust Investigation
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