Laramie County landowners have urged a federal judge to deny Occidental Petroleum Corp.’s attempt to dismiss state law claims in their antitrust lawsuit, as the case against Anadarko Petroleum Corp. advances toward trial.
Anadarko Wyoming Antitrust Lawsuit : Background of the Case
In 2022, Wyoming landowners achieved class certification, accusing Anadarko Petroleum Corp. of hoarding drilling permits to illegally block and control oil and gas development in specific parts of the state. This alleged antitrust behavior by Anadarko and its parent company, Occidental, forms the crux of the landowners’ claims.
Anadarko’s Legal Maneuvers
The landowners argue that Anadarko’s latest motion, filed in late June, is a rehash of previous arguments that were already dismissed by the court. They claim that Anadarko is seeking to persuade the judge to revisit and overturn prior rulings with a judgment on the pleadings motion.
Anadarko and Occidental contend that the landowners’ claims lack foundation in state law and should be dismissed. However, the landowners countered that the district court has already appropriately ruled against the companies’ motion for judgment as a matter of law under Wyoming’s antitrust statute.
Legal Arguments and Statutory Interpretation
The landowners acknowledge that the ruling in question cited an amended version of the statute but insist it also relied on language from the previous version. They maintain that Wyoming Statute § 40-4-401(a)(i) is “clear and unambiguous” concerning business entities engaging in practices that prevent competition or influence prices.
