Wyoming seeks waiver on oil, gas lease ban

Wyoming governor Mark Gordon outlined a request yesterday to waive the state from federal drilling restrictions recently enacted by US President Joe Biden's administration, pointing to recent energy demand spikes during extreme weather.

Gordon said he was concerned that orders from the federal government were causing delays in approvals for oil and gas companies with valid drilling permits, essentially barring operations already in progress.

Biden ordered the US Interior Department late in January to suspend oil and gas leasing "to the extent consistent with applicable law," pending the completion of a review of all fossil fuel leasing and permitting practices on federal land. Oil and gas operators were later instructed to reapply for approximately 70 previously-approved federal drilling permits.

"The recent polar vortex is a prime example that we need to be exploring and producing more gas for existing drilling permits, rather than waiting days and weeks to see if a surface drilling pad can be moved to a different location on the lease," Gordon said in a letter to the US Department of the Interior yesterday.

Gordon also called the Department of the Interior's decision to postpone quarterly oil and gas lease sales "foolish and counterproductive" becaues it pitted the environment against employment, both of which he described as important concerns to Wyoming.

By David Haydon