Trust
DOI drops claim to millions in royalties from Chevron


The Interior Department won't pursue a claim for millions in royalties from energy giant Chevron, The New York Times reports.

The Minerals Management Service had ordered Chevron to pay $6 million for underpaid royalties. But agency officials dropped a claim for millions more, citing an adverse ruling from an Interior appeals board.

State governments, however, have gone ahead and pursued similar claims. They have recovered $70 million in additional royalties from companies like Chevron.

Interior doesn't appear to be interested, lawyers involved the cases say. That could cost taxpayers billions of dollars in royalties from oil and gas drilling on public land.

Get the Story:
U.S. Drops Bid Over Royalties From Chevron (The New York Times 10/31)
pwnyt

Related Stories:
New Standard: Oil giant tries to cheat tribes of money (10/11)
Interior won't seek to recover billions in royalties (9/22)
Auditors say DOI suppressed royalty collection (9/21)
Editorial: 'Anything goes' at Interior Department (9/18)
Interior comes under fire for royalty giveaway (9/15)
Norton shielded Griles despite ethics probe (9/15)
House committee to consider DOI 'irresponsibility' (9/12)
MMS reduces role of tribal-state royalty panel (9/12)
DOI accused of hindering probe into oil and gas royalties (08/04)
Accounting firm defends social relations with OST (7/27)
OST contract tied to favors to top officials (7/25)
OST officials awarded $6.6M contract to friends (7/24)
Tribes, states weigh lawsuits against oil companies (5/8)
Norton denies fraud or major problem with trust (3/29)
GAO report warns of billions in lost oil, gas royalties (3/29)
Tribes, states object to Interior's lack of audits (03/01)
Pombo starts investigation of DOI royalty program (2/16)
Bush, Democrats oppose $7B royalty giveaway (2/15)
Interior to give away $7B in oil and gas royalties (2/14)
Oil companies fall behind on royalty payments (2/10)