Wyoming Supreme Court Sides With Rancher

SHERIDAN, Wyo. (AP) — The Wyoming Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a rancher seeking more than $1 million in damages after he stopped receiving payments for methane drilling on his land.

The Supreme Court upheld a 2015 lower court ruling that awarded Sheridan County landowner Brett Sorenson $1,055,983 in damages and $332,663 for attorney fees.

Sorenson filed the suit against Pennaco Energy, Inc., when he stopped receiving payments for the use of his land for drilling and production operations. He signed an agreement with the company in 2001.

The Supreme Court ruled that Pennaco essentially abandoned the infrastructure constructed on Sorenson's land and stopped paying him.

Pennaco had argued that it was not liable under the 2001 agreement because it assigned its interest to other companies.