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US: Defendant wants Michigan to toss natural gas antitrust case

By  |  May 24, 2014

One of two named defendants in Michigan’s lawsuit accusing the firms of conspiring to manipulate land lease costs is reportedly asking a judge to toss the antitrust suit, say reports.

US-based Chesapeake Energy and Canada-based Encana were charged last March with antitrust violations as the state accused the natural gas companies of colluding to artificially suppress the cost of land leasing in Michigan. A federal investigation into the matter was recently dropped.

Now, Chesapeake is reportedly requesting Michigan to drop the case as well, filing a motion to dismiss the suit last Friday. Both defendants deny any wrongdoing.

The dispute stems from a joint venture proposal between the firms that ultimately was not carried out. Prosecutors claim the companies’ ties led them to collude to divide oil and has leases in the state.

Full content: NewsOK

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