Oil producers undaunted as Colorado mulls fracking restrictions

(Reuters) - While Colorado environmental groups work to put a ballot measure before voters this fall that could severely hobble the U.S. energy industry, Whiting Petroleum Corp is busy figuring out where in the state it can spend $10 billion over the next decade

Whiting has little concern the ballot initiative will succeed, even after votes in several of the state's cities last fall to ban fracking, the controversial use of high-pressure water mixed with chemicals and sand to extract oil and natural gas. At least one fracking ban has been challenged in court, and more legal tussles are likely.

The Denver-based company sees Colorado as key to its plan to sharply boost oil and natural gas production. Anadarko Petroleum Corp has similar growth plans for Colorado, aiming to spend at least $1.5 billion each year for the foreseeable future to develop its more than 800,000 acres there.


"Are we willing to fight? You bet we are," said Jack Ekstrom, a Whiting executive and incoming chair of the Western Energy Alliance, an industry advocacy group. "If you ask me if I'm concerned, the answer is no. Our intent is to grow here, not shrink."

By hook or by crook- mostly by crook. More here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/02/us-ceraweek-colorado-idUSBREA210M820140302