Nichols Operating LLC

Bailey Glasser represented Nichols Operating LLC and defeated a challenge to its proposed “Enhanced Oil Recovery” well in a ruling issued by an Illinois Department of Natural Resources ALJ. An adjoining oil producer objected to our client’s permit application and demanded a public hearing on its objection. The ALJ granted Nichols’ motion to dismiss the objection, ruling that the objector had no standing to request a public hearing and in any event had offered only speculative arguments that failed to raise a proper objection to the merits of the permit application. Issuance of the permit allows Nichols to proceed with plans to drill and hydraulically fracture an adjacent producing well in Richland County, Illinois.