Talk of a Fracking Ban Has One Driller Tapping Federal Land Now

(Bloomberg) -- Independent shale producer Concho Resources Inc. said it’s tapping federal acreage for drilling now in case the U.S. elects a president who favors a fracking ban.

Democratic presidential candidates including Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have said they support a moratorium on fracking on federal lands. While such a move would likely meet strong legal challenges, the possibility is prompting some oil producers to discuss what it could mean.

Concho Chief Executive Officer Tim Leach said Wednesday his company has “quite a bit of activity” on federal lands in New Mexico and is prepared to move rigs across the state line into Texas if the politics of the White House change.

“Today, sentiment toward the sector is low and amplified by campaign promises to severely limit or regulate oil and gas operations,” Leach said on a third-quarter earnings call Wednesday morning. Concho’s exposure to federal acreage is about 20% of its total position, he said.

“We have a great deal of flexibility if we need to reallocate that capital,” Leach said.

Concho Jumps as Executives Say They’ve Learned From Mistakes

To contact the reporter on this story: Rachel Adams-Heard in Houston at radamsheard@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Simon Casey at scasey4@bloomberg.net, Joe Carroll

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