Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy Corporation reports that the U.S. Department of Justice has wrapped up a lengthy three-year probe of its land purchase and mineral royalty payment practices by taking no further action.
According to the company’s Form 10-Q filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission submitted on Thursday, the DOJ informed Chesapeake on September 19, 2017 that “it had concluded its investigation with no action taken on these matters and matters related to the purchase and lease of oil and natural gas rights.”
The company also reported that it remains in discussions with the U.S. Postal Service and various states, which separately sought information about the royalty payment practices.
In October, an Ohio federal court dismissed a lawsuit by landowners and others that claimed Chesapeake should not have charged post-production costs against payments to them, ending some cases against the company.