ND Secures Final $27.8M in DAPL Protest Costs, Global Operators Pursue Deals

North Dakota has finalized a $27.8 million settlement with the federal government for costs incurred during the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protests, according to a weekend report from Native News Online. Attorney General Drew Wrigley announced the agreement, which brings the state's total recovery to nearly $38 million when combined with a previously secured $10 million payment.

The settlement resolves a long-running dispute over expenses from the 2016-17 demonstrations near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and federal lands managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. For Bakken operators and the state's oil industry, the closure of this financial chapter removes a lingering uncertainty related to critical pipeline infrastructure.

Internationally, state-owned oil companies are actively pursuing partnerships. Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) CEO Juan Carlos Carpio is set to visit Brazil this month to explore a joint oil exploration campaign in the Gulf of Mexico with Petroleo Brasileiro (Petrobras), Rigzone reported. Such collaborations between national oil companies could influence global crude supply dynamics and investment patterns.

In a separate move, Malaysia's Petronas announced it is farming down several assets within the country. The company stated it continues to expand participation by state governments in the development of Malaysia's oil and gas resources, according to Rigzone. This trend of bringing in partners to share risk and capital aligns with common industry practices.

Domestically, a separate political development saw the U.S. Senate miss a key deadline on legislation aimed at overturning the 2025 management plan for Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Native News Online reported. The Grand Staircase-Escalante Inter-Tribal Coalition celebrated the missed June 11 deadline, as it now raises the vote threshold needed for passage. Monument management plans can impact access to federal minerals and set precedents for tribal consultation, which are relevant to operators on federal lands in Western states.

In New Mexico, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland unveiled a renewable energy plan focused on lowering utility costs by leveraging the state's solar, wind, and geothermal resources, according to the same source. The plan argues that large energy users, like data centers, should bear more infrastructure costs. While focused on a neighboring state, such policy shifts highlight the evolving energy landscape surrounding the Bakken region.