Amoco Production Co. v. Heimann

BALDOCK, Circuit Judge.

Amoco Production Company (Amoco) appeals from a $4 million judgment arising out of its unitization of a carbon dioxide field in northeastern New Mexico. Amoco argues, inter alia, that the district court 1) misinstructed the jury on an oil or gas lessee’s duty of good faith, and 2) improperly failed to accord collateral estoppel effect to the findings of the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission (OCC). Our jurisdiction over this diversity case arises under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. We hold that 1) a good faith inquiry into an oil and gas lessee’s conduct is unnecessary where…