Denver Company Drills In Wrong Area; Forfeits Oil

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota regulators ordered a Denver company to forfeit crude oil that was obtained from an area where it did not hold a lease.

The North Dakota Industrial Commission on Monday ordered Gadeco LLC to forfeit the 800 barrels of oil. Proceeds from the sale of the oil will go into the state's general fund.

State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms says the company drilled into an area in Williams County in error. He says the company spent more than $8 million drilling the well, which is now plugged.

Helms says it's the first time such an incident has happened in North Dakota.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem called the incident "a pretty expensive lesson.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)