Louisiana Court of Appeal April 2, 2003, No. 2002 CA 0822 (EnerQuest Oil & Gas, LLC v. Asprodites)

LGAIDRY, J.

We are called upon in this appeal to determine the issue of whether the Louisiana Commissioner of Conservation (the Commissioner),1 who directs the Office of Conservation of the state Department of Natural Resources, has the inherent authority to remove a previously designated operator of a drilling or production unit and to designate a new operator in the exercise of its statutory