A judicial panel has grouped together more than a dozen lawsuits alleging that U.S. oil companies were involved in a conspiracy to limit shale oil production in order to drive fuel prices for end consumers higher. The case will be heard by Albuquerque judge Matthew Garcia, who, Reuters reports, is a former chief of staff for New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham—a Democrat. The lawsuits target companies including Hess Corp., Pioneer Natural Resources, Occidental Petroleum, Diamondback Energy, Permian Resources, Chesapeake Energy, Continental…
