Opinion ID: 171155
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: Jack Grynberg (Mr. Grynberg), Grynberg Production Corporation, and Grynberg Petroleum Company (collectively, Grynberg) appeal from summary judgments in two separate lawsuits, one against Total S.A. and one against Shell Exploration B.V. and Shell International Exploration and Production B.V. (collectively Shell). Both lawsuits, which were filed in 2003 in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado as diversity actions, see 28 U.S.C. § 1332, raised essentially identical claims based on essentially the same factual allegations. Grynberg alleged that through its special relationship with authorities in the Soviet Union and Kazakhstan, it obtained valuable information regarding potential oil and gas reserves in Kazakhstan. After obtaining authority from Kazakhstan to form a consortium of companies to join with Kazakhstan in exploring for and developing these reserves, Grynberg approached Shell and Total in 1990 with its information and reached agreements on joining a consortium. Shell and Total, however, joined a different consortium and obtained rights to oil and gas in the very area that was to be the subject of the Grynberg consortium. Grynberg's suits against Shell and Total raise against each a tort claim for breach of fiduciary duty and an equitable claim for unjust enrichment. Shell and Total moved for summary judgment on the ground that Grynberg's claims were untimely, barred by the applicable statute of limitations and laches. The district judges granted the motions. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291, consolidate the two appeals, and affirm. The limitations period for Grynberg's tort claims was three years, and well more than three years before Grynberg filed suit it should have known  from news reports and from information disclosed in a settlement with a consortium partner of Shell and Total  that it could have sued Shell and Total for acquiring oil and gas interests in the area that Grynberg's consortium was to explore and develop. As for Grynberg's unjust-enrichment claims, they were barred by laches because Grynberg has failed to point to any extraordinary circumstance that would justify extending the laches period beyond the limitations period for the closely allied tort claims.