Houston-based Murphy Oil Corp. reported solid results in North America during 4Q2020, but the CEO put them aside Thursday morning, opening a conference call by criticizing President Biden for imposing a federal leasing ban that may impact the independent’s onshore and offshore development.

CEO Roger W. Jenkins shared a microphone with his executive team to discuss quarterly results and the forecast for 2021. The independent sanctioned a Montney Shale natural gas development in Western Canada and advanced a bevy of deepwater projects in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

However, in his opening comments, Jenkins was no holds barred as he took aim at Biden’s executive action (EO) on Wednesday directing the Department of the Interior to pause new leasing on federal lands and offshore...