Exhibit 5.1

		RRI ENERGY PLAZA 1000 Main Street, 36th Floor Houston, Texas 77002 {713} 226-6000 Phone {713} 228-1331 Fax porterhedges.com

March 23, 2012

Luca Technologies Inc.

500 Corporate Circle, Suite C

Golden, Colorado 80401

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to Luca Technologies Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the proposed issuance of up to 9,775,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Shares”), by the Company. The Shares are included in a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on June 29, 2011 (Registration No. 333-175211) (as amended, the “Registration Statement”). The term “Shares” shall include any additional shares of common stock registered by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act in connection with the offering contemplated by the Registration Statement. This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or related Prospectus other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issuance of the Shares.

As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and we express no opinion with respect to any other laws.

Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, the Shares have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

Luca Technologies Inc.

March 23, 2012

Page 2

This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm in the Prospectus under the heading “Legal matters.” We further consent to the incorporation by reference of this letter and consent into any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) with respect to the Shares. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Porter Hedges LLP

PORTER HEDGES LLP