Stateline Operating LLC v. Aris Water Solutions, Inc. et al., 143rd Judicial District Court, Loving County, Texas

Representing Aris Water and affiliates in a lawsuit in Loving County, Texas brought by a New Mexico oil and gas operator, Stateline Operating. Stateline alleges that water Aris injected into its shallow DMG saltwater disposal wells in Texas migrated subsurface to Stateline’s wells in New Mexico and allegedly "watered out" Stateline's wells and mineral interests in the Avalon, First Bone Spring, and Second Bone Spring Formations. Stateline seeks hundreds of millions of dollars in economic damages and more than $2 billion in punitive damages. This case is ongoing.

Type of Case: Produced Water Disputes in Texas, Subsurface Trespass Disputes

Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA), Supreme Court of Texas

Prepared amicus brief for TXOGA in support of respondent COG Operating in the high-profile Cactus Water Services v. COG Operating matter. TXOGA argued the Appellant’s position that surface owners, rather than operators, own produced water from oil and gas operations would upend the State of Texas’s regulatory regime and threaten the continued operations of nearly every oil and gas producer in the State. The Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Appeals’ judgement that oil and gas operators, not surface owners (or their assigns) have the right to possession, custody, control, and disposition of water in the liquid waste from oil and gas production.

Type of Case: Amicus Curiae Briefs, Appellate Litigation, Produced Water Disputes in Texas, Lease Ownership Disputes, Royalty Litigation

Kindall Leigh Donehue and Andrew Joseph Donehue v. Apache Corporation, No. 5:210-cv-000710-D, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma

Represented Apache in oilfield contamination case arising from allegations that Apache's predecessor operators had contaminated soil on property in Western Oklahoma through unlined saltwater disposal pits. Plaintiffs claimed over $6 million in damages plus specific performance. After the court granted significant portions of Apache's Motion for Summary Judgment and Daubert Motion, including dismissing the majority of Plaintiffs' claims and striking Plaintiffs' primary damages model, the parties settled on a confidential basis on the eve of trial.

Type of Case: Environmental Litigation, Nuisance, Produced Water Disputes

Confidential E&P Company

Represented E&P Company in dispute with contractor whose faulty installation of frac pond-liners required it to expend significant money repairing and remediating the resulting damage. The contractor demanded payment for the installation, which the E&P Company withheld to offset its damages. After explaining the extent of the contractor's errors, the contractor dropped its claim for payment.

Type of Case: Environmental Litigation, Produced Water Disputes in Texas, Oilfield Service & Vendor Litigation