Texas court lets oil company cross 1,604-acre ranch to plug shut-in well

A long-running dispute over access to a South Texas ranch has ended with a Texas appeals court allowing an oil company to cross private property to reach an inactive well. The dispute involves the McFaddin Ranch and Allegiant Resources LLC, which sought access to a well that had been shut in for years. According to the Texas Thirteenth Court of Appeals’ October 1 opinion, the well sits close to the San Antonio River, raising concerns about leaving it unplugged. The court ultimately affirmed the trial court’s decision, upholding Allegiant’s limited right to enter the property for plugging and related work.A dispute over access to a wellThe case centres on the Remora Oil Unit, an oil and gas operation located on property known as the Wright Land. Access to the well had historically been provided through the Dierlam Ranch, which is associated with the McFaddin Ranch property.