Texas court lets oil company cross 1,604-acre ranch to plug shut-in well
A Texas appeals court ruled that an oil company has the legal right to cross private ranch land to plug an inactive well. The decision resolves a long-standing access dispute between the ranch owners and the operator.
Why it matters
This case clarifies the balance between private property rights and the legal obligations of energy companies to remediate inactive infrastructure.
A long-running dispute between a South Texas ranch owner and an oil company over access to a shut-in well took another turn October 1, when a Texas appeals court ruled that state law allows the operator to cross neighboring private land to reach the well for plugging work. The ruling came from the Texas Thirteenth Court of Appeals in Dierlam v. Allegiant Resources. The court affirmed a Victoria County trial court’s refusal to block the company’s access, according to the Texas Thirteenth Court of Appeals opinion published by Justia.The case involves a 1,604-acre tract in Victoria County that is part of the historic McFaddin Ranch. The ranch has deep roots in South Texas, with the Texas State Historical Association noting that James A. McFaddin began ranching in Victoria County in 1876.
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