A Texas appeals court issued a ruling in a lawsuit over costs associated with the blowout of a gas well.
The Eleventh Court of Appeals issued its opinion Aug. 31, 2015 in the case of St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company and St. Paul Surplus Lines Insurance Company, Appellants v. Petroplex Energy, Inc, Appellee, on appeal from the 142nd District Court, Midland County, Texas.
The case involved a gas well, the Quinn 1-6H Well in Reeves County, Texas, that was operated by Petroplex Energy and insured by the appellant insurance companies. The Quinn Well was intended to be operated as a partnership between Petroplex and Endeavor Energy Resources, LP, but the two companies disagreed over certain matters including blowout insurance, and a joint operating agreement was never signed. A partial assignment of the Quinn Well to Endeavor was executed, but the 80 percent interest was subsequently reassigned to Petroplex.
On Sept. 14, 2007, a buildup of gas caused the Quinn Well to blow out, and Petroplex lost control of the well. As a result, equipment owned by third parties was damaged, and Endeavor advanced blowout expenses to Petroplex. A well-control policy and commercial liability policy were held by Petroplex, but the insurance companies claimed that Petroplex did not own 100 percent of the working interest in the Quinn Well, that it was not an insured well, and Petroplex could not recover under the policies.
The appeals court affirmed the trial court’s judgment in favor of Petroplex on all issues presented.
Gregory D. Jordan is an Oil and Gas lawyer in Austin. To learn more, visit http://www.theaustintriallawyer.com or call 512-419-0684.
