In a closely watched dispute between two neighboring mineral operators, the San Antonio Court of Appeals ruled that Lightning Oil Co., the plaintiff lease owner, could not receive a temporary injunction preventing Anadarko E&P Onshore, LLC, a neighboring lease owner, from drilling through the plaintiff’s mineral estate to reach the defendant’s own mineral estate.<\/p>\n
In the Eagle Ford Shale in Texas, Anadarko owned leases for mineral interests beneath the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area. The lease required Anadarko to use offsite drilling locations when prudent and feasible. Lightning owns adjacent mineral leases, and Briscoe Ranch, Inc. owns the surface above Lightning’s leases. Anadarko entered into an agreement with Briscoe to establish drill sites on Briscoe’s land, drill through \u2013 but not produce from \u2013 Lightning’s leases, and drill from Anadarko’s own lease.<\/p>\n
Lightning sought an injunction, claiming that its own mineral interests could be harmed by Anadarko’s proposed drilling activity. Lightning argued that drilling (more…)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In a closely watched dispute between two neighboring mineral operators, the San Antonio Court of Appeals ruled that Lightning Oil Co., the plaintiff lease owner, could not receive a temporary injunction preventing Anadarko E&P Onshore, LLC, a neighboring lease owner,…<\/span><\/p>\n