A Permian Basin landowner claims in a lawsuit that saltwater injection wells caused well blowouts, leading to significant pollution on his property.
Billy Wayne Meister Jr. filed the lawsuit in December in Crane County, Texas, district court. He accuses eight oil and gas companies of improperly operating produced water injection wells and failing to adequately plug old oil wells, leaving them abandoned. These actions have allegedly resulted in “catastrophic impacts” on his property.
Produced water, or brine, is a byproduct of oil and gas drilling, containing high levels of chlorides and other harmful elements. It is typically disposed of in deep underground wells.
In January 2022, a geyser of produced water erupted through an old well on Meister’s property in Crane County. It took months to control. Meister subsequently documented fissures in the land where produced water was seeping from underground.
The lawsuit claims that injection wells have created an over-pressurized plume of produced water beneath the ranch, causing wastewater to surface through previously plugged wellbores.
Meister’s lawsuit is part of an ongoing debate over produced water injection and aging wells in the Permian Basin. West Texas landowners have reported numerous blowouts, geysers, and sinkholes. Experts suggest they are connected to large volumes of produced water injected underground. The Railroad Commission has introduced new rules for injection wells and has acknowledged the risks of over-pressurization underground.
Another Crane County landowner, Ashley Watt, recently settled a lawsuit against Chevron for damages related to old wells. Meister’s lawsuit links surface blowouts directly to injection wells.
The defendants include Blackbeard Operating, Citation Oil and Gas Corp., Conoco Inc., Formentera Operations, Goodnight Midstream Permian, Milwee Inc., Petex Corp., and Walsh & Watts Inc. These companies operate or are responsible for wells on or near the affected property. The companies have been contacted for comment.
An attorney for Meister declined to comment on the case. A Railroad Commission spokesperson stated the agency does not comment on pending litigation.
Lawsuit Ties Injection Wells to Surface Pollution
The 6,000-acre Meister West Ranch in Crane County, long owned by the Meister family, has seen oil operations for decades. In January 2022, produced water spewed from an old wellbore, forming a geyser 200 feet high. The Railroad Commission intervened, and the well was plugged.
In December 2023, another blowout occurred a mile away at a neighboring ranch. Meister later observed saltwater surfacing through a new fissure on his ranch.
Meister investigated other wells on the ranch, finding “compromised wells leaking saltwater, hydrocarbons, and other waste.” In April 2024, another fissure caused saltwater to flood a road.
The lawsuit seeks liability for pollution and monetary damages. Meister also demands proper plugging of wells, investigation of impacted groundwater and soil, and property cleanup.
The lawsuit cites a 2024 study by Southern Methodist University researchers, reported by Inside Climate News and the Texas Tribune. The study linked the 2022 blowout to nine injection wells 12 miles northwest. Researchers used injection data and satellite imagery to demonstrate how the volume of wastewater injected correlated with ground uplift prior to the blowout. Up to 1.5 million gallons daily were injected at wells operated by Goodnight Midstream and Blackbeard Operating.
A Blackbeard Operating spokesperson stated the company “is committed to ensuring prudent operations.” A Goodnight Midstream spokesperson said the company ensures compliance with legal requirements and works with agencies to ensure operations are “geologically sustainable.”
The lawsuit claims Meister believes all wells on his property are compromised. This echoes a previous lawsuit at nearby Antina Ranch, where Watt alleged that old well plugs no longer prevented leaks, leading to a settlement.
In May 2025, the Railroad Commission introduced new guidelines for injection well permitting, expanding review areas and setting pressure limits. However, the debate over injection wells continues.
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org