Settles

El Paso Corp. has settled five lawsuits arising from the fatal explosion on El Paso Natural Gas’ South Mainline system in New Mexico in August 2000, which killed 12 members of two extended families. Terms of the settlements were not disclosed.

Tulsa, OK-based Oneok Inc. said Tuesday it has reached an agreement to settle a lawsuit that was brought by the family of an elderly couple who were killed following two explosions at a Kansas storage site in early 2001.

Oneok Inc. announced Friday it has reached a definitive agreement to pay Las Vegas-based Southwest Gas Corp. $3 million in settlement of a lawsuit between the two parties. The action was almost the final one in a legal wrangle that has gone on for three years among the two companies and Southern Union. On Wednesday Southwest Gas agreed to pay Southern Union $17.5 million to settle a lawsuit involving Southern Union’s failed plan to buy the gas company (see Daily GPI, Aug. 8).

Exxon Mobil has settled a $20 million class action lawsuit with about 1,600 royalty owners in West Texas who alleged the company did not pay them proper royalties from natural gas produced over two decades. An Exxon spokesman said the company decided to settle the case instead of having a lengthy trial.

Shell Oil has will pay the state of Alabama $27 million plus another $6.4 million in legal fees to settle accusations the company underpaid natural gas royalties for drilling in state waters. Shell denied any wrongdoing.

The Justice Department and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Friday Williams’ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line has agreed to extensive testing and clean-up for soil and groundwater contamination related to waste disposal at numerous compressor stations along its pipeline. In addition, the settlement with the company calls for Transco to clean up polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination, complete a storm water monitoring program, conduct storm water sampling at several compressor stations and pay a $1.4 million civil penalty. The settlement is the latest in a number of similar actions brought against interstate pipeline companies over the last 15 years.

Southwest Gas Corp. said Tuesday that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California has given its final approval of a settlement agreement with the lead shareholder representatives of its California shareholder class action lawsuit.

More than four years after an El Paso Natural Gas Co. pipeline exploded underground, injuring a worker who was operating a bulldozer in the area, the law offices of Frank L. Branson, which represented the plaintiff, reported that El Paso and a host of other involved construction companies have settled the lawsuit brought against them.

More than four years after an El Paso Natural Gas Co. pipeline exploded underground, injuring a worker who was operating a bulldozer in the area.”The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson, which represented the plaintiff, reported that El Paso and a host of other involved construction companies have settled the lawsuit brought against them.