Exxon Corp. v. Middleton

J. CURTISS BROWN, Chief Justice.

This is an appeal from a judgment for multiple plaintiffs in their suit to recover alleged deficiencies in royalty payments for gas produced from wells located on their lands in Chambers County, Texas.

GENERAL STATEMENT

In the early days of the oil industry in this state, natural gas was regarded more as a waste by-product of oil production than as a valuable resource. The gas produced along with oil was often simply burned or “flared.” Evidence in this case indicates that, at one time, one could drive for many miles at night through the East Texas Oil Field…