Texas landowner sues eight oil companies over alleged groundwater contamination from saltwater injection wells

A West Texas property owner has filed a lawsuit claiming that oil and gas operations have caused widespread environmental damage to his land through contaminated injection wells and improper well maintenance.

Billy Wayne Meister Jr. filed the lawsuit in December in Crane County District Court, targeting eight companies including Blackbeard Operating and Goodnight Midstream. The suit alleges that saltwater injection wells—used to dispose of wastewater from oil and gas drilling—contributed to well blowouts that have polluted both soil and groundwater on his Permian Basin property.

Saltwater injection wells are a common practice in oil-rich regions like the Permian Basin, where companies pump millions of gallons of briny wastewater deep underground. However, environmental advocates have long raised concerns about potential contamination risks when these wells malfunction or are improperly maintained. Meister’s lawsuit claims the defendant companies failed to properly operate their injection systems and adequately plug abandoned oil wells, leading to what he describes as “catastrophic impacts” on his land.

The case highlights ongoing tensions between landowners and the oil industry in Texas, where rapid drilling expansion has raised questions about long-term environmental consequences. If successful, the lawsuit could set important precedents for holding oil companies accountable for groundwater contamination and soil pollution related to injection well operations. The Permian Basin, one of America’s most prolific oil-producing regions, has seen thousands of injection wells drilled in recent years to handle the massive volumes of wastewater generated by hydraulic fracturing operations.