Basic Energy Service, Inc. v. D-S-B Properties, Inc.

367 S.W.3d 254, 2011 WL 6187113, 2011 Tex. App. LEXIS 9286
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedNovember 23, 2011
DocketNo. 12-10-00005-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 367 S.W.3d 254 (Basic Energy Service, Inc. v. D-S-B Properties, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Basic Energy Service, Inc. v. D-S-B Properties, Inc., 367 S.W.3d 254, 2011 WL 6187113, 2011 Tex. App. LEXIS 9286 (Tex. Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

OPINION ON REHEARING

JAMES T. WORTHEN, Chief Justice.

Basic Energy Services, Inc. filed a motion for rehearing, which is overruled. The Oleta Ashworth Foster Trust and the co-trustees of that trust, Robert Radloff and Margaret Radloff also filed a motion for rehearing, which is overruled. The court’s opinion of June 30, 2011, is withdrawn and the following opinion is substituted in its place.

Basic Energy Services, Inc. appeals the trial court’s judgment and award of damages in favor of Appellee, D-S-B Properties, Inc., and Intervenors, The Oleta Ash-worth Foster Trust and the co-trustees of that trust, Robert Radloff and Margaret Radloff. Basic raises seven issues on appeal.1 We modify the judgment and, as modified, affirm in part, and reverse and render in part.

Background

The B.M. Moseley # 1 oil well located in the area overlying the Paluxy Formation in Smith County, Texas, was drilled and began producing oil in 1946. From that time, the well continued to produce oil. In 1993, a group of six investors acquired the Moseley # 1 well and two other wells through the purchase of two leases for $240,000. In this transaction, D-S-B Properties, Inc. (DSB) was named as the purchaser. Following the purchase, DSB assigned all of its interest in the leases and wells to the six investors. The investors (working interest owners) entered into an operating agreement with DSB by which DSB became the operator of the wells.

In September 2007, the well went off production. DSB hired Basic Energy Services, Inc. (Basic) to repair the well. Basic determined that the problem was related to a tubing leak. DSB’s president, Brian Hancock, instructed Basic to find someone to test the tubing.

[259]*259Basic used its derrick to pull the rods utilized by the well’s pump out of the tubing. Next, Basic pulled the entirety of the tubing out of the wellbore. Subsequently, a third party was brought in to test the tubing. The testing crew inserted a pressure testing tool inside two joints of tubing at a time. Thereafter, Basic’s crew lowered the joints back into the wellbore, and the testing crew used high pressure water to pressurize the joints, at which time the tubing would either reveal a leak or hold pressure. If no leak was found, the Basic crew added another two joints and the testing crew repeated the testing procedure.

During the testing process, the testing company’s tool became stuck inside the tubing. After the tool became stuck, Basic’s crew latched onto the two joints in the hole and pulled them up so that they could set the slips, which were designed to hold the tubing in place. The testing crew then pulled on the stuck tool to free it. When they freed the tool, the tubing bounce[d] and ratcheted violently all the way down the well. As a result, several joints of tubing broke free and fell down the well-bore.

Basic’s crew successfully retrieved some, but not all, of the tubing that had fallen down the well. Basic hired another company to fish out the remaining joints of tubing. Ultimately, the efforts to retrieve the remaining tubing were unsuccessful, and the parties agreed that the well was irreparably damaged. Because the production of oil had ceased and the working interest owners elected not to engage in drilling or reworking operations, the lease terminated in December 2007.

DSB, acting as representative of the working interest owners, filed the instant suit against Basic on November 5, 2007. In its petition, DSB alleged that Basic was liable to it because Basic’s negligence caused severe damage to the Moseley # 1 well. As a result, DSB alleged that it was entitled to recover actual damages, special damages, interest, costs, and attorney’s fees. The Oleta Ashworth Foster Trust and the co-trustees of that trust, Robert and Margaret Radloff (the royalty owner), later intervened raising causes of action for negligence, breach of warranty, and violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA). The royalty owner further alleged that it had suffered damages in the form of lost royalties as a result of Basic’s actions. Basic filed a Motion to Show Authority, in which it alleged that DSB did not have authority to file the lawsuit and act on behalf of the working interest owners.2

The matter proceeded to a bench trial. Ultimately, the court found Basic liable to DSB and awarded DSB $1,911,957 in damages. The trial court further found Basic liable to the royalty owner and awarded the royalty owner $71,203 in damages as well as attorney’s fees. Thereafter, the trial court filed findings of fact and conclusions of law. This appeal followed.

Standing and Capacity

In its first issue, Basic argues that DSB did not have standing to bring suit for damage caused to the well on behalf of the working interest owners because it has no justiciable interest in the controversy based on damage to the well. DSB responds that Basic confuses the issue of standing with that of capacity. It further [260]*260argues that each of the working interest owners gave it written consent to represent their interest in pursuing a claim in litigation against Basic for damage caused to the well.

Standing

A plaintiff must have both standing and capacity to bring a lawsuit. Coastal Liquids Transp. L.P. v. Harris Cnty. Appraisal Dist., 46 S.W.3d 880, 884 (Tex.2001); R & R White Family Ltd. P’ship v. Jones, 182 S.W.3d 454, 457 (Tex.App.-Texarkana 2006, no pet.). Standing is implicit in the concept of subject matter jurisdiction, which is essential to the authority of a court to decide a case. See Tex. Ass’n of Bus. v. Tex. Air Control Bd., 852 S.W.2d 440, 443-44 (Tex.1993). Subject matter jurisdiction is never presumed and cannot be waived. Id.

Whether a court has subject matter jurisdiction is a question of law. Hendee v. Dewhurst, 228 S.W.3d 354, 366 (Tex.App.-Austin 2007, pet. denied). The determination of whether a trial court has subject matter jurisdiction begins with the pleadings. Id. The pleader has the initial burden of alleging facts that affirmatively demonstrate the trial court’s jurisdiction to hear the cause. Id. Whether the pleader has met its burden is a question of law that we review de novo. Id. When an appellate court questions jurisdiction for the first time on appeal, it must construe the petition in favor of the party, and, if necessary, review the entire record to determine if any evidence supports standing. Tex. Air Control Bd., 852 S.W.2d at 446.

The general test for standing in Texas requires that there (1) shall be a real controversy between the parties, which (2) will be actually determined by the judicial declaration sought. See Nootsie, Ltd. v. Williamson Cnty. Appraisal Dist., 925 S.W.2d 659, 662 (Tex.1996) (citing Tex. Air Control Bd., 852 S.W.2d at 446). Standing pertains to a person’s jus-ticiable interest in a suit and is a component of subject matter jurisdiction. See Tex. Air Control Bd., 852 S.W.2d at 443, 445-46. A controversy is justiciable only if thei'e exists a real and substantial controversy involving a genuine conflict of tangible interests and not merely a theoretical dispute.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
367 S.W.3d 254, 2011 WL 6187113, 2011 Tex. App. LEXIS 9286, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/basic-energy-service-inc-v-d-s-b-properties-inc-texapp-2011.