Holman v. Dow

467 S.W.2d 547, 40 Oil & Gas Rep. 255, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2678
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMay 13, 1971
Docket7121
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 467 S.W.2d 547 (Holman v. Dow) 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
Holman v. Dow, 467 S.W.2d 547, 40 Oil & Gas Rep. 255, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2678 (Tex. Ct. App. 1971).

Opinion

STEPHENSON, Justice.

This is an action for breach of contract, an accounting and for damages. Trial was before the court, and judgment was rendered that plaintiff take nothing. The parties will be referred to here as they were in the trial court and by the names hereinafter designated.

History and Chronological Development

A brief resume of the background and development of their transaction is essential for this opinion to be understood.

Defendant Roy Woodside (hereinafter called “Woodside”) had been engaged in the oil and gas business for many years. Prior to 1958 Woodside had been negotiating with gas producers in the Mertzon Field located in Irion County, Texas, to gather, compress and process the gas from such field.

During 1958 Woodside also commenced negotiations with W. M. Dow (hereinafter called “Dow”), and A. S. Parks (hereinafter called “Parks”) for the construction and operation of the processing plant which would be required if Woodside completed his negotiations with the producer. September 2, 1958, Dow and Parks entered into a letter agreement with Woodside, under the terms of which Dow and Parks agreed to construct and operate the processing plant, and Woodside agreed to construct and operate the gathering and compressing system.

September 5, 1958, Woodside wrote plaintiff a letter setting forth the terms of a proposed agreement for the two to incorporate for the purpose of gathering, compressing and processing gas.

October 31, 1958, Woodside obtained the first gas processing contract as a result of the negotiations with processors in the Mertzon Field, under the terms of which Woodside was obligated to construct, install and operate a gas gathering, compressing and processing system.

December 1, 1958, defendant Gas Enterprises, Inc., a corporation, was chartered by the State of Texas, with plaintiff and Woodside each owning one-half of the capital stock. The Board of Directors was composed of these two and their wives, and Woodside was elected president and *549 plaintiff acting vice-president, secretary and treasurer.

Also, on December 1, 1958, defendant Mertzon Corporation was incorporated under the laws of the State of Texas with Dow and Parks each owning one-half of the capital stock, and Dow was elected president, and Parks, vice-president and secretary.

December 15, 1958, Woodside assigned all of his rights in the processing contract he had secured, as well as in those he was then negotiating, to Gas Enterprises, Inc., which corporation assumed all of Wood-side’s obligations under such contract.

February 11, 1959, Gas Enterprises, Inc., and K-B Compression Company entered into an agreement under the terms of which K-B Compression Company agreed to install and operate the gathering and compressing system for the Mertzon Field for which it was to be paid a charge based upon the volume of gas handled.

June 1, 1959, Gas Enterprises, Inc., and Mertzon Corporation entered into the written contract which is the subject matter of this suit. Under this contract Gas Enterprises, Inc., assigned its processing contracts to Mertzon Corporation, and Mertzon Corporation agreed to perform such contract.

Also, on June 1, 1959, a Contemporaneous Letter Agreement was signed by Gas Enterprises, Inc., and Woodside and accepted by Mertzon Corporation. This letter is the primary basis for plaintiff’s contention that the Mertzon Plant Contract also covered gas processing contracts outside of the Mertzon Field.

The Mertzon Plant Contract

The portions of the Mertzon Plant Contract which are relevant to the points of error raised, are as follows:

Paragraph III contained the following provisions, in substance:

(1) Mertzon agreed to pay Gas Enterprises, Inc., in cash each year, a sum equal to 40 percent of the net profit derived from the operation of the processing plant owned by Mertzon Corporation diminished by the net loss or increased by the net profit from operation of the gathering and compressing facilities.

(2) The terms “net profit” and “net loss” were defined.

(3) Mertzon Corporation agreed to prepare and deliver monthly statements rer fleeting such net profit or net loss to Gas Enterprises, Inc., from both the processing system and the gathering and compressing system on or before the 10th day of each month covering the preceding month’s operation.

(4) Mertzon Corporation agreed to cause to be prepared and delivered to Gas Enterprises, Inc., annual statements written 45 days after the end of each fiscal year, such statements to be prepared by a certified public accountant.

(5) a. If there was a “net loss” shown by the monthly statement from the gathering system, Gas Enterprises, Inc., agreed to pay such sum within 10 days after receipt of such statement.

b. If the monthly statement showed a loss from the processing system, Mertzon was entitled to deduct such loss from subsequent net profits that Gas Enterprises, Inc., may have been entitled to.

c. If such monthly statements show a “net profit”, Mertzon Corporation agrees to deliver the sum of such net profit to Gas Enterprises, Inc., at the time of delivery of such monthly statement.

d. It was agreed adjustment would be made at the time of receipt of the annual statements on the same basis as above.

(6) Mertzon Corporation agreed to maintain such records and permit Gas Enterprises, Inc., or its duly authorized representatives to examine or audit such records at reasonable times.

*550 Paragraph IV contained the following provisions, in substance:

(1) Mertzon Corporation agreed to maintain ownership of the processing plant during the initial S-year period, with the exact date that operations had begun to be agreed upon in writing between the parties.

(2) Within 30 days after the. expiration of such 5-year period, Mertzon Corporation agreed to convey title to a 40 percent interest in the processing facilities to Gas Enterprises, Inc., with adjustments to be made for replacement to the original plant.

(3) Mertzon Corporation could continue to utilize the processing plant after such 5 years, during the term of this contract, without having to pay rent.

(4) Notice must be given of any expansion of the processing plant, and Gas Enterprises, Inc., could participate in such expansion.

(5) At the termination of this contract all equipment owned as a result of this paragraph' would be offered for sale.

Paragraph VI provided in substance that additional wells may be drilled and completed in the Mertzon Field, Irion County, Texas; and the producers thereof might desire to enter into a processing contract with one of these parties, that it was mutually agreed that in the event either of them acquires such a contract by amendment this contract would be amended to cover it.

Paragraph VII provided for the following, in substance:

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Bluebook (online)
467 S.W.2d 547, 40 Oil & Gas Rep. 255, 1971 Tex. App. LEXIS 2678, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holman-v-dow-texapp-1971.