U.S. Kingking, LLC v. Precision Energy Servs., Inc.

555 S.W.3d 200
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 5, 2018
DocketNO. 01–17–00215–CV
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 555 S.W.3d 200 (U.S. Kingking, LLC v. Precision Energy Servs., 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
U.S. Kingking, LLC v. Precision Energy Servs., Inc., 555 S.W.3d 200 (Tex. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

Evelyn V. Keyes, Justice *204In this case arising out of a dispute between a well operator and suppliers of goods and services, the suppliers, appellees Precision Energy Services, Inc., Weatherford International Inc., Weatherford US LP, Weatherford Laboratories Inc., and Weatherford Artificial Lift System LLC (collectively, "Weatherford"), sued Amerril Energy, LLC, the well operator and a limited liability company, for breach of contract, fraud, declaratory relief, and foreclosure of a mineral lien. Weatherford sought to pierce the corporate veil of Amerril and hold appellant U.S. KingKing, LLC, likewise a limited liability company and a member of Amerril, liable for Amerril's obligations under an alter-ego theory. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of Weatherford, ruling that Amerril had breached its contracts with Weatherford, that Amerril was the alter ego of KingKing, and that Amerril and KingKing were jointly and severally liable to Weatherford. The trial court also awarded Weatherford attorney's fees and collection costs, entered declaratory relief in favor of Weatherford, and ruled that Weatherford was entitled to foreclosure on its mineral lien.

In six issues on appeal, KingKing contends that (1) the trial court erred in rendering summary judgment because Weatherford did not conclusively establish that Amerril was KingKing's alter ego; (2) the trial court properly dismissed Weatherford's fraud claims and therefore those claims cannot serve as the basis for the judgment; (3) the trial court erred in awarding declaratory relief against KingKing; (4) the trial court erred in granting foreclosure against KingKing because KingKing did not own the property subject to Weatherford's mineral lien; (5) the trial court erred in awarding attorney's fees against KingKing; and (6) the trial court abused its discretion by failing to grant KingKing's motion for new trial.

We reverse and remand.

Background

A. Relationship Between the Parties

Amerril is a limited liability company involved in oil and gas exploration, and it owns and operates mineral interests located throughout Texas. KingKing, likewise a limited liability company, is the United States branch of a Chinese corporation, and one of the members of Amerril. Ping He is the president of both Amerril and KingKing. The Weatherford companies are involved in the sale and rental of oilfield equipment and provide related services. Weatherford International, Inc. is a corporation with multiple subsidiaries, four of which were involved in providing goods and services in this case: Precision Energy Services, Inc., Weatherford US LP, Weatherford Laboratories Inc., and Weatherford Artificial Lift System LLC.

In early 2013, KingKing was the leaseholder and Amerril was the operator of the Seale 1H well ("the Well") located in Leon County, Texas. A company called Sun Delta, Inc. also owned an interest in the Well.1 Amerril required goods and services to assist in drilling the Well, and its engineers identified Weatherford as a company that could provide these goods and services. On January 29, 2013, Jacque Bateman, the former accounting manager for Amerril, signed a "Confidential Credit Account Application with Terms and Conditions"

*205("the Agreement") on behalf of Amerril, seeking a line of credit with Weatherford to obtain oilfield goods and services. Amerril attached an information sheet to its application that identified KingKing as Amerril's "principal owner" and provided credit references. Ultimately, Weatherford agreed to provide goods and services to Amerril for the Well.

B. The Well Breaks Down and Amerril Fails to Pay Weatherford

The materials that Weatherford provided for the Well included cement plugs used in fracturing the Well and a mud motor used in drilling operators. Around April 2013, the plugs and the mud motor allegedly failed, causing a delay in drilling operations and damage to the Well. Weatherford continued providing labor and materials to Amerril, but Amerril allegedly failed to pay multiple invoices from each of the Weatherford entities that provided goods and services.

On August 9, 2013, Weatherford filed an affidavit in the Leon County property records claiming a lien "for labor performed and materials furnished as a contractor under express contract with the mineral property owner, mineral contractor and/or mineral subcontractor." This affidavit listed the mineral property owners as Amerril, KingKing, and Sun Delta and stated that Weatherford had performed labor and furnished materials at the request of Amerril. The affidavit reflected that Precision Energy Services claimed $122,727.39 for six unpaid invoices, Weatherford U.S. claimed $364,625.35 for nine unpaid invoices, and Weatherford Artificial Lift Systems claimed $5,611,417.73 for thirty-one unpaid invoices. Weatherford claimed a total outstanding amount of $6,098,770.47 in damages.

C. The Parties File Suit

Shortly after Weatherford filed its lien affidavit, the parties began asserting claims against each other, beginning with Precision Energy Services' suing Amerril for breach of contract and to foreclose its mineral lien. While that suit was pending, KingKing assigned its interests in the Well to Amerril. Several suits were filed in both Harris County and Leon County,2 and ultimately the Harris County trial court realigned the parties with Amerril, KingKing, and Sun Delta as plaintiffs and the Weatherford entities as defendants.

In its live pleading, Amerril asserted a claim against Weatherford for breach of contract and breach of express and implied warranties arising out of the alleged failure of the cement plugs and mud motor that Weatherford had provided for the Well. All three plaintiffs-Amerril, KingKing, and Sun Delta-asserted claims against Weatherford for strict products liability and negligence. The plaintiffs also asserted alternative causes of action against multiple third parties to the extent Weatherford had designated them as responsible third parties for manufacturing the allegedly defective products.3

In its live pleading, Weatherford alleged that it had requested that Amerril provide it with information concerning its financial condition before Weatherford would extend credit. It alleged that, in response, Amerril submitted a document entitled *206"US KingKing Petroleum Operation Consolidated Balance Sheet, As of December 31, 2012" that purportedly overvalued its 2012 net income by almost $20 million. Weatherford alleged that it relied upon this balance sheet in deciding to issue credit to Amerril.

Weatherford asserted breach of contract claims against Amerril, alleging that Amerril failed to pay invoices for goods and services provided for the Well.4 Weatherford also alleged that, in the Agreement, Amerril agreed to defend and indemnify Weatherford against claims brought against it by third parties, including KingKing and Sun Delta, and that Amerril breached the Agreement by failing to defend and indemnify Weatherford.

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Bluebook (online)
555 S.W.3d 200, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/us-kingking-llc-v-precision-energy-servs-inc-texapp-2018.