Important Update: The Settlement Administrator began issuing Distribution Checks to eligible Class Members on August 14, 2024.

What is this lawsuit about?

The Litigation seeks damages for the Diamondback Entities’ alleged payment, underpayment, or nonpayment of royalties paid to Plaintiff and the Settlement Class or its predecessors on the volumes of natural gas, natural gas liquids, and associated hydrocarbons produced during the Claim Period. The Diamondback Entities expressly deny all allegations of wrongdoing or liability with respect to the claims and allegations in the Litigation. The Court has made no determination with respect to the merits of any of the parties’ claims or defenses.

Who is included?

The Settlement Class in the Litigation consists of the following individuals and entities:

All royalty owners in Texas wells where Diamondback E&P LLC, Diamondback Energy, Inc., Energen Resources Corporation, and/or each’s respective affiliates was the operator (or a working interest owner who marketed its share of gas and directly paid royalties to the royalty owners) from April 1, 2011, to July 31, 2023, under oil and gas leases which expressly contain the off-lease use of gas royalty clause, the on-lease free use clause, or both, and in which Diamondback E&P LLC, Diamondback Energy, Inc., Energen Resources Corporation, and/or each’s respective affiliates are lessees or successors-in-interest under such agreements (collectively, the “Diamondback Entities”).

Claim Period means checks or payments from April 1, 2011, to and including July 31, 2023, subject to the terms of the Settlement Agreement regarding Released Claims. A list of the persons and entities excluded from the Class can be found in the Notice of Proposed Settlement, which is available for download from the Important Documents page.

What does the Settlement provide?

In settlement of the Litigation, the Diamondback Entities have agreed to pay Eleven Million Nine Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand, Five Hundred and Eighty Dollars ($11,975,580.00) in cash (“Gross Settlement Amount”). In exchange for the payment of the Gross Settlement Amount and other considerations stated in the Settlement Agreement, the Settlement Class shall release the Released Claims against the Released Parties. The Gross Settlement Amount, less Plaintiff’s Attorneys’ Fees and Litigation Expenses and Administration, Notice, and Distribution Costs, and other costs approved by the Court, including an Incentive Award to the named Plaintiff (the “Net Settlement Amount”), will be distributed to Settlement Class Members pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement.

The Class Representative and Class Counsel believe that the Settlement is in the best interest of the Class, and, therefore, they intend to support the proposed Settlement at the Final Fairness Hearing.