$6.5M Diversified Energy, EQT well plug class action settlement

Diversified Energy Co. and EQT Corp. have agreed to a $6.5 million class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims the companies failed to plug oil and gas wells on land in six states.

The settlement benefits individuals and entities who owned or leased any right, title or interest in the surface of land in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia or Tennessee who had at least one Diversified Energy oil and gas well on their land at any point from July 8, 2022, to Nov. 4, 2024.

According to the class action lawsuit, EQT sold around 12,000 wells to Diversified Energy, which Diversified Energy later abandoned as it was allegedly unable to pay the cost of plugging all the wells. The plaintiffs also claim Diversified Energy violated the law by trespassing on around 2,000 well locations due to the fact that the wells did not produce gas continuously for a period of 12 months.

Diversified Energy Co. is an energy company that provides natural gas to customers in the Appalachian region. EQT Corp. is a natural gas exploration and production company based in Pittsburgh.

The companies haven’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to a $6.5 million settlement to resolve the well plugging class action lawsuit.

Under the terms of the Diversified Energy settlement, the energy company agrees to plug 2,600 wells through Dec. 31, 2034. The company will plug 200 wells in 2025, with the annual requirement increasing to 325 wells in 2034. If Diversified misses its annual targets by more than 5%, it will be penalized and required to plug additional wells. The number of wells plugged per affected state will vary, but Diversified Energy is required to select wells that are roughly proportional (within 17.5%) to the number of non-producing wells in each state.

The EQT settlement also allows surface owners to apply for well-plugging at no cost if they have a bona fide health, safety or environmental concern. The court-appointed administrator can require Diversified to plug no more than 10 wells under these circumstances in any one-calendar year period.

The deadline for exclusion is Feb. 18, 2025. The deadline for objection is March 17, 2025.

The final approval hearing for the EQT settlement is scheduled for April 11, 2025.

No claim form is required to benefit from the settlement. Class members who do not exclude themselves will automatically benefit from the settlement.

Who’s Eligible

Individuals and entities who owned or leased a surface interest in land in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia or Tennessee with a Diversified Energy oil and gas well on that land between July 8, 2022, and Nov. 4, 2024.

Potential Award

Varies

Proof of Purchase

N/A

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

02/18/2025

Case Name

McEvoy, et al. v. Diversified Energy Company PLC, et al., Case No. 5:22-CV-00171-JPB-JPM, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia

Final Hearing

04/11/2025

Settlement Website

DECSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

McEvoy, et al. v. Diversified Energy Company PLC, et al.
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
PO Box 225391
New York, NY 10150-5391
833-627-3696

Class Counsel

Brian A. Glasser
John W. Barrett
Brian R. Swiger
BAILEY & GLASSER LLP

J. Michael Becher
Joseph M. Lovett
Benjamin Luckett
Amanda Demmerle
Isak Howell
Claire Horan
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN ADVOCATES

Defense Counsel

Daniel T. Donovan
KIRKLAND & ELLIS LLP

William Jordan
EQT CORPORATION CHIEF LEGAL AND POLICY OFFICER