XTO Energy Looks to Compel Arbitration in W. Pa. Royalties Case

In February, MDN told you about the Kriley v. XTO Energy lawsuit (see Long-running Lawsuit Against XTO Energy Over Royalties in W. Pa.). The lawsuit began in 2019 and involves seven landowners in Butler County, PA. The landowners claim that XTO Energy (a subsidiary of ExxonMobil) systematically underpaid natural gas royalties. Over the past six years, the lawsuit has evolved and was certified as a class action in late 2025, meaning it has expanded from affecting 7 landowners to over 2,000. XTO is trying to reduce that number significantly by demanding that leases with an arbitration provision be sent to individual arbitration and excluded from the larger class action.

---

To view this content, log into your member account. (Not a member? Join Today!)