EPA v. XTO Civil Litigation Referral

Case summary

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 8, requests that the Department of Justice (DOJ) seek injunctive relief and penalties against defendant, XTO Energy Inc. (XTO), at its oil and gas tank batteries located in North Dakota for violations of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation1 (FBIR) Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) and the North Dakota Air Pollution Control Rules 33-15-07-02, as incorporated into the EPA-approved North Dakota State Implementation Plan (SIP). XTO owns and operates 821 oil and natural gas wells, and associated tank batteries, on state and tribal land in the Williston Basin in North Dakota. Approximately 69 of those oil and natural gas wells are located on the FBIR and are subject to the FBIR FIP. For those 752 oil and gas operations off the FBIR, the North Dakota SIP applies. The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) settled with Houston-based XTO Energy Inc., resolving alleged Clean Air Act violations stemming from the company?s oil and gas production operations on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota. The settlement resolves claims that XTO failed to adequately design, operate, and maintain vapor control systems on its storage tanks at oil and natural gas well pads, resulting in emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Defendants (1)

• XTO Energy, Inc.Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (10)

• FBIR BEAKS/HUNTSMEDICINE 24X-8

  47.73247444, -102.3565562, MANDAREE, ND, 58757

  Registry ID: 110064026370

• FBIR IRONWOMAN YELLOWWOLF 21X-10 CTB

  47.659963, -102.387524, NORTH DAKOTA, ND, 58757

  Registry ID: 110062719358

• XTO-GRIMESTAD 34-33NWH, 34-33NEH

  48.024744595650951, -102.90070008496333, MANDAREE, ND, 00000

  Registry ID: 110069993207

• XTO- DAVE 11X-16A, 11X-16E, ROLFSON 11X-16NEH, 21X-16SEH

  47.818141347610286, -103.23505649000121, MANDAREE, ND, 00000

  Registry ID: 110069993402

• XTO-ROLFSON 14X-34B, 14X-34E, 14X-34F, 14X-34A, JAN 14X-34E, 14X-34B, 34A, 34F

  47.849193712369583, -103.21696474609676, MANDAREE, ND, 00000

  Registry ID: 110069993013

• XTO- MENDENHALL 12X-18H, 12X-18C, 12X-18

  48.162432919263502, -102.95575156553474, MANDAREE, ND, 00000

  Registry ID: 110069993206

• XTO- CHARLSON 14X-35H

  48.112629634921348, -102.87030833969061, MANDAREE, ND, 00000

  Registry ID: 110069993020

• SMITH PAD

  47.74523739, -102.4466663, MANDAREE, ND, 58757

  Registry ID: 110064026502

• FBIR BAKER/WALKER 34X-25

  47.68922805, -102.3931835, MANDAREE, ND, 58757

  Registry ID: 110064026389

• GUY BLACKHAWK WELL PAD FACILITY

  47.690342526711724, -102.43946884175185, MANDAREE, ND, 58757

  Registry ID: 110069993401

Statutes cited

• CAA 110 — Implementation Plan for National Primary and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• XTO (Tribal-Fort Berthold)(Oil & Gas)entered 2018-06-20

  Primary law: CAA

  Federal penalty: $320,000

Timeline (7 milestones)

• 2016-11-28Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 2017-01-06Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2018-03-23Complaint Filed With Court
• 2018-03-23Final Order Lodged
• 2018-06-20Final Order Entered
• 2022-01-27Air Resolved
• 2022-01-27Enforcement Action Closed