Cabot Turns the Tables on Pennsylvania Man in Pollution Lawsuit

Houston-based Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. has turned the tables on a Pennsylvania man who filed suit claiming the gas driller had polluted residential water wells in Pennsylvania.

Cabot, one of the largest natural gas drillers in Pennsylvania went to court this week and filed a $5 million lawsuit against Ray Kemble and his lawyers accusing them of trying to extort the company through a frivolous lawsuit. The energy company, with offices in Woodward and Beaver where it has energy operations in Oklahoma, claimed Kemble’s intention was to attract media attention to “poison” the community against the company.

 

“Cabot will protect its rights and pursue justice against those who irresponsibly and maliciously abuse the legal system,” George Stark, the Houston-based driller’s director of external affairs, said in a statement Tuesday.

Kemble’s lawsuit was filed in April then withdrawn two months later. But the suit accused Cabot of polluting his water supply. In 2012, Cabot settled a lawsuit with Kemble and dozens of other residents of the town of Dimock. Under the terms of the settlement, they were barred by statute of limitations.

Four years ago, Cabot sold its assets in the Marmaton play of Oklahoma and West Texas for $160 million.