OKC homeowners head to trial over decades old saltwater contamination

A lawsuit filed by nearly three dozen homeowners who accused ConocoPhillips of decades old saltwater and chemical contamination in the West Edmond Oil Field is about to go to trial in Oklahoma City federal court.

The original suit was filed in Oklahoma County district court then transferred to U.S. District court in 2017. It accused ConocoPhillips of failing to inform new home owners in the Clifford  Farms subdivision of possible saltwater spills when the Continental Oil Company started drilling 16 wells in 1935 on the 160 acres in question. ConocoPhillips is the successor corporation to Continental Oil Company.

Clifford farms is a subdivision located between Pennsylvania and May avenues and south of NW 178 street. Home prices range from the $300s to more than $500,000. The subdivision saw early development in 2002 and lot sizes range from  1.1 acres to 1.58 acres. Homes were required to be a minimum 2,800 square feet in size.

The suit charged that the land was contaminated and  groundwater was damaged as well. Years later, the land was developed into a residential neighborhood. The 32 landowners who filed suit claim the groundwater has a high salinity because Continental stored the produced water on the surface but now the water beneath the housing addition is “contaminated with elevated levels of saline, chlorides, uranium and other constituents.”

The landowners are seeking an alternate water supply as well as  punitive damages and damages for negligence and emotional distress.

The case is set to go to trial May 20 before U.S. District Judge Charles B. Goodwin. He recently granted partial summary judgment to the homeowners regarding a statue of limitations defense argued by ConocoPhillips. He also issued summary judgment for the plaintiffs on the oil company’s defense that a third-party was to blame for the contamination.

But Judge Goodwin denied summary judgment on other claims made by the homeowners in the lawsuit.