Noble Energy Win in Underpaid Royalties Suit Reversed on Appeal

Noble Energy and DCP Midstream LP saw a win in a would-be class lawsuit over allegedly underpaid oil and gas royalties reversed, when the Tenth Circuit decided on Tuesday the case wasn’t worth enough money and should have been sent to state court.

The amount in controversy in the lawsuit doesn’t exceed the $75,000 jurisdictional threshold, Judge Timothy M. Tymkovich wrote for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Noble and DCP had won motions for summary judgment before the federal district court. But the Tenth Circuit overturned the district court’s denial of plaintiff Phelps Oil & Gas ...