California Driller Must Face Gas-Leak Lawsuit in Texas Court

California-based Irani Engineering Inc. must face a Texas lawsuit over a natural gas well blowout during work Arcadia Gas Storage LLC hired it to do in Bienville Parish, La., because a forum clause bound Arcadia’s parent company and Irani, a Texas court of appeals said Tuesday.

The natural gas well is owned and operated by two Texas-based companies, Cardinal Gas Storage Partners LLC and its subsidiary Arcadia. Cardinal hired Irani to drill the well in 2010, and to convert it for natural gas storage in 2013 and again in 2018 when the blowout occurred. During that incident, Irani was hired ...