Chevron Buys West Texas Ranch in ‘Zombie’ Oil Well Settlement

Chevron Corp. acquired a ranch in West Texas whose owner had been waging a legal battle accusing the US energy giant of negligently spilling toxic water and crude oil on the 22,000-acre property.

The sale of Ashley Watt’s Antina Ranch was recorded on Feb. 3 by the Crane County Clerk, according to public records. The buyer was listed as Crane Property Holdings, a company that has the same address as Chevron’s office in San Ramon, California. No price was disclosed, as is typical under Texas law.

Chevron and Watt reached a confidential settlement in December, a month before the case ...