Wyble v. Gulf South Pipeline

Gulf South Pipeline

McKool Smith represented an interstate gas pipeline company against a class of landowners. The landowners were seeking a court-appointed special master to take control of the pipeline system due to alleged violations of the Pipeline Safety Act.

The lawsuit attempted to address not only alleged pipeline problems on their own land, but also across the entire 8,000 miles of Gulf South pipelines, stretching from Texas to Florida. In a case of first impression, McKool Smith argued that in order to establish standing, the group had to show “injury in fact” and the connection between the injury and the acts of the company.

Because the group was seeking to address alleged violations along the pipeline to which they had no direct exposure, the judge found they lacked the requirements for standing.

After the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas entered its landmark ruling denying the plaintiffs standing to bring most of their claims, the case settled on highly favorable terms for the pipeline company.