Hoog v. Trinity Operating (USG), LLC, et al.
Hoog v. Trinity Operating
6:16-cv-00463-KEW

Welcome to the Hoog v. Trinity Operating Settlement Website

If You Are or Were a Royalty Owner Paid by Trinity Operating, WSGP, or PetroQuest from an Oklahoma Oil-and-Gas Well, You Could Be Part of a Proposed Class Action Settlement.

What is this lawsuit about?

The Litigation seeks damages for Defendants’ and/or PetroQuest’s alleged underpayment of royalty on gas and gas constituents from Oklahoma oil-and-gas wells during the Claim Period. Defendants expressly deny all allegations of wrongdoing or liability with respect to the claims and allegations in the Litigation. The Court has made no determination with respect to the merits of any of the parties’ claims or defenses. A more complete description of the Litigation, its status, and the rulings made in the Litigation are available in the pleadings and other papers maintained by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in the file for the Litigation.

Who is included?

The Settlement Class in the Litigation consists of the following individuals and entities:

All non-excluded persons or entities who are or were royalty owners in the Class Wells located in Oklahoma where Defendants (including their affiliated predecessors and affiliated successors) or Defendants’ designees, including PetroQuest Energy, L.L.C., are or were the operator (or a working interest owner who marketed its share of gas and directly paid royalties to the royalty owners) during the Claim Period, including all such persons or entities whose gas was sold to NextEra Energy Marketing, LLC (or its affiliated predecessors and affiliated successors). The Class claims relate to royalty payments for gas and its constituents (such as residue gas, natural gas liquids, helium, nitrogen, or drip condensate).

A list of the persons or entities excluded from the Classes can be found in the Notice of Proposed Settlement, which is available for download from the Important Documents page.

What does the Settlement provide?

In settlement of the Litigation, Defendants have agreed to pay Forty-Five Million Dollars ($45,000,000.00) in cash (“Gross Settlement Fund”). In exchange for the payment noted above and other consideration outlined in the Settlement Agreement, the Settlement Class shall release the Released Claims (as defined in the Settlement Agreement) against the Released Parties (as defined in the Settlement Agreement). The Gross Settlement Fund, less Plaintiff’s Attorneys’ Fees and Litigation Expenses and Administration, Notice, and Distribution Costs, and other costs approved by the Court (the “Net Settlement Fund”), will be distributed to final Class Members pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement, along with the PetroQuest Settlement Funds, which were separately contributed by PetroQuest Energy, L.L.C.

YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS

These deadlines may be moved, canceled, or otherwise modified, so please check this site regularly for updates.

Option and Deadline Event
Do Nothing, Participate In The Settlement By taking no action, your interests will be represented by Plaintiff as the Class Representative and by Plaintiff's Counsel. As a Class Member, you will be bound by the outcome of the Settlement, if finally approved by the Court, and if you are entitled to a distribution pursuant to the Allocation Methodology, you will receive your portion of the Net Settlement Fund and the PetroQuest Settlement Funds. You will also be bound by the Settlement Agreement and all orders and judgments entered by the Court regarding the Settlement.
Exclude Yourself
(received by March 27, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. CT)
(Passed)		 Class Members who do not wish to be a member of the Settlement Class must exclude themselves from the Settlement Class. If you validly request exclusion, you will not receive any distribution from the Net Settlement Fund or the PetroQuest Settlement Funds, you cannot object to the Settlement, and you will not have released any claim against the Released Parties. You will not be legally bound by anything that happens in the Litigation.
Object
(received by March 27, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. CT)
(Passed)		 Any Class Member who wishes to object to the fairness, reasonableness, or adequacy of the Settlement, any term of the Settlement, the Allocation Methodology, the Plan of Allocation, the request for Plaintiff’s Attorneys’ Fees and Litigation Expenses and Administration, Notice, and Distribution Costs, or the request for a Case Contribution Award to Class Representative may file an objection.
Attend the Final Fairness Hearing
on April 17, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. CT		 At the Final Fairness Hearing, the Court will consider: (a) whether the Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate; (b) any timely and properly raised objections to the Settlement; (c) the Allocation Methodology; (d) the application for Plaintiff’s Attorneys’ Fees and Litigation Expenses and Administration, Notice, and Distribution Costs; and (e) the application for a Case Contribution Award for the Class Representative.

For More Information

Visit this website often to get the most up-to-date information.

Call
1-844-633-0688
Email
info@hoog-trinity.com
Mail
Hoog v. Trinity Operating Settlement
c/o JND Legal Administration
PO Box 91304
Seattle, WA 98111