Fort Berthold landowners sue oil company

Associated Press

A group of landowners from the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation is accusing a crude oil company of trespassing in a lawsuit that seeks compensation for a pipeline that crosses their land.

Former Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation chairman Tex Hall recently announced a federal lawsuit against Andeavor, formerly known as Tesoro, the Bismarck Tribune reported.

Andeavor recently merged with Marathon Petroleum. A pipeline that transports crude oil to the Marathon Petroleum Mandan Refinery crosses 64 acres within the reservation, Hall said.

The tribe owns about 26 acres of the land, while the rest is owned by landowners or allottees, he said. The company’s easement agreement with the allottees expired in 2013 and talks to re-negotiate fell apart, according to Hall.

The lawsuit alleges the company is trespassing by operating the pipeline without authorization from landowners or the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

“All of these landowners have finally decided enough is enough,” Hall said, adding that about 450 landowners are affected.

Destin Singleton, a spokeswoman for Marathon Petroleum Corp., declined to comment on the pending litigation. The complaint seeks a jury trial to determine compensation for trespassing and other damages.

The lawsuit also requests $128 million to be put into a constructive trust for the plaintiffs and allottees. The group filing the complaint also wants a ceaseand-desist order for the operation and the immediate removal of the pipeline. - ASSOCIATED PRESS