Seven sue Chesapeake over gas geysers

Friday, February 17th 2006, 6:08 am

By: News On 6

KINGFISHER, Okla. (AP) -- A lawsuit accuses an Oklahoma energy company of negligence and breach of contract over gas geysers that sprung up across Kingfisher County in December.

Seven plaintiffs are seeking more than ten-thousand dollars in actual damages and no less than ten-thousand dollars in punitive damages from Chesapeake Energy Exploration.

The plaintiffs allege Chesapeake was responsible for a loss of royalties as well as damages incurred because of Chesapeake's involvement in operations that led to the eruptions.

The lawsuit accuses Chesapeake of having prior knowledge of a previous blowout in the same section that another well had experienced. It also claims that another drilling company, which experienced the previous blowout, gave information to Chesapeake about how to successfully avoid a blowout while drilling.

Attempts to contact a Chesapeake media spokesman were unsuccessful.

The first geysers were discovered December 9th by hunters.