Nick Bowlin — ProPublica

“A Fraudulent Scheme”: New Mexico Sues Texas Oil Companies for Walking Away From Their Leaking Wells

New Mexico’s lawsuit accuses three Texas oil executives of pocketing revenue from oil and gas wells and offloading cleanup costs to the public. An investigation in 2024 by ProPublica and Capital & Main uncovered some of these business dealings.

January 22, 2026, 5:00 am EST

Toxic Wastewater From Oil Fields Keeps Pouring Out of the Ground. Oklahoma Regulators Failed to Stop It.

October 29, 2025, 5:30 am EDT
Oklahoma’s Oil Industry Touts a Voluntary Fund to Clean Up Oil Wells. Major Drillers Want Their Contributions Refunded.

August 6, 2024, 5:00 am EDT
Oil Companies Contaminated a Family Farm. The Courts and Regulators Let the Drillers Walk Away.

May 6, 2024, 5:00 am EDT
Oil Companies Must Set Aside More Money to Plug Wells, a New Rule Says. But It Won’t Be Enough.

April 22, 2024, 5:00 am EDT
The Rising Cost of the Oil Industry’s Slow Death

February 22, 2024, 5:00 am EST