Legal moves continue in post-Macondo disputes

April 25, 2011
The aftermath of the Macondo incident in the Gulf of Mexico last year continues making news.

Offshore staff

NEW ORLEANS – The aftermath of the Macondo incident in the Gulf of Mexico last year continues making news. In recent days, BP has filed a lawsuit against Halliburton for contributing to the disaster, and Transocean has filed a cross-claim against BP and others to enforce its indemnification rights.

In its suit, BP says Halliburton was accountable for “improper conduct, errors and omissions, including fraud and concealment” as regards testing of the cement used in the well and also that Halliburton employees “missed critical signals that hydrocarbons were flowing into the wellbore.”

Halliburton says it plans to deny the claims.

BP filed earlier claims against Transocean and Cameron based on performance at Macondo.

In filing its cross-claim against BP, Transocean says that under the drilling contract for Deepwater Horizon, BP has agreed, among other things, to assume full responsibility for and defend, release and indemnify Transocean from any loss, expense, claim, fine, penalty or liability for pollution or contamination, including control and removal thereof, arising out of or connected with operations under the contract.

Transocean expects BP to honor its contractual indemnification obligations under the contract.

04/25/2011