Judge Rules CSB Has Jurisdiction Over Deepwater Horizon Accident

A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Chemical Safety Board has jurisdiction to investigate the 2010 Deepwater Horizon accident in the Gulf of Mexico.

A Congressional committee had asked the board, which typically investigates accidents at chemical plants and refineries, to examine the oil-rig explosion and accident, which killed 11 workers and triggered the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

But Transocean Ltd., which owned the drilling rig that sank during the explosion, refused to honor subpoenas issued by the board in 2010 and 2011 for documents and employee testimony. It argued that the board lacked jurisdiction over offshore oil spills and that most of the documents had been turned over to other government agencies.

U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal disagreed with Transocean, ruling late Monday that it had to honor the subpoenas because legislation that created the board, known as the CSB, didn't bar it from looking at all offshore incidents. He noted that the investigation focused on the explosion on the rig, not the ensuing oil spill. The House Energy and Commerce Committee had asked the board to compare the Deepwater Horizon disaster to a lethal 2005 explosion at what was then BP PLC's Texas City, Texas refinery.

Transocean didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

"This ruling greatly supports the CSB's ongoing investigation and will enable CSB investigators to access critical information that might have otherwise been unavailable," the board said in a statement.

The board issued a report last July concluding that offshore oil and gas drillers put too much emphasis on issues such as individual worker injuries while neglecting other indicators of danger, such as whether safety equipment is being maintained on schedule.

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Judge Rules CSB Has Jurisdiction Over Deepwater Horizon Accident

A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. Chemical Safety Board has jurisdiction to investigate the 2010 Deepwater Horizon accident in the Gulf of Mexico.

A Congressional committee had asked the board, which typically investigates accidents at chemical plants and refineries, to examine the oil-rig explosion and accident, which killed 11 workers and triggered the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

But Transocean Ltd., which owned the drilling rig that sank during the explosion, refused to honor subpoenas issued by the board in 2010 and 2011 for documents and employee testimony. It argued that the board lacked jurisdiction over offshore oil spills and that most of the documents had been turned over to other government agencies.

U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal disagreed with Transocean, ruling late Monday that it had to honor the subpoenas because legislation that created the board, known as the CSB, didn't bar it from looking at all offshore incidents. He noted that the investigation focused on the explosion on the rig, not the ensuing oil spill. The House Energy and Commerce Committee had asked the board to compare the Deepwater Horizon disaster to a lethal 2005 explosion at what was then BP PLC's Texas City, Texas refinery.

Transocean didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

"This ruling greatly supports the CSB's ongoing investigation and will enable CSB investigators to access critical information that might have otherwise been unavailable," the board said in a statement.

The board issued a report last July concluding that offshore oil and gas drillers put too much emphasis on issues such as individual worker injuries while neglecting other indicators of danger, such as whether safety equipment is being maintained on schedule.

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US Judge OKs Transocean's $1B Civil Spill Settlement

A New Orleans judge has approved Transocean Ltd.'s settlement agreement with the Justice Department to pay $1 billion in civil penalties for its part in the 2010 Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier stated in his ruling Tuesday that there is "no just reason for delay" in approving the civil settlement, The Associated Press reported.

"We are not commenting on this piece - we will let the settlement speak for itself," said Lou Colasuonno, spokesperson for Transocean, in an exclusive Rigzone phone interview.

Another U.S. federal judge approved Transocean's $400 million criminal settlement Feb. 14, in which the company pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge, resulting in one of the largest criminal Clean Water Act fines and penalties in U.S. history.
In total, Transocean will pay $1.4 billion in criminal and civil penalties.

Transocean, which employed nine of the 11 workers killed in the accident, owned the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that exploded and sank over BP's Macondo well in April 2010.

With more than 10 years of journalism experience, Robin Dupre specializes in the offshore sector of the oil and gas industry. Email Robin at rdupre@rigzone.com.

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US Judge OKs Transocean's $1B Civil Spill Settlement

A New Orleans judge has approved Transocean Ltd.'s settlement agreement with the Justice Department to pay $1 billion in civil penalties for its part in the 2010 Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier stated in his ruling Tuesday that there is "no just reason for delay" in approving the civil settlement, The Associated Press reported.

"We are not commenting on this piece - we will let the settlement speak for itself," said Lou Colasuonno, spokesperson for Transocean, in an exclusive Rigzone phone interview.

Another U.S. federal judge approved Transocean's $400 million criminal settlement Feb. 14, in which the company pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge, resulting in one of the largest criminal Clean Water Act fines and penalties in U.S. history.
In total, Transocean will pay $1.4 billion in criminal and civil penalties.

Transocean, which employed nine of the 11 workers killed in the accident, owned the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that exploded and sank over BP's Macondo well in April 2010.

With more than 10 years of journalism experience, Robin Dupre specializes in the offshore sector of the oil and gas industry. Email Robin at rdupre@rigzone.com.

Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

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Transocean: US Judge Approves Criminal Settlement with DOJ

A federal judge in New Orleans approved Transocean Ltd.'s $400 million criminal settlement with the U.S. Justice Department over the 2010 Deepwater Horizon accident, a spokesman for the company said Thursday.

Judge Jane Triche Milazzo accepted Transocean's guilty plea to one criminal misdemeanor violation of the Clean Water Act for failing to properly monitor the well at the time of the deadly 2010 blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, the spokesman said.

The company will pay a $100 million fine within 60 days and $150 million each over the next three to five years to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the National Academy of Sciences for oil-spill response and habitat rehabilitation.

Transocean has also agreed to pay $1 billion in fines for civil violations of the Clean Water Act, but that settlement must be approved separately by another judge. The settlement agreements were announced in early January.

Transocean was the owner of the drilling rig that exploded in April 2010, killing 11 workers and triggering the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

Oil giant BP PLC, which was leasing the rig to drill an exploratory well, agreed to pay $4.5 billion in November to settle all criminal and some civil charges in the case.

BP still faces what could be many billions of dollars in fines for violating the Clean Water Act, as well as billions of dollars in payments under the Natural Resources Damages Assessment process. The first phase of a civil trial over culpability in the accident is scheduled to begin before a federal judge in New Orleans on Feb. 25.

Transocean is also a party in that civil lawsuit, but only faces claims from Gulf Coast businesses and individuals who previously settled with BP. Transocean has argued it is indemnified by most of those claims through its drilling contract with BP.

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Judge declares land swap in Jefferson Parkway legal

Font ResizeColorado NewsBy Jordan Steffen
The Denver Postdenverpost.comPosted: 12/22/2012 04:34:03 PM MSTDecember 22, 2012 11:37 PM GMTUpdated: 12/22/2012 04:37:42 PM MST

A federal judge ruled Friday that a controversial land exchange, and a critical next step in the creation of a high-speed toll road in Jefferson County, is legal and can be finalized before the end of the year.

The ruling upheld a December 2011 land exchange from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to the Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority, as part of completing the Jefferson Parkway. The three mile long, 300-foot wide strip of land sits along the eastern edge of the Rocky Flats Wildlife Refuge.

In December 2011, the town of Superior filed a lawsuit in federal court, challenging the land swap. Shortly after, the city of Golden and two environmental groups, WildEarth Guardians and Rocky Mountain Wild, joined the suit.

The lawsuit filed by Golden, which has long opposed the parkway, alleged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to complete adequate environmental reviews, unlawfully rejected Golden's separate application for the strip of land and failed to ensure that environmental effects of the parkway would be minimized.

"The judge's decision by no means completes the Jefferson Parkway," Golden Mayor Marjorie Sloan, said in a statement. "Proponents still have substantial hurdles, not least of which is securing taxpayer dollars to make the project financially viable."

Bill Ray, interim executive director of the Jefferson Parkway Public Highway Authority, said the group will move into closing on the land exchange Dec. 31.

"It's been a year and I'm very appreciative of the fact that the decision is very clear, comprehensive and complete," Ray said. "This acquisition is one step of among many, upon many, to start construction."

Ray said it will be years before construction begins on the parkway.

"The real value of the judge's decision is that this acquirement of open space can go forward for the benefit of the entire north metro region," Ray said.

Jefferson County officials say the parkway is a crucial piece in completing a circular highway around Denver. The parkway would connect with Colorado 93 north of Golden and extend northeast through Jefferson County to connect with the existing E-470 near Broomfield.

Colorado 93 already connects with C-470 within the Golden city limits.

Jordan Steffen: 303-954-1794, jsteffen

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