BP Plc was sued by Mitsui & Co’s Moex Offshore LLC unit and Anadarko Petroleum Corp, both minority partners in the blown-out Macondo well, over economic losses from the project’s failure and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill that followed.
Moex and Anadarko, claiming BP broke its partnership agreement, asked a federal judge in New Orleans to declare they aren’t responsible for damages and cleanup costs resulting from the worst off-shore oil spill in US history. Both companies said London-based BP was responsible for the blow-out and the spill, which occured one year ago today.
“BP’s conduct was the proximate cause of foreseeable damage suffered by Moex Offshore, including claims made against it for liability for death, personal injury, cleanup costs, economic loss, loss of investment, lost profits and any damages or fines assessed in pending or future proceedings involving the spill,” Moex said in a court filing yesterday.
The Macondo well blew up one year ago today, setting off the spill and leading to hundreds of lawsuits against BP and its partners and contractors. Moex and Anadarko, saying they had no fault in the blow-out and spill, also accused Transocean Ltd, the owner of the rig that drilled the well, of gross negligence. Switzerland-based Transocean was responsible along with BP for the damages, according to Moex and Anadarko.
‘No Evidence’
BP has said it expects its minority partners in the damaged well to pay their share of billions of dollars in cleanup costs, oil-spill damages and pollution fines. Moex, which had a 10 per cent stake in the well, and The Woodlands, Texas-based Anadarko, with a 25 per cent stake, deny having any decision- making role or prior knowledge of the way BP operated the drilling project.
“No evidence exists to support a claim of gross negligence against Transocean,” Brian Kennedy, a spokesman for the drilling company, said in an e-mail.
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“Moex’s filing contains a number of specific allegations against BP that are not supported by fact or by law,” Daren Beaudo, a BP spokesman, said in an e-mail before Anadarko made its filing. “BP will respond to the complaint in a timely manner.”
Moex said in its filing yesterday that it “suffered economic losses as a result of BP’s negligence, including the loss to the reservoir, the loss of its investments, lost profits and defense costs, including attorneys’ fees.”
‘Breached Its Duties’
Anadarko is also seeking damages for the loss of the reservoir, loss of its investments and lost profits, contending BP “breached its duties to Anadarko by committing acts of gross negligence and willful misconduct in reckless disregard of the rights and safety of others,” according to its claim filed yesterday.
“The events giving rise to the injuries and damage to Anadarko were not the result of any negligence, fault, or want of care on the part of Anadarko,” the company said. “BP recklessly made multiple decisions” before the explosion to save time and money, Anadarko said.
“This filing reflects our previously stated belief that the Deepwater Horizon tragedy was preventable and the direct result of the operator’s actions, and we believe this court is appropriate place for all of the evidence to be heard,” John Christiansen, a spokesman for Anadarko, said today.