Transocean loses gulf spill claim

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NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- A U.S. district court in Louisiana dismissed claims filed by rig-owner Transocean that the U.S. government was at fault for last year's gulf oil spill.

Transocean, owner of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, filed a suit against BP, drilling contractor Halliburton and the U.S. government seeking protection from claims related to the oil spill.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans ruled the United States can't be held responsible for the oil spill or matters related to the cleanup operations, the Platts news service reports.

BP early this year said Anadarko would hand over $4 billion in a single cash payment, which would be applied to the $20 billion trust fund set up to resolve disputes from spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Anadarko also gives up its 25 percent stake in the Macondo prospect.

A well at Macondo failed, causing an explosion that sunk the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in April 2010, leading to one of the worst oil spills in history.

BP Chief Executive Officer Bob Dudley said the settlement was a positive step in meeting obligations stemming from the Deepwater Horizon accident.

"It's time for the contractors, including Transocean and Halliburton, to do the same," he said in earlier statements.