A US federal judge has ruled that BP was not negligent in the case of a 2009 oil spill and did not violate the terms of its probation from an earlier accident.
It is a victory for the oil firm as it tries to rebuild its image after taking most of the blame for a giant spill, America’s biggest, in the Gulf of Mexico last year.
Judge Ralph Beistline, in the District Court of Alaska, dismissed a petition from federal prosecutors seeking additional punishment for BP over its Alaskan spill in 2009 and also released the company from probation.
The decision follows court hearings in Anchorage, where prosecutors sought to revoke the probation imposed in a 2007 settlement after BP was found guilty of the negligent discharge of 200,000 gallons of oil.
It was claimed the company violated probationary terms by continuing a pattern of sloppy management, ultimately resulting in the further spillage of 13,500 gallons in 2009.
Judge Beistline rejected that charge in a written ruling, saying BP was not criminally negligent in the latest Alaskan spill.
He added: “Things could not have been done differently that may, or may not, have prevented this. The court concludes, based on the evidence presented, that BP was following accepted industry practices at all relevant times and could not have reasonably expected a blowout.”
However, he warned BP to prevent further spills, saying the court could view them differently. “It is incumbent upon BP to make sure this does not happen again, he added.
Recommended for you
