Apache has sued its former head of Egypt operations in a Texas court, accusing him of stealing “trade secrets” to bolster a rival firm.
In a Harris County petition Apache, alleges Thomas M. Maher downloaded more than 230,000 documents to nine USB storage devices before he left the firm on May 9. The alleged downloaded information is thought to include 3-D seismic surveys, documents related to Apache’s developed and undeveloped wells on Egyptian lands, and strategies for obtaining key concessions and contracts with the Egyptian government.
Tim Shelby, of Ahmad Zavitsanos Anaipakos Alavi & Mensing PC, representing Apache, labelled the alleged downloading as “fairly unprecedented.”
Maher is the firm’s former regional vice chairman and general manager of Egypt operations.
The petition read: “As Apache soon discovered, Maher had engaged in a well-orchestrated plot to steal Apache’s trade secrets to set up a startup firm, Apex — aptly named because it is built with Apache’s ex-employees, and Apache’s confidential information.”
Maher met with Apex executives as early as November 2015 and secured a job offer as early as December 2015, according an internal investigation described in the petition. It also alleged Maher said he only wanted to transfer out of Egypt in the months leading up to resignation.
A judge later approved a temporary restraining order in the case, barring Apex and Maher from using any Apache electronic files or confidential trade secrets.
He also ordered Maher to return any such information to his defense attorneys.
A hearing on Apache’s request for a temporary injunction was set for June 20 at 1:30 p.m. in the county’s 55th Judicial District Court.
The case is Apache Corp. v. Maher et al., case number 2016-34027, in the 55th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas.