NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A judge has dismissed all of the federal court claims against a BP PLC contractor that was sued over a deadly rig explosion and the massive oil spill it spawned in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.
U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier on Friday dismissed the claims against Weatherford International Inc., a Swiss-based oilfield service company. Neither plaintiffs' attorneys nor Weatherford's co-defendants had objected.
A trial involving claims against BP, rig owner Transocean and other companies is scheduled to start Feb. 27.
Barbier ruled there was no evidence that a Weatherford-made float collar used in BP's blown-out well was defective or contributed to the causes of the April 20, 2010, blowout of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig and the subsequent spill. Weatherford's device was designed to help contain the cement at the bottom of the well.
Cement contractor Halliburton Energy Services Inc. and another contractor, M-I LLC, had filed notices that they intended to oppose Weatherford's request for the dismissal of claims. But the contractors withdrew those notices before Barbier ruled.
Last year, Weatherford agreed to pay BP $75 million to settle all potential claims between the two companies.
In exchange for the payment, BP agreed to cover Weatherford's potential liability for compensatory claims related to the disaster, including claims for environmental damage and economic losses. Civil and criminal fines and penalties and claims for punitive damages weren't covered by the indemnity agreement.
Weatherford said the entire $75 million agreement was funded by insurance policies.
"Weatherford is firmly committed to safety and environmental stewardship," the company said in a statement Monday. "In all of our operations, Weatherford's most important objective is to pursue the highest possible standards to maximize our quality, health, safety and environmental performance."
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