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Hallibuton Pleads Guilty To Destroying Simulation Data From 2010 Gulf Oil Spill

Posted by samzenpus on from the who's-to-blame dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Oilfield services giant Halliburton will plead guilty to destroying computer test results that had been sought as evidence in the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the Justice Department announced Thursday. Company officials threw out test results that showed 'little difference' between the number of devices Halliburton said was needed to center the cement casing in the well at the heart of the disaster and the number well owner BP installed, according to court papers. The issue has been key point of contention between the two companies in hearings and litigation ever since the April 2010 blowout. BP and Halliburton are still battling over responsibility for the disaster in a New Orleans federal courtroom. BP had no comment on the plea agreement Thursday evening."

3 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. $200.000 in fines by Racerdude · · Score: 5, Informative

    "Under the plea agreement, which requires court approval, Houston-based Halliburton will also face three years' probation, pay the maximum fine of $200,000..."
    http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/07/25/halliburton-guilty-plea-destroying-evidence-deepwater-horizon/2588105/

    Not too bad... I think they may be able to afford it.

    1. Re:$200.000 in fines by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "Under the plea agreement, which requires court approval, Houston-based Halliburton will also face three years' probation, pay the maximum fine of $200,000..."

      yeah good thing they didn't perform wire fraud(or weren't prosecuted for that)..

      just regular good 'ol boys fraud affecting billions of dollars..

      Foul up an entire ecosystem, wreck the lives of thousands, destroy the evidence, pay $200.000.
      Download 30 songs off a torrent pay $675.000.

      I can't imagine I'm the only one who thinks that is a broke way of valuing things. How about handing in one of those White House petitions about this issue and asking them what they are going to do about it. The answer should be interesting. Even if it turns out to be a gust of hot air at least we'd get to see them squirm for a while.

      --
      Only to idiots, are orders laws.
      -- Henning von Tresckow
  2. well fuck me! by thephydes · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If I pour crude oil into the ocean, destroy the livelyhoods of fishing communities and kill a few of people on an oil platform in a gas fire (and destroy some evidence), I'll get a couple of hundred $k fine. If I buy a gun and go out and shoot the same number of people (and survive the manhunt) I'll get the rest of my life being a jailhouse bitch. Now, I wonder which I would choose?? Haliburton, do you have any vacancies???