ATP sues US over Macondo moratorium

Lawsuit: ATP sues US government over losses due to moratorium

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By Staff & news wires

 18 June 2012 15:44 GMT

Offshore player ATP Oil & Gas sued the US government for suspending drilling off its coast after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico rig explosion and oil spill, alleging the moratorium cost the company more than $68 million, according to a report.

The government “improperly and illegally” suspended all offshore drilling and “unlawfully delayed” the issuance of permits once the ban was lifted, ATP said in a lawsuit filed last week in the US Court of Federal Claims in Washington, according to a Bloomberg report.

“ATP has incurred significant financing costs to obtain working capital to replace revenue ATP lost from delayed production,” according to the Houston-based company’s complaint, which seeks more than $68 million in damages.

Charles Miller, a Justice Department spokesman, declined to comment on the lawsuit, Bloomberg said.

An 20 April 2010 explosion…

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