Competitor Baker Hughes revealed on Wednesday in a quarterly filing that the DOJ had asked it for documents spanning 2011 to 2013 in connection with the US market for the equipment used in the hydraulic fracturing process.

A Halliburton spokeswoman confirmed it had recieved a "civil investigative demand" on the subject and said it was co-operating with the agency.

"Wehave engaged in discussions with the DOJ on this matter and are in the processof providing responses to the DOJ's information requests," she said.

"We