Nearly three years later, deep well fracture killed 11 people, sunk drilling platform and sent 4 million barrels of crude oil into the gulf of Mexico, BP and other companies involved in the plan, in the face of their own judge in court.
Before the beginning of the experiment, a federal judge on Monday in New Orleans, no jury cases, in the most severe American Marine oil spill. Almost no one thinks, for several months, the judge has ruled.
11 hours solve this weekend is possible, but legal experts expect resolution, the United States department of justice, at least in the next few months. Early testimony is possible to set the tone, any reconciliation talks, according to the evidence of damage, they said.
"This is a game company's chicken, said:" John Zavitsanos, Houston civil litigation law. "We have and the BP tangled up, they flicker."
Join and have BP Plc in Karl and bill the judge's court will drill the boss transatlantic co., LTD. And oil well cement service provider halliburton company
They will be in the department of justice, the gulf coast several countries and other the plaintiff.
BP and transatlantic refused to comment on the upcoming trial of the specific details. Halliburton company and not immediately available for comment.
BP has a history of solving civil case or trial before trial. In the Texas city refinery least 15 people were killed, four test began 2005 years of explosion. All closed. Withdrawal amount is 31 billion dollars. BP has already sell oil refinery.
Bet higher, but at the moment. In April 2010, and the Macondo well blast and leak, affected five countries of the shoreline, prompt the six months of ban in the gulf oil and gas drilling and destroyed the livelihood of the fishermen, hotel operators and others. A test get mode, a new dynamic can grasp.
"If the first two or three days good the plaintiff for the accused, or good, can transfer the first ball was thrown, the possibility may change," Anthony said, an enterprise in st John's university law professor sabe's method.
The judgment of the future, BP won the department of justice to reach an agreement, not including 810000 total leakage barrel barrel estimates, but British petroleum company said, it is estimated that are still too high. It also wants to try to do the right thing "after consideration, and has been reserved only $35 billion" clean water act ", compared to the payment has reached 17.5 billion us dollars, the potential maximum liability.
BP to solve and the department of justice in such a big debt, could lead to another has been delayed trial delay.
"It and the federal government, he (and bill) is likely to delay, especially if the United States to he said, they continue to talk about," said Ed Sherman Tulane University in New Orleans (Tulane University) law school.
"Reasonable terms"
BP has promised to pay the $8.5 billion, in a single solution, has paid $90 billion other litigation request. Last year, it also settle and charges related to the plea, hit a record high of $400 million fines and penalties.
Be overwritten civil claim next week may be more than these, and on February 5 in London news conference, the significance of test BP is obvious. When the chief executive Bob Dudley, said the company will actively to defend himself, he looked again and again to his senior in-house counsel, rupert bondi, moral support.
BP has repeatedly said it will solve the "reasonable clause", but in the sand "to draw a line, this week, he said that now the British company" test "facing the demand is too big, not according to the reality. "
The overflow bill was very impressive: accounting reserve amount of $4.2 billion - about 30% of its shares. It has sold $3.8 billion worth of assets, the fund compensation, cleaning and fines. Already pay or promise to pay the $3.7 billion, this. Action section for a year, $5 billion, 14% from its cash flow - a basic measures to make money.
There are more surprises. That is why, even in advance the profitability of the measures, greatly reduced, BP is still behind the trade.
If BP was found "serious negligence" - a key problems in the trial - the fine of the clean water act "may be $17.5 billion based on a total of 4.1 million barrels of sprinkling and a maximum penalty of $4300 a barrel.
It may also are much lower, most $1100 a barrel, dollars, $45 billion, if BP said, this is "not more than negligence" proof.
In addition to "clean water act", other than for baal Egypt, Louisiana east under the jurisdiction of the federal judge. Both are difficult to quantify.
Including Louisiana and Alabama gulf coast state claim amount for 34 billion dollars in economic losses. BP said, these are overweight, the cleaning consumption has a positive economic impact.
The third group, claim the damage to natural resources, even not be quantified.
Prove gross negligence
From Monday, the first phase of the trial will focus on the neglect and responsibility between the defendant, the level.
The second phase will focus on over blown barrels.
At the same time, they can drag to next year, two stages will consider any of the size of the fine. However, gross negligence findings may open the form of additional costs of punitive damages in the way.
The lawyer pointed out that, will need to recklessness and deliberately ignore the staff's safety and health of environmental protection strong evidence that gross negligence.
Gaza pinot said: "it is very difficult to prove that it is the thing, the defendant hope,".
As a few cases, the evidence is strong enough to prove the gross negligence, Zavitsanos lists the 1970 ford pinto memo. In this case, the ford motor company has been aware of a design defect and collapse may piercing tank, cause fire. It also shows that has decided to take a risk of death and injury litigation, rather than a fixed design.
Steve Herman, one of the lead the plaintiff's lawyer said, that they have a "hard evidence", BP, T
 



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