BP plc has filed a lawsuit against Halliburton Co., claiming that the oilfield service operator’s “misconduct” contributed to the April 2010 blowout of the Macondo well and explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico. BP also has filed claims against Deepwater Horizon owner and operator Transocean Ltd., as well as Cameron International, which manufactured the well’s blowout preventer. BP said the presidential commission investigating the disaster had concluded that the cement slurry designed, mixed and pumped by Halliburton failed, and that results of the failed tests were not provided, which caused technicians to miss “critical signals that hydrocarbons were flowing into the wellbore.” A BP spokesman said the company was not seeking a specific sum from Halliburton but would ask for damages up to the total cost of the spill. BP is seeking at least $40 billion in damages from Transocean and seeks to force Cameron to contribute “all or part of the damages” that may be levied against BP by the U.S. government.

Williams Partners LP has agreed to pay Williams $330 million to acquire an additional 24.5% interest in the 745-mile Gulfstream interstate gas pipeline system, which extends from Mobile Bay, AL, to Florida markets. The acquisition would increase the partnership’s stake in Gulfstream to 49% and reduce Williams’ direct ownership interest to 1%; Spectra Energy Corp. owns one-half of the pipeline system. Williams owns 75% and is the general partner of Williams Partners. The acquisition, which is set to close in May, is to be funded with a revolving credit facility.

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