Prosecutors

Federal prosecutors in New Orleans have charged a former Helmerich & Payne Inc. (H&P) drilling manager for making false statements last year to the Department of Interior’s Office of Inspector General regarding a key safety device on a Gulf of Mexico drilling rig.

Federal prosecutors have filed a consent decree in a Michigan federal court citing Merit Energy Co. LLC and Shell Exploration & Production Co. with violating the federal Clear Air Act (CAA) and requiring Merit to take corrective action.

Federal prosecutors rested their case Tuesday in the fraud and conspiracy trial of Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay and ex-CEO Jeffrey Skilling after filing a motion to drop three charges against Skilling and one against Lay. The defense, which was denied motions for acquittal, will open its case Monday.

Royal Dutch/Shell Group reportedly came under the increasing scrutiny of federal prosecutors last week following the release of a long-awaited report that confirmed some top-level executives lied about the company’s reserves for nearly two years. The group, responding to the shocking findings in the report, cut its oil and natural gas reserves for the third time in as many months, and announced that Judith Boynton stepped down as chief financial officer.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Houston has requested that a Houston judge reconsider separate rulings made in August that dismissed false reporting charges against two former natural gas traders.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Houston last week requested that a Houston judge reconsider separate rulings made in August that dismissed false reporting charges against two former natural gas traders.

Under the terms of an agreed court order announced Tuesday,Naperville, IL-based Nicor Inc. must identify all the homes toinspect for possible mercury contamination that occurred frommishandled gas regulators.