NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) – The federal government and Louisiana are seeking damages from an oil production company over a 2016 pipeline leak that discharged several thousand gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
The United States of America and State of Louisiana filed a complaint on July 5 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Shell Offshore Inc. citing the Louisiana Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act and Oil Pollution Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that on May 11, 2016, a 6-inch diameter pipeline operated by the defendant in the Gulf of Mexico discharged an estimated 80,892 gallons into the Gulf. The plaintiffs allege the discharge caused injury or destruction of natural resources and that the plaintiffs have incurred costs in assessing injuries.
The plaintiffs alleges Shell Offshore Inc. is liable for damages for injury to, destruction of, loss of or loss of use of natural resources, including the reasonable costs of assessing such injury, destruction, loss or loss of use under the Acts.
The plaintiffs seek judgment against defendant for all damages for injury to, destruction of, loss of or loss of use of natural resources, and grant such other relief the court deems just and proper.
They are represented by Karen Dworkin and Jason T. Barbeau of the U.S. Department Justice in Washington, D.C. and Duane A. Evans and Brock D. Dupre of the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Orleans.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana case number 2:18-cv-06495-EEF-DEK