Showdown set in Furie Jones Act case

A court battle continues over a $15 million civil penalty the federal government lodged against Furie Operating Alaska LLC for an alleged Jones Act violation.

Lawyers for the Department of Homeland Security and Furie are scheduled to engage in oral argument Feb. 13 in U.S. District Court in Anchorage.

Homeland Security officials contend that Furie violated the Jones Act when it used a foreign cargo ship in 2011 to transport the Spartan 151 jack-up drilling rig partway from Texas to Alaska.

Furie is using the rig for exploratory drilling in Cook Inlet.

The company initiated the court case, suing Homeland Security as a preemptive strike to try to defeat the fine. Furie argues the government lacked a legitimate basis for imposing it.

The government responded to Furie’s suit by filing a counterclaim to collect the $15 million.

Furie is asking the court to dismiss the counterclaim, and that will be the subject of the oral argument.

—Wesley Loy