After nearly five years of legal wrangling, Furie Operating Alaska LLC and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have reached a "tentative settlement" over a $15 million fine the government assessed against the company for violating the Jones Act.
The exact terms of the settlement remains unknown as the two sides seek final authorization from the U.S. Department of Justice, according to recent court filings.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection assessed a $15 million fine against Escopeta Oil Co. in October 2011, after the company brought the Spartan 151 jack-up rig to Alaska.
The following summer, its successor Furie sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over the fine, calling it "unwarranted and unprecedented." A mediation effort led to settlement discussions between the two sides late last year, according to court filings.
- ERIC LIDJI
See story in Aug. 28 issue of Petroleum News, available online Friday, Aug. 26, at www.PetroleumNews.com
