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LOUISIANA RECORD

Friday, March 29, 2024

Four depositions taken in BP MDL

Barbier

Four depositions have been completed relating to the BP multidistrict litigation (MDL) over the Deepwater Horizon explosion and subsequent oil spill, with eight more scheduled for February, according to a status report filed by defense counsel.

BP attorneys Don Haycraft, Richard Godfrey, Andrew Langan, Wendy Bloom and Mike Brock submitted the report to District Judge Carl Barbier's at U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on Jan. 25.

The report summarizes, among other things, topics that will be covered at the Jan. 28 BP MDL status conference in Barbier's courtat 9:30 a.m. The report states that there are approximately 389 cases that have been transferred to the BP MDL, with 349 cases still active after voluntary dismissals.

The status report also states that there are at least 15 Deepwater Horizon-related lawsuits which are going through state courts, seven of which are in Texas; three in Louisiana; two in Alabama; two in Florida and one in Georgia.

According to the report, the testing is still ongoing on the failed blowout preventer (BOP), which was recovered from the Gulf of Mexico after the BP oil spill was contained.

Barbier has stressed the importance of expediting the testing on the BOP and also on the cement used in drilling, for litigation to continue. The report states, "cement testing protocols have been submitted to the Joint Investigative Team."

Friday will mark the fourth status conference held by Barbier after he was assigned the BP MDL in August 2010.

Federal MDL 2:10-md-02179

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