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A Halliburton facility in Port Fourchon, Louisiana is seen on April 8, 2011.Mira Oberman/AFP/Getty Images

Halliburton Co. said it was suing BP Plc in Texas state court for "negligent misrepresentation, business disparagement and defamation" related to the Macondo oil spill in April last year, the worst offshore spill in U.S. history.

Oil driller Transocean , the owner of the drilling rig that exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico, and BP are already locked in a legal battle over which company was at fault in the disaster that killed 11 workers.

Halliburton, the second-largest oilfield services provider, said on Friday it had moved to amend its claims against BP in the multi-district litigation in New Orleans, Louisiana, to include fraud.

These allegations were based on London-based BP providing inaccurate information prior to Halliburton carrying out its cementing services the day before the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the Houston-based company said in a statement.

"Halliburton remains confident that all the work it performed with respect to the Macondo well was completed in accordance with BP's specifications for its well construction plan and instructions, and that Halliburton is fully indemnified under the contract," the company said.

In April, BP had sued Transocean, Halliburton and Cameron International in one of the biggest legal moves since last year's blowout.

BP shares fell 4 per cent on Friday morning on the New York Stock Exchange. Halliburton shares fell 3 per cent.

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Tickers mentioned in this story

Study and track financial data on any traded entity: click to open the full quote page. Data updated as of 28/03/24 7:00pm EDT.

SymbolName% changeLast
BP-N
BP Plc ADR
+0.59%37.68
HAL-N
Halliburton Company
+1.52%39.42
RIG-N
Transocean Inc
+0.48%6.28

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