Feds fine offshore oil rig owner $1M

The federal government has levied a $1 million fine on the owner of a Gulf of Mexico oil rig for allegedly discharging oil and chemicals into the gulf.

Officials said the ATP Innovator rig, owned by ATP Oil & Gas Corp. that has since been decommissioned, released unauthorized oil and a dispersant into the water, a fact first discovered in a 2012 inspection.

{mosads}The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA0, Justice Department and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) worked together on the case and the fine.

Under a settlement stemming from a February 2013 claim by the agencies, ATP has agreed to improve safety and take corrective actions, federal officials said Thursday.

It was the first joint judicial enforcement action for the EPA and BSEE since the latter agency was launched in 2011.

“EPA and its federal partners are committed to ensuring that offshore energy production is done safely and responsibly,” Cynthia Giles, head of the EPA’s enforcement office, said in a statement.

“Discharging oil illegally can foul water, harm wildlife and is unfair to companies that follow the law,” she said. “It is our obligation to protect local communities and companies playing by the rules.”

“When violations occur, we will exercise our full authority, and leverage the authorities of our sister agencies, to hold companies accountable,” said BSEE Director Brian Salerno.

If ATP decides to use the Innovator again, it must certify to the federal government that the rig has the proper safety and wastewater treatment equipment required under the Clean Water Act.