BP off the hook in lawsuits over moratorium that followed Gulf spill

Houston

BP Plc won't have to face lawsuits by energy and oilfield service companies over losses they blamed on the US offshore drilling ban imposed after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The court ruling eliminates one of the largest remaining categories of claims faced by London-based BP, which has already paid more than US$55.5 billion over the spill. A lawsuit in Houston federal court in which US investors are seeking US$2.5 billion in damages remains BP's last significant legal risk. That case is set for trial in July.