Offshore drilling contractor Noble Corporation said on Monday that it had reached a final settlement with the US Department of Justice (DOJ), concluding a two-year investigation into the company’s operations and systems aboard the drillship Noble Discoverer.
The settlement agreement also covers certain record keeping issues related to the Kulluk drilling rig, which was previously crewed by Noble personnel.
Under the terms of the agreement, Noble will pay USD 8.2 million in fines and USD 4 million toward community service as designated by the DOJ.
These charges principally relate to deficiencies and maintenance issues raised by the U.S. Coast Guard during an inspection of the Noble Discoverer following a successful drilling season in offshore Alaska during 2012.
Noble said that the concerns related to the Noble Discoverer have been addressed during the renovation and modernization of the rig which occurred as part of an extensive shipyard program conducted in Korea and Singapore.
Noble noted that it had strengthened its training programs to ensure that its operations more aptly reflect the company’s “ deep commitment to safety, compliance and environmental protection.”
Many of the company’s own initiatives were incorporated into an Environmental Compliance Program (ECP), which was part of the settlement agreement reached with the Department of Justice on Monday.