UK failed to tackle Nigeria bribes claim (Halliburton)

[quaoar]

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/2afa1b7a-e27d-11d9-84c5-00000e2511c8.html

By Michael Peel and Thomas Catan in London
Published: June 21 2005 19:04 | Last updated: June 21 2005 19:04

Despite a well-publicised drive to clean up corruption by multinational companies in Africa, Britain’s export credit agency did little to investigate serious allegations of bribery at a huge Nigerian gas project it helped underwrite, according to internal documents released to the Financial Times.


The Export Credits Guarantee Department did little more than ask Halliburton – one of four companies accused of paying $172m (€142m, £94m) in bribes – whether the allegations were true, according to the papers obtained under the Freedom of Information act.

< snip >

“ECGD appears to have been more concerned with damage limitation in the face of bad publicity than conducting a proper assessment of what the allegations consisted of and who was involved,” said Sue Hawley of Corner House, the anti-corruption campaign group.

The records reveal an unusual degree of co-ordination between ECGD and Halliburton over their response to the bribery allegations.

[mom cat]

1. I am shocked!

[mbperrin]

2. Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, they said they ASKED

them, and they said no.

Good enough for me!

But then I'm on oxy, so why should you believe anything I say?

[maddezmom]

3. just like in the US they get more contracts:Halliburton steps on gas w/UK

Halliburton steps on gas with UK deal


EUROPEAN energy group Statoil has awarded a £12 million contract to American oilfield services group Halliburton for work on a gas pipeline to the UK.

The contract is for work to prepare the 746-mile Langeled pipeline from the Ormen Lange gas field off Norway to Britain, Statoil confirmed.

"Halliburton will be responsible for flooding, cleaning and gauging in the pipeline before subsea tie-in operations begin," the Norwegian firm added.

Halliburton will then pressure-test the pipeline, remove water and dry and prepare the completed system for gas filling.

Statoil awarded the contract on behalf of the partners in the Langeled pipeline project.

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/business.cfm?id=663492005

[maddezmom]

4. The Guardian: UK backs oil firm despite bribery inquiry

Halliburton arm gets $10m DTI loan guarantee

David Leigh
Tuesday June 21, 2005
The Guardian

The controversial oil firm Halliburton has been awarded new British government backing, despite being at the centre of a bribery investigation, the Guardian can disclose.
Halliburton's British arm, Kellogg, Brown & Root (KBR), is being supported in an oilfield deal in Kazakhstan with a $10m (£5.5m) loan guarantee from the Department of Trade and Industry.

This is despite the fact that KBR recently received British government loan guarantees for a large gas plant deal in Nigeria now alleged to have been corrupt. In that case, evidence came to light that $180m in back-door payments was going to Nigerian officials.

more: http://politics.guardian.co.uk/economics/story/0,11268,1510898,00.html