ANCHORAGE, Alaska The company hired by Royal Dutch Shell PLC in 2012 to drill on petroleum leases in the Arctic Ocean pleaded guilty Friday to eight felony environmental and maritime crimes.
Noble Drilling U.S. LLC, based in Sugarland, Texas, agreed to pay $12.2 million after pleading guilty to five counts of failing to maintain records on a drill ship that operated in the Chukchi Sea, one count of failing to maintain proper ballast water records and two counts of failing to report hazardous vessel conditions.
“On behalf of the company, I plead guilty,” Bernie G. Wolford Jr., president of Noble Drilling U.S., told District Court Judge Ralph Beistline.
Wolford had no comment outside the courtroom and referred questions to a company spokesman.
The $8.2 million fine and $4 million in community service payments were due Friday.