UPDATE:Total JV Guilty In UK Buncefield Disaster-Regulator

18th Jun 2010 16:31

(Adds more details, joint-venture comment.) By Benoit Faucon Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES LONDON (Dow Jones)--A jury at a U.K. court Wednesday found a joint-venture 60%-owned by Total SA (TOT) guilty of failing to prevent a huge fire its Buncefield oil storage depot in Dec. 2005, U.K. regulators said Friday. The fire at the Buncefield depot--the largest in peacetime Europe--led to concerns incidents such as a deadly refinery blast at BP PLC's (BP) Texas refinery could also occur on this side of the Atlantic. In the statement, the Health and Safety Executive and Environment Agency said the venture, the Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd., or HOSL, was "found guilty of failing to prevent major accidents and limit their effects." On Friday, it "also pleaded guilty to causing pollution to enter controlled waters underlying the vicinity around Buncefield," the statement said. A spokesperson for the venture said "HOSL is disappointed at the verdict returned by the jury." Total's U.K. unit, which owns 60% of the venture, had already pleaded guilty to the breaches in November. Chevron Corp. (CVX) owns 40% of HOSL. But a court ruled last year it wouldn't be liable for the incident after concluding Total had an operating role in the venture. TAV Engineering Ltd., which supplied switches which should have triggered an alarm when fuel tanks were filled over a certain level, was found guilty of failures to protect workers and members of the public. Motherwell Control Systems 2003 Ltd., the company tasked with maintenance and technical support of the switches, was found guilty earlier this week of the same charge. Both TAV Engineering and Motherwell Control had pleaded not guilty. On Dec. 11 2005, a number of large explosions occurred at the Buncefield oil storage depot in Hemel Hempstead. Some 43 people were injured by the explosions, which also caused major damage to nearby property. -By Benoit Faucon, Dow Jones Newswires; +44-20-7842-9266; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires June 18, 2010 11:31 ET (15:31 GMT)