Transocean enters plea deal in Gulf Coast oil spill case

United States (NBC33) — The owner of the drilling rig that caused the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico nearly three years ago was in court today.

Transocean LTD. made an initial court appearance in its plea agreement with the Justice Department over its role in the spill.

Transocean has agreed to pay $1 billion in civil penalties, $400 million in criminal penalties, and plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of violating the Clean Water Act.

The judge scheduled a February 14 hearing to decide whether to accept the criminal settlement.

Eleven workers were killed when the rig exploded and sank in April 2010.