Drilling Co. Says New Moratorium Violates Federal Law

NEW ORLEANS - A Louisiana oil services and rig-leasing company has filed a federal lawsuit to block a second moratorium on deepwater drilling, saying the findings issued by the secretary of the Interior to support a July 12 drilling moratorium were "pre-ordained" rather than the result of factual analysis. Ensco Offshore Co. v. Salazar, et al., No. 2:10-cv-01941-MLCF-JCW (E.D. La.).

Ensco Offshore Co. filed its challenge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on July 1 and amended the complaint on July 20. The case has been assigned to Judge Martin L.C. Feldman, who enjoined the …