U.S. court issues verdict on Enim oil field dispute

U.S. court issues verdict on Enim oil field dispute

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones): A California jury has handed down an
$11.7 million verdict against Triton Energy Ltd. in connection
with a nine-year-old dispute over the Enim oil field in
Indonesia, according to a Form 8-K filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on Friday.

According to a Friday item from Federal Filings Business News,
Triton failed to disclose the date of the verdict in the filing,
but said it plans to appeal.

The verdict stems from a 1990 arbitration in which Triton was
awarded Nordell International Resources Inc.'s interest in the
Enim oil field in Indonesia (subject to a 5 percent net profits
fee for Nordell), plus $1 million.

Over the next several years, both parties engaged in a series
of legal wranglings that challenged the validity and
enforceability of the arbitration and that culminated in an Aug.
22, 1997, lawsuit where Nordell sought damages of $13 million
against Triton in California state court.

Nordell argued that after the 1990 arbitration proceeding
Triton engaged in misrepresentations, improper accounting
practices relating to the Enim field, and inflicted emotional
distress. The suit sought interest, punitive damages and
attorneys fees, in addition to actual damages.

The case was moved to the U.S. District Court for Central
California, which subsequently dismissed all claims asserted by
Nordell, except those involving malicious prosecution and abuse
of the legal process.

Although the abuse of process claims were later withdrawn, the
remaining issues were tried and the jury awarded Nordell punitive
damages of $11 million and $700,000 in compensatory damages.