Appeals court upholds BJ Services' patent infringement suit against Halliburton

Aug. 7, 2003
A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals in Washington, DC, Wednesday affirmed a $98.1 million judgment against Halliburton Co. that was issued last year in a patent infringement suit brought by BJ Services Co.

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, August 7 -- A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals in Washington, DC, Wednesday affirmed a $98.1 million judgment against Halliburton Co. that was issued last year in a patent infringement suit brought by BJ Services Co.

The full amount of damages, interest, and costs total $101 million.

BJ Services filed the lawsuit in March 2000 charging Halliburton with infringement of BJ's patented method of fracturing oil and gas formations with a low-polymer fracturing fluid that BJ markets as Vistar. Along with the damages awarded last year, the trial judgment prohibited Halliburton from continuing to sell or offer for sale its competing system known as Phoenix.

Halliburton said the damages would not impact its 2003 financial results, as "the full amount of damages, interest, and costs was accrued in the first quarter of 2002."