An oil and gas company purchased a subsea gas pipeline and claimed the seller had withheld information about mercury contamination in the pipeline, which impacted its value. Baker & O’Brien’s consultants examined the information available about pipeline mercury levels and whether the buyer had sufficient information to assess the risks and potential decommissioning costs. Our expert opinions expressed in a technical report, a reply expert report, and a joint expert report were helpful in the settlement of the dispute.

Concerning an offshore subsea pipeline leak allegedly caused by a ship anchor strike, Baker & O’Brien was requested to assess the pipeline company’s emergency actions and tactical response. As part of this assignment, we visited the offshore platform to review its operating procedures and leak detection equipment, pipeline operating events, and operator responses. We evaluated the company’s procedures, equipment, and emergency response vis-à-vis industry standards and practices and produced an expert report used by the parties in their settlement.

A laboratory technician at a synthetic butadiene rubber manufacturing plant alleged that his exposure to the probable carcinogen while collecting and analyzing product samples from reactors caused his blood disorder. Baker & O’Brien assessed his exposures based on his regular work activities by reviewing the reaction rate/product composition data and modeling near-air dispersion. Our expert report, which compared calculated exposures from empirical data to nationally recognized exposure studies, refuted the opposing expert’s opinions and facilitated the resolution of the dispute.