BASF Returns Fire In Pemex Lawsuit

BASF is fighting back against the lawsuit that Pemex filed in federal court in Texas over BASF’s alleged purchase of natural gas condensate stolen from fields in northern Mexico (C&EN, June 14, page 25). BASF wants the Mexican national oil company’s law firm, Jones Day, taken off the case because the firm represents BASF in another federal suit. Additionally, BASF wants the court to strike statements from the Pemex complaint. “The defendants in this action have directly assisted and encouraged this theft and violence by actively participating in the smuggling of stolen condensate into the U.S. and/or purchasing it for use in Texas,” according to a June 7 Pemex complaint. The complaint also said that “several of the defendants who knowingly transported and sold stolen condensate have pled guilty to their crimes and are awaiting sentencing.” BASF says such statements are misleading and that Pemex’ lawyers have admitted that they have no indication that BASF knew the condensate was stolen. BASF says “legal rules prohibit the use of court filings to tarnish another company’s reputation by implying facts that are false.”