Burlington to pay $97.5 million on claims

Washington -- A ConocoPhillips subsidiary will pay the United States nearly $100 million to settle claims it underpaid natural gas royalties.

The U.S. Justice Department said Burlington Resources Inc. has agreed to pay $97.5 million to resolve allegations it violated the federal False Claims Act by systematically under-reporting the value of natural gas it produced from land-based U.S. and various Indian leases between March 1988 and March 2005.

The settlement arises from a lawsuit filed by a private whistleblower under the False Claims Act alleging a number of companies royalties. The Justice Department partially intervened against several defendants in the suit, and previously settled with Shell Oil Co. for $56 million and Dominion Exploration and Production Co. for $2 million.

The department said it is still pursuing claims against Exxon-Mobil Corp.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International.