Total, the French oil company, told a court hearing today that fellow oil giant Chevron should pay some of the bill for damage caused by the Buncefield fire.

Total is facing claims of around £700 million in a legal dispute arising from the blast at the Hertfordshire fuel storage depot in December 2005, which injured 43 people.

Lord Grabiner, QC, representing Total, told the High Court today that Chevron — its joint venture partner in operating the Buncefield depot — should accept some of the blame for the incident.

Although Chevron owns 40 per cent of Hertfordshire Oil Storage Limited (HOSL), which ran the Buncefield plant and has been named as a defendant in the case, it is expected to argue that it was effectively only a silent partner in the venture and that Total's negligence led to the explosion.

However, Lord Grabiner told the court that Chevron had an active say in HOSL's operations and that it was contractually obligated to accept liability for the incident. "Chevron is not off the hook," he said.

Total and HOSL have been sued by insurance companies, businesses and 272 residents of Hemel Hempstead who suffered "catastrophic and widespread" damage to their properties and livelihoods because of the explosion.

But lawyers said that the claimants' arguments during the 13-week trial could be overshadowed by a "private spat" between the oil companies.

Total has already admitted, in preliminary hearings, that the explosion was the result of negligence by the supervisor on duty at the time, yet it is fighting to limit the size of any payout.

In addition to enjoining Chevron as a defendant, Total has refused to accept liability for damage to properties more than 451 metres from the site of the explosion on the grounds that such damage was not foreseeable.

The trial continues.

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