(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Luther Strange announced today that Transocean has paid the State of Alabama $20 million to resolve claims against the oil rig operator for its role in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

“I’m pleased to announce that Transocean has paid $20 million into the State’s General Fund to settle the State’s remaining claims against the company for its role in the disastrous 2010 Gulf oil spill,” said Strange. “Alabama’s recovery is due to the hard work of my staff in pursuing our case against Transocean, while they simultaneously litigated the State’s case against BP.”

U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Montrose, was disappointed the money, like the BP settlement announced earlier this year, was heading to the state's General Fund instead of to counties that suffered effects from oil washing ashore.

"Here we go again," Byrne said. "The state has reached another settlement related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and yet again the money is heading to politicians in Montgomery instead of to citizens in Alabama’s coastal counties.

"These settlements are a grave injustice to the thousands of Alabamians who live and work on the Gulf and saw their way of life changed by the oil spill. I applaud the efforts of our local state legislators who are fighting to ensure money from the General Fund is directed back to the Gulf – where it belongs.”

Strange was the court-appointed coordinating counsel for all five Gulf States in the litigation against BP and its co-Defendants for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

On Oct. 5 Strange announced a final settlement of Alabama’s damages claims with BP that directed $950 million to the State’s General Fund and approximately $1 billion to Alabama’s coastal counties for economic and environmental restoration. Alabama’s settlement with Transocean resolves all claims against the rig operator that were not encompassed by the global settlement with BP.