* Judge says English court has no jurisdiction
* Main OPL 245 trial in Milan against Shell, Eni continues
* Proceedings in related case of Nigeria vs JP Morgan
continues
(Adds Eni comment)
LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - An English court threw out a $1.1
billion case Nigeria had brought against Royal Dutch Shell
and Eni related to a dispute over the OPL 245
oilfield, a court document showed on Friday, while a related
trial in Italy continues.
The Nigerian government filed the case in 2018 at a
commercial court in London alleging payments made by the
companies to get the oilfield licence in 2011 were used for
kickbacks and bribes.
Justice Butcher said in his ruling seen by Reuters that the
High Court "must decline jurisdiction over the action against"
Shell and the other defendants.
Eni said it was pleased the London court had rejected its
jurisdiction in the matter, noting the U.S. Department of
Justice and the U.S. SEC had both closed investigations of Eni
on OPL 245 matters without taking any action.
A Shell spokeswoman said the company welcomed the decision.
"We maintain that the 2011 settlement... related to OPL 245
was a fully legal transaction with Eni and the Federal
Government of Nigeria (FGN)," she said.
A spokesman for Nigeria said it was "naturally disappointed
the Court has declined jurisdiction".
"Nigeria continues to support the criminal proceedings
underway in Milan ... we intend to seek permission to appeal
this decision (in London)," the spokesman said.
The OPL 245 oilfield is also central to a corruption trial
in Milan -- in which former officials from the companies and, in
Eni's case, some current ones, are on the bench -- as well as
court proceedings Nigeria started against JP Morgan, which
processed some of the payments in question.
The bank has said it considers the allegations against it
"unsubstantiated and without merit".
The Shell spokeswoman said that the group did not believe
there was a case to answer.
(Reporting by Shadia Nasralla; Additional reporting by Libby
George, Ron Bousso, Stephen Jewkes; Editing by Edmund Blair,
Kirsten Donovan)
