Former BP Engineer In Gulf Spill Probe Requests Lift On Travel Restrictions

Kurt Mix, a former engineer for BP PLC who is accused of deleting hundreds of telling text messages about the amount of oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico because of the company's Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, has asked a federal judge to allow him to travel freely while on bail.

In a late court filing on Thursday, Mix requested that his travel restrictions be lifted. At this time, Mix can travel only within Lousiana, Texas, Massachusetts, and New York. Previously, Mix was allegedly preparing to travel to Australia from the U.S. for a job, according to the Associated Press.

Mix was charged with two counts of obstruction of justice for deleting hundreds of revealing text messages about the amount of oil flowing into the Gulf at the height of BP's containment efforts.

If Mix were convicted, then he could face as many as 20 years in prison and a fine of as much as $250,000 for each count.

Mix pleaded not guilty to both counts this month. He also asked the court this week to review third-party documents that he said will exonerate him.

U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval Jr. in New Orleans didn't immediately rule on Mix's request, AP reported.