NEW YORK - Halliburton Co., once run by Vice President Dick Cheney, said an internal probe found information suggesting that members of a consortium it helps lead considered bribing Nigerian officials to win business.

Halliburton Co., once run by Vice President Dick Cheney, said an internal probe found information suggesting that members of a consortium it helps lead considered bribing Nigerian officials to win business. The world's No. 2 oilfield services company, which is also fighting accusations it overcharged on contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan , said late on September 1, 2004 that the probe concerns the multibillion dollar TSKJ Bonny Island liquefied natural gas plant project. Related articles

The world's No. 2 oilfield services company, which is also fighting accusations it overcharged on contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, said late on Wednesday the probe concerns the multibillion dollar TSKJ Bonny Island liquefied natural gas plant project.

Talks of bribes took place at least 10 years ago, it said. Cheney was Halliburton's chief executive from 1995 to 2000.

The Wall Street Journal, citing company officials, said there is no indication Cheney knew of improper activity. The Republican on Wednesday accepted his renomination as vice president.

Halliburton said it hasn't found evidence that officials from the TSKJ consortium ever made payments. But it said the consortium entered into several "agency agreements" related to the project, beginning in 1995.

Nigeria in February said it was investigating allegations the consortium kicked back as much as $180 million to secure a contract for the plant.

Houston-based Halliburton said it turned over the new information to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and a French magistrate, and is turning over evidence to Nigeria officials.

In a statement, the company said the new information "appears to relate to conduct that took place almost entirely" before its 1998 purchase of Dresser Industries Inc., whose M.W. Kellogg unit was part of the consortium.

Kellogg later merged with Brown & Root to form Kellogg Brown & Root, which has a 25 percent stake in TSKJ. Other members of the Portugal-registered consortium are France's Technip SA, the Snamprogetti Netherlands affiliate of Italy's Eni SpA, and Japan's JGC Corp. .

Halliburton did not immediately return a call seeking further comment.

LATEST CHARGES

The revelations are the latest in a difficult year for Halliburton.

Apart from facing questions about its Iraq and Afghanistan activities, the company last month agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle SEC charges over its accounting.

Also in August, the company was accused in a filing in a shareholder lawsuit of "serial accounting fraud."

Halliburton shares have nevertheless risen 15 percent in 2004. They closed Wednesday at $29.88, up from $26 at the start of the year.

The company has previously disclosed the SEC's formal probe into payments related to Bonny Island, and well as a Justice Department probe.

Published reports have said Jeffrey Tesler, a TSKJ agent, is under investigation by a French magistrate.

Halliburton in June severed ties with former KBR Chairman Jack Stanley, accusing him of receiving "improper personal benefits" related to TSKJ and Nigeria. Stanley had retired as chairman in December 2003.

According to the Journal, Halliburton said its lawyers discovered notes written between 1993 and 1998 that suggest consortium executives discussed bribing Nigerian officials to ensure TSKJ won the plant contract.

Questions have arisen about whether TSKJ created a $140 million slush fund funneled through Tesler, a British lawyer, the newspaper said. Tesler declined to discuss his role, and through his lawyer denied any wrongdoing, it said.

Eni and JGC were not immediately available for comment. Technip declined to comment.

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