A MULTI billion-dollar legal case that was due to open today over the Deepwater Horizon disaster has been put back for settlement discussions.

BP and the Plaintiffs' Steering Committee (PSC) confirmed that the US District Court had adjourned the start of the litigation trial by a week.

"This adjournment is intended to allow BP and the PSC more time to continue settlement discussions and attempt to reach an agreement," they said. "BP and the PSC are working to reach agreement to fairly compensate people and businesses affected by the Deepwater Horizon accident and oil spill."

BP will be in the dock in New Orleans with contractors Halliburton and Transocean over the explosion of the Gulf of Mexico rig in April 2010 that killed 11 men and triggered the US's biggest oil spill.