NEW ORLEANS (AP) — BP has lost two big rulings in its fight toshield itself from potentially having to pay billions of dollarsmore in damages related to the worst offshore oil spill in U.S.history, though the company was able to limit some of its futureexposure.

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that BP PLC is not entitled tocoverage for the spill under insurance policies totaling $750million held by Transocean Ltd., owner of the Deepwater Horizon rigthat BP was leasing at the time of last year's Gulf of Mexicodisaster.

“Because Transocean did not assume the oil pollution riskspertaining to the Deepwater Horizon Incident — BP did — Transoceanwas not required to name BP as an additional insured as to thoserisks,” U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier wrote in his ruling.“Because there is no insurance obligation as to those risks, BP isnot an 'insured' …. for those risks. Therefore, BP is not entitledto the declarations of coverage it seeks.”

Transocean praised the ruling.

“The court's decision speaks for itself, and if you work forTransocean, it's a great read to boot,” spokesman Brian Kennedysaid of the insurance ruling.

The same judge ruled Monday that Alabama and Louisiana canpursue punitive damages against BP and other companies.

The earlier ruling was not a total victory for Alabama andLouisiana: Barbier dismissed some claims in the lawsuits that werebased on state laws. And any punitive damages ultimately levied maybe limited.

The judge said many issues in Monday's ruling had been dealtwith in an earlier order, including a provision that said maritimelaw was applicable in the case and that the Oil Pollution Act didnot block claims under maritime law.

He said punitive damages may be available under maritime lawbecause “the states have alleged physical injury to proprietaryinterests and the other elements pertinent to negligence andproducts liability claims.”

Barbier also said the states can continue to seek damages underthe Oil Pollution Act. However, he blocked claims each state soughtunder various state laws.

“The court is respectful of the states' desire to exercise theirpolice powers and punish those who pollute their waters,” Barbierwrote. But he noted that the source of the oil that damaged severalstate coastlines was not in any of those states, and he outlinedseveral legal reasons why claims under state laws were pre-emptedby federal law.

Barbier added that federal law should be sufficient for thestates to recover the costs of removing the oil, saying, “Althoughthe court does not decide at this time issues concerning liabilityor the extent of liability, it certainly appears that the Statesare eligible to recover all of their removal costs underOPA.”

A civil trial over hundreds of spill lawsuits is scheduled forFebruary to assign shares of fault to the companies involved anddetermine whether Transocean can limit what it pays those makingclaims under maritime law.

The ruling could impact the lawsuits the companies have filedagainst each other. In one, BP has sued Transocean for at least $40billion in damages, accusing it of causing the deadlyblowout.

BP claims every single safety system and device and well controlprocedure on the Deepwater Horizon rig failed.

But in his ruling on the insurance matter, Barbier said “BP,under the drilling contract, assumed responsibility for Macondowell oil release pollution liabilities.” The judge added, “TheDeepwater Horizon incident entailed a subsurface release; thus,Transocean did not assume pollution liabilities arising from theincident.”

And a report issued in September by the U.S. Coast Guard and theagency that regulates offshore drilling concluded that BP bearsultimate responsibility for the disaster. BP has asked the court tokeep that report out of the civil trial.

BP said Tuesday the insurance ruling doesn't in any way addressthe causes of the accident or who will be held ultimatelyresponsible in court.

“To allow Transocean to avoid paying its share of any damages orgovernmental fines and penalties in these circumstances would beagainst applicable law and sound public policy,” BP said.

With regard to the ruling involving state claims, BP said, “Thecourt dismissed all claims brought under state law by Alabama andLouisiana, including claims for state law penalties, and determinedthat federal law is the only law under which penalties may beawarded.”

It continued, “The court's opinion makes clear, as BP has longmaintained, that state law penalties are unavailable to plaintiffswho have sought them.”

A spokeswoman for Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell saidthe Monday ruling was being reviewed and that there were elementsthe state was disappointed by. Alabama Attorney General LutherStrange said his “primary concern regarding the oil spill is thatBP and other defendants must be held responsible for the damage andharm caused to our states.”

Eleven rig workers were killed when the Deepwater Horizonexploded in April 2010 roughly 50 miles off Louisiana, leading tomore than 200 million gallons of oil spewing from a BP well a milebeneath the sea, according to government estimates. The well wascapped three months later, but not before hundreds of miles ofcoastline were stained, seafood and tourism businesses weredevastated, and a fragile ecosystem was damaged.