Patrick Zuber, who was a vice president overseeing operations in the Middle East for Weatherford oil-services company, is due in federal court next week to face a charge that he sought to export oil-field equipment to Iran which is illegal under U.S. law.
Prosecutors contend that in January 2007 Zuber received an e-mail inquiring about services that could be provided in Iran. Zuber then allegedly forwarded the request to another conspirator while knowing that facilitating the sale of equipment – through the United Arab Emirates and on to Iran – was illegal under U.S. law.
Weatherford is one of the world’s largest oil field services companies specializing in drilling systems and technology and has more than $15 billion in annual corporate revenues.