Settles Pipeline Litigation

BHP Billiton Limited
31 December 2003

     BHP Billiton Limited is issuing this announcement to fulfil disclosure
  obligations arising from its secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange.

    The text of this release is identical to that issued by BHP Billiton Plc
                                    earlier.


Date                 31 December 2003
Number               41/03

                    BHP BILLITON SETTLES PIPELINE LITIGATION

BHP Billiton today announced that it was part of a consortium that had reached a
settlement with Dalmine SpA with respect to a claim brought against Dalmine in
April 1998. The claim followed the failure of an underwater pipeline installed
subsea in 1994 in the Liverpool Bay area of the UK continental shelf. The
pipeline failed in 1996, two months after being commissioned.

The terms of the settlement provide that a total of £108 million is to be paid
to the consortium.

BHP Billiton is a 46.1% shareholder in the Liverpool Bay development.


Further information on BHP Billiton can be found on our Internet site: 
http://www.bhpbilliton.com

Australia                                                     United Kingdom
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Tania Price, Media Relations
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United States
Francis McAllister, Investor Relations
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