How Halliburton is profiting from the Gulf oil spill --Shortly before the Deepwater Horizon blowout, Halliburton bought an oil spill prevention firm. 18 Jun 2010 Eleven days prior to the April 20 Deepwater Horizon blowout, Halliburton Co., the contractor in charge of cementing the rig's well, agreed to purchase a little-known company. The firm, Boots and Coots, focuses on oil spill prevention and blowout response. Now, it is assisting with the relief well work -- under contract to BP -- to help stop the Gulf oil spill. What appears to conspiracy theorists [!?!] as more than a coincidence is nothing out of the ordinary, say oil-industry experts.