WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Tuesday ruled against the Obama administration’s six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling in the wake of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a blow to the White House which had hoped the ban would provide time to ensure other wells are operating safely.

A lawsuit was filed by Louisiana-based Hornbeck Offshore Services LLC HOS.N and was joined by more than a dozen companies involved in offshore drilling operations to reverse the drilling ban imposed by the U.S. Department of Interior.

A federal judge in Louisiana granted the drillers’ request for a preliminary restraining order that would prevent the ban from taking effect. (Reporting by Jeremy Pelofsky, Editing by Sandra Maler) ((jeremy.pelofsky@thomsonreuters.com; +1 202 898 8396; jeremy.pelofsky.reuters.com@reuters.net))