MONTGOMERY (AP) — Halliburton Energy Services has asked a federal judge to put a hold on Attorney General Troy King’s suit against it and other companies involved in the Gulf oil spill.

Court papers filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Montgomery say the case should be put on hold because it is likely to be transferred to federal court in Louisiana, where 77 similar cases from Gulf coast states have already been consolidated for pretrial proceedings.

Halliburton argued that the two sides would waste time and resources if the case proceeds in Alabama.

King filed two suits on behalf of the state Aug. 12. One was against BP and the other against Halliburton, Transocean and other companies.