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BP 'disregarded dangers' at well BP 'disregarded dangers' at well
(40 minutes later)
BP chief executive Tony Hayward has been told by an angry US Congressional panel his firm ignored dangers when drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
House committee on energy and commerce chairman Henry Waxman said BP's "complacency" before the 20 April rig explosion had been "astonishing".
Asked about apparent shortcuts taken before the spill, Mr Hayward said it was too early to draw conclusions.
Mr Waxman replied that the BP chief executive was "stonewalling".
"You're not taking responsibility, you're kicking the can down the road," he added.
Eleven people died in the Deepwater Horizon drill rig accident, which left a ruptured well spewing hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Despite BP efforts to contain the leak, oil continues to enter the sea, threatening states along the Gulf coast.
BP says it will withhold dividends until the end of the year as part of its response to the spill.
'Tremendous risks'
The company's shares rose more than 6% after it agreed to put $20bn (£13.5bn) in a fund to compensate victims of the spill.
The increase halted falls that had led to the company's stock value halving in recent weeks.
Congressman Waxman said in his opening remarks that BP had "cut corner after corner" in order to save money, which led to the explosion and fire on board the Deepwater Horizon.
"We could find no evidence that you paid any attention to the tremendous risks BP was taking," he went on.
"We reviewed 30,000 pages of documents from BP, including your e-mails. There is not a single e-mail or document that shows you paid even the slightest attention to the dangers at this well."
One by one, other Congressmen attacked BP's activities in America.
"We are not small people but we wish to get our lives back," said Bart Stupak, playing on a comment made the day before by BP chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg about how BP sympathised with the "small people" of the Gulf, and a recent remark by Mr Hayward about wanting his "life back".
Mr Hayward faced a barrage of questions about the drilling rig
Congressman Mike Ross pointed out that BP had so far failed to stop the oil spill.
"Mr Hayward, since this hearing began a little over an hour ago, up to 112,847 gallons have been dumped into the Gulf," he said.
"On day 59 of this environmental and economic disaster... I continue to be frustrated and downright angry about BP's response.""On day 59 of this environmental and economic disaster... I continue to be frustrated and downright angry about BP's response."
Congressman Joe Barton, the senior Republican on Mr Waxman's committee, said that while he agreed BP should explain its actions, he was "ashamed" to see the firm being made to set up the compensation fund.Congressman Joe Barton, the senior Republican on Mr Waxman's committee, said that while he agreed BP should explain its actions, he was "ashamed" to see the firm being made to set up the compensation fund.
BP, he suggested, had been subjected to a "$20bn shakedown" by the Obama administration.BP, he suggested, had been subjected to a "$20bn shakedown" by the Obama administration.
As Mr Hayward prepared to speak, a heckler disrupted proceedings. An unidentified woman could be seen shouting before she was removed from the hearing. As Mr Hayward prepared to speak, a protester briefly disrupted the hearing, shouting that he should be "charged with a crime" before being removed.
Mr Hayward said he had focused on improving safety for the past three years. She was identified as Diane Wilson, a fisherwoman from Seadrift, Texas, near the Gulf Coast.
Mr Hayward said he had focused on improving safety for the three years he had been in his post.
Asked if his job was at stake, he said his priority was stopping the leak and clearing up the oil.Asked if his job was at stake, he said his priority was stopping the leak and clearing up the oil.
"I give my pledge as the leader of BP that we will not rest until we make this right," he said."I give my pledge as the leader of BP that we will not rest until we make this right," he said.
"We're a strong company and no resources will be spared.""We're a strong company and no resources will be spared."
Mr Hayward's inability to answer specific technical questions about the situation on the rig angered the panel particularly.Mr Hayward's inability to answer specific technical questions about the situation on the rig angered the panel particularly.
BP's chief executive said answers would be supplied by his firm when they were ready.BP's chief executive said answers would be supplied by his firm when they were ready.
The questions, set out in a letter to Mr Hayward on Sunday by Mr Waxman and fellow committee member Bart Stupak, include allegations that BP:The questions, set out in a letter to Mr Hayward on Sunday by Mr Waxman and fellow committee member Bart Stupak, include allegations that BP:
  • Went against the advice of its own plan review regarding the well's design and chose a riskier, cheaper and quicker casing option
  • Used only six centralisers to make sure the casing ran down the centre of the well bore, rather than the 21 recommended by sub-contractor Halliburton
  • Rejected warnings by its own plan review and Halliburton in preparations for a cementing job
  • Decided to forego a recommended safety step in the circulation of drilling mud
  • Did not deploy a "lockdown sleeve" that would have prevented the seal from being blown out from below
  • Went against the advice of its own plan review regarding the well's design and chose a riskier, cheaper and quicker casing option
  • Used only six centralisers to make sure the casing ran down the centre of the well bore, rather than the 21 recommended by sub-contractor Halliburton
  • Rejected warnings by its own plan review and Halliburton in preparations for a cementing job
  • Decided to forego a recommended safety step in the circulation of drilling mud
  • Did not deploy a "lockdown sleeve" that would have prevented the seal from being blown out from below
Are you affected by this story? Send us your comments on the Congress committee.Are you affected by this story? Send us your comments on the Congress committee.