BP CEO Tony Hayward grilled by Congress over oil spill

http://www.timesofearth.com/Worldnews/?NT=0&nid=23680 WASHINGTON - Tony Hayward, BP's chief executive, has appeared before a congressional hearing in Washington to explain the events leading up to the worst oil spill in US history and what his company has done to clean up the mess.

Facing angry congressmen and tough questioning on Thursday, the BP CEO said the British energy giant would "not rest" until the spill had been cleaned up.

"The explosion and fire aboard the Deepwater Horizon and the resulting oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico never should have happened, and I am deeply sorry that it did," Hayward said, vowing to learn the lessons of such a "terrible event".

Henry Waxman, a Democratic representative, told Hayward that BP had shown "astonishing complacency" regarding safety warnings over its Gulf of Mexico drilling platform which exploded on April 20.

The committee members said BP had ignored warnings from contractors and their own employees and chose faster and cheaper drilling options that increased the danger of the well rupturing.

They became increasingly irritated as Hayward side stepped a series of questions on whether he bore any personal responsibility for a series of controversial decisions by saying he was not involved in day-to-day operations.

"I wasn't involved in any decision making," on issues like how to drill, test, or secure the well, said Hayward, who drew a charge from Waxman that he was "stonewalling" the committee.

Hayward, flanked by aides and surrounded by a small army of US Capitol police, walked into the room of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations minutes before his 10:00am (1400 GMT) questioning began on Thursday.

A day earlier following talks with Barack Obama, the US president, Hayward had agreed to set up a $20bn fund for spill-related damage claims, suspend BP's dividend for the rest of the year and sell off assets to cover the company's costs.

In his testimony on Thursday, Hayward said: "We said all along that we would pay these costs.

"And now the American people can be confident that our word is good."

"We're a strong company and no resources will be spared. We and the entire industry will learn from this terrible event and emerge stronger, smarter and safer."

Waxman commended Hayward for agreeing to establish the $20bn fund, but wasted no time in slamming the BP, saying the safety warnings had fallen on "deaf ears".

The Californian politician told him there was no evidence of any top BP officials being briefed on possible safety issues at the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling platform before the blast that sparked the disaster.

However, Waxman pointed to a series of warnings about what one engineer dubbed "a nightmare well" before the explosion.

"You were brought in to make safety the top priority of BP. But under your leadership, BP has taken the most extreme risks."

Hayward said: "I want to acknowledge the questions that you and the public are rightly asking. We don't yet have all the answers to these important questions.

"But I hear and understand the concerns, frustrations and anger being voiced across the country."

A lady in the back row of the room disrupted the hearing just as Hayward began his testimony.

The woman, identified as Diane Wilson, shouted to Hayward: "You need to be charged with a crime."

She was grabbed by Capitol police and taken out of the room.

A number of other oil companies were seen to be critical of BP in congressional hearings this week, portraying themselves as a cut above the London-based firm in terms of safety practices and operational standards.

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[usergently]

Congress is a joke!

[TheTimbalanders]

@chickenruler agreed, especially given the fact that it was American employees using US-made equipment that were working on the rig where the oil spill occurred, somehow translates to the British being the ones to blame

[lotusfeet]

@Volf99 Just had to say - WWII wouldn't be something any Englishman would seek to avoid. Mostly because we single-handedly prevented the Nazi's from conquering Europe in it's entirety. If anything, I would think YOU would seek to avoid WWII, having made such a late entrance to the show. Of course, I could also point out that you would likely still be a British colony if not for the help of the French (amongst others), but I think I've made my point.

[sandridgehillary]

nice video uploads…



[shahideurope]

it's amazing how many American bastards own British companies all over the UK and are never treated the way that this Englishman was. Stupid Congressmen calling it British Petroleum when the bastards know it is called BP - to bastard americans British means evil. So much for the fucking special relationship!

[MrMaryJanes]

W'ere Sorrrrrrry

[newyorkyankeef4n1018]

He way completely irresponsible, but I feel bad for him

I'm sorry

[fincus1]

I'm deeply sorry..

[Highwaycrazy]

Thank goodness this lipdick piece of shit got grilled. British asshole.

[hanseykemmerer]

Were sorry..

[monchandclaxbach]

nothing will happen to him no doubt. wateman justice.