BBC News - BP: Gulf of Mexico oil spill ‘shared responsibility’
A senior BP executive has told a US court that the oil giant was not solely responsible for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Rig operator Transocean and contractor Halliburton must also bear portions of the blame for the explosion and resulting spill, Lamar McKay said.
The trial, in New Orleans, will determine liability for the spill.BP could face a huge fine, despite agreeing in 2012 to pay $4.5bn (£2.9bn) to settle criminal charges.An unfavourable trial verdict could see the firm liable for the biggest civil fine in history, of up to $17.6bn.It has also paid $7.8bn in a settlement with people and businesses affected.
An expert witness testifying on behalf of the plaintiffs - the US Department of Justice and the US states affected by the spill - countered that the disaster was a direct result of poor management and heavy cost-cutting at BP.
**“It’s a classic failure of management and leadership in BP,” said Robert Bea, an engineering professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who previously worked as a safety expert for BP.
Source: BBC **