President Obama Attacks BP Over ‘Worst Oil Disaster’
TIMES ONLINE: President Obama launched a ferocious attack on BP and the oil industry yesterday as what is now officially the worst spill in US history threatened to derail his presidency.

Seizing the initiative on the first day of potentially good news from the Gulf of Mexico, Mr Obama cancelled or suspended dozens of offshore drilling projects and condemned a “scandalously close relationship” between oil companies and government regulators.

He said: “As far as I’m concerned, BP is responsible for this horrific disaster, and we will hold them fully accountable on behalf of the United States as well as the people and communities victimised by this tragedy. We will demand that they pay every dime they owe for the damage they’ve done and the painful losses that they’ve caused.”

While Coast Guard officials in the Gulf said that BP’s so-called top kill strategy to fill the gushing well with mud seemed to be working, the President warned that there was no guarantee of success yet.

In his first White House press conference in ten months, he said that he would leave it to others to judge whether this was “his Katrina” — a reference to the hurricane that destroyed President Bush’s reputation for competence — but said he was “confident that people will look back and say this Administration was on top of what was an unprecedented crisis”. >>> Giles Whittell, Washington | Friday, May 28, 2010

Obama Pledges Clean Energy Policy to Cut America’s Dependency on Oil
President Obama said that the Deepwater Horizon disaster would change how people think about the environment, in the same way that 9/11 changed US foreign policy. Photo: The Times
THE TIMES: President Obama likened the impact of the oil spill disaster on the nation’s psyche to the September 11 terrorist attacks as he made his first multi-state tour yesterday of the Gulf of Mexico.

Facing questions about his leadership amid rising public anger 56 days after the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded, he sought to reassert his authority by visiting Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, the states left out of three previous trips to the region.

Keen to dispel accusations that he has allowed BP to slacken in its efforts to stem the leak, Mr Obama noted that the company is now expecting to increase its containment capacity to 50,000 barrels a day two weeks sooner than planned. “We went back to them and said they needed to move faster and more aggressively and they have now come back with a plan,” he said.

The White House said it expected BP to place up to $20 billion in an escrow account to pay for the spill.

“One of the biggest leadership challenges for me going forward is going to be to make sure that we draw the right lessons from this disaster,” Mr Obama said in an interview with The Politico news website before he set off.

Vowing to move forward “in a bold way” with a clean energy policy that would help America to reduce its oil dependency, he added: “In the same way that our view of our vulnerabilities and our foreign policy was shaped profoundly by 9/11, I think this disaster is going to shape how we think about the environment and energy for many years to come.”

Mr Obama will address the nation from the Oval Office tonight, when he will announce new measures to help to restore the Gulf’s ecosystem. Tomorrow he meets BP executives for what the White House was keen to portray as showdown talks. Read on and comment >>> Jacqui Goddard, Orange Beach, Alabama | Monday, June 14, 2010

BP Agrees to $20 Billion Escrow Fund; Cancels Dividends
President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, right, meet with BP executives at the White House. BP has agreed to put $20 billion into an escrow account for reimbursing oil spill damages. Photograph: Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES TIMES: Reporting from Washington -- The Obama administration has reached a preliminary agreement with BP executives that would see the oil company pay $20 billion over several years into an independently controlled escrow account to be established to compensate Gulf of Mexico residents affected by the disastrous oil spill, and BP's board of directors has eliminated the company's stock dividend, at least temporarily.

The agreement on the escrow was negotiated in a meeting at the White House on Wednesday morning, the first face-to-face gathering between President Obama and senior BP leadership. A White House official said that, under the terms of the deal, the fund would be administered by attorney Kenneth Feinberg, currently serving as the special master for executive pay under the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Feinberg ran a fund that compensated victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Immediately after the meeting, BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg said that the oil company's board of directors has decided not to pay any more dividends this year. >>> Mike Memoli and Peter Nicholas | Wednesday, June 16, 2010

BP to Set Aside $20 Billion for Oil Spill Claims


BP Promises to Repair Damages to Gulf Region

BP Chief Tony Hayward 'Negotiating Exit Deal'
BBC: BP's chief executive Tony Hayward has been negotiating the terms of his exit, with a formal announcement likely within 24 hours, the BBC has learnt.

Mr Hayward has been widely criticised over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

BBC business editor Robert Peston said it was likely he would be replaced by his US colleague Bob Dudley, now in charge of the clean-up operation.

BP said Mr Hayward "remains our chief executive and has the full support of the board and senior management".

Our correspondent added that while BP had been preparing for a change at the top for some time, the company was waiting until progress had been made on stemming the leak and until it was possible to quantify the financial costs of the disaster.

BP is due to release its results for the second quarter on Tuesday.

It is expected to reveal a provision of up to $30bn (£19bn) for the costs of capping the well, compensation claims and fines to be paid, resulting in a massive quarterly loss.

BP's board is scheduled to meet on Monday ahead of the results.

Mr Hayward has been with the company for 28 years. >>> | Sunday, July 25, 2010

'Reckless' BP Blamed by Partner for Oil Spill
THE TELEGRAPH: Oil giant BP came under further pressure on Saturday after one of its partners said the company's "gross negligence or wilful misconduct" were to blame for the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Anadarko Petroleum, which owns a quarter of the ruptured Deepwater Horizon well, has refused to accept any blame for the explosion that killed 11 workers and sparked America's worst environmental disaster.

The company's chairman and chief executive Jim Hackett insisted in a statement that BP should foot the entire bill for the environmental and economic damage caused by the blow out.

Mr Hackett said: "Frankly, we are shocked. BP's behaviour and actions likely represent gross negligence or wilful misconduct."

He said that "mounting evidence clearly demonstrates" that the disaster that led to the explosion and sinking of a drilling rig and the deaths of 11 workers "was preventable and the direct result of BP's reckless decisions and actions." >>> Patrick Sawer | Saturday, June 19, 2010

Cameron Needs to Be Firmer with Obama
THE TELEGRAPH: Telegraph View: The long-term relationship between Britain and America should not be jeopardised by a presidential response that has been more petulant than statesmanlike.

At some point this weekend, David Cameron is due to talk to Barack Obama on the phone, ahead of his visit to Washington next month. Until a few weeks ago, such a conversation would have involved a businesslike exchange of pleasantries and reflected a strong desire on both sides to place their personal relationship on a sound footing. No doubt that remains their intention; but the controversy over the way the President has castigated BP for its handling of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has added a potentially serious edge to these exchanges.

Mr Obama's aggressively jingoistic rhetoric might have been designed to shore up his own domestic position against criticism that he has failed to act decisively enough, but it is now sabotaging the fortunes of what was until recently Britain's biggest company. Its share price fell to a 13-year low after the American government threatened legal action to prevent the payment of dividends before compensation payments had been met, even though BP is sitting on enough cash to do both. Since the firm accounts for £1 in every £6 paid in dividends in the United Kingdom, this will have a deleterious impact on pension funds, which have £20 billion wrapped up in the company. Read on and comment >>> | Thursday, June 10, 2010

Nach der Ölkatastrophe: Großbritannien fürchtet BP-Zusammenbruch
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Der Börsenwert hat sich halbiert, die Kosten der Ölpest summieren sich bislang auf 3,12 Milliarden Dollar: BP ist angeschlagen. Die britische Regierung fürchtet angeblich einen Zusammenbruch des Konzerns - ein Risiko, weil viele Rentenfonds betroffen wären. Derweil prüfen arabische Staatsfonds einen Einstieg.

Investoren aus dem Nahen Osten erwägen Medienberichten zufolge, dem angeschlagenen britischen Energiekonzern BP mit einer Kapitalspritze zur Seite zu springen. Die Londoner Zeitungen „Daily Telegraph“ und „Guardian“ berichteten am Montag übereinstimmend, der Golfstaat Kuweit prüfe, seine Beteiligung an dem britischen Energiekonzern von bislang 1,75 Prozent auf 10 Prozent aufzustocken. >>> | Dienstag, 06. Juli 2010

Libya Eyes Stake in 'Bargain BP'
THE TELEGRAPH: Libya has expressed an interest in building a stake in BP, describing the oil company as a bargain following its Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The Libyan Government, headed by President Gaddafi, may not be welcomed as an investor in BP by the White House. Photograph: The Telegraph
Share[s] in BP rose 3.5pc to 333.3p in London, following weekend speculation that the company had been in contact with sovereign wealth funds about them buying stakes.

Shokri Ghanem, the chairman of Libya's National Oil Corporation, told a newswire that: "BP is interesting now with the price lower by half and I still have trust in BP. I will recommend it to the Libyan Investment Authority."

He later added: "I think that BP shares are good value for bargain hunters,"

BP denied that it was planning to issue any new equity, but a weighty shareholder buying up stock on the open market could still help provide a floor on the company's plummeting share price. It declined to comment on any talks with sovereign wealth funds.

The oil giant has lost half of its market value since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and sank on April 20, triggering a catastrophic leak. Qatar, Abu Dhabi and the Kuwait Investment Authority, which already holds 1.8pc of BP, have also been linked to the company as possible investors. >>> Rowena Mason | Monday, July 05, 2010

Republicans Take On Obama over Oil Pipeline
Republican politicians in the United States are fighting President Barack Obama's decision to reject a controversial pipeline project. They are trying to strip the president of his authority to decide the fate of the Keystone oil pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada through the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Republicans say Obama made the decision based on political considerations, and that the project would create thousands of jobs. Democrats, however, argue that a full environmental assessment must be carried out before the deal can be approved. Al Jazeera's Kimberly Halkett reports from Washington, DC, the US capital.

Obama Harms Special Relationship
THE SUNDAY TIMES: A poll carried out in Britain and American [sic] reveals Obama's handling of the BP oil spill crisis is damaging relations between the two countries

President Barack Obama's attacks on BP are damaging relations, a poll found. Photo: The Sunday Times
President Barack Obama’s attacks on BP over the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are damaging the special relationship between Britain and America, according to a poll carried out in both countries.

The YouGov poll, which questioned nearly 1,500 people in Britain and almost 600 in America, shows overwhelmingly that Obama’s strident attacks on BP are hurting the special relationship. By 64% to 2% in Britain and by 47% to 5% in America, people believe the president’s handling of the crisis has damaged relations.

For British respondents, Obama’s attacks have changed for the worse their attitude to America. Only 54% said they now had a favourable attitude towards America, compared with 66% when the question was asked before the oil spill. More than a fifth of people in both Britain and America, 22% in each case, think Obama is anti-British. >>> David Smith | Sunday, June 20, 2010

Change Muslims Simply Can’t Believe In >>>

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Barack Obama Flies in Amid Mounting Criticism
THE GUARDIAN: Fishing fleet on standby for attempt to block slick as administration preempts 'slow to react' charge

Barack Obama stepped into the crisis over the oil spillage in the Gulf of Mexico yesterday, amid growing criticism that the US administration and BP were failing to get a grip on the potential catastrophe.

The president flew to New Orleans and travelled on by road to Venice, a small fishing town at the mouth of the Mississippi which has become the command post for the rapidly escalating rescue preparations.

As rain poured down upon him, Obama gave his assessment of what he called the "massive and potentially unprecedented environmental disaster" caused by three leaks still uncapped on a BP oilrig south of the Louisiana coast.

He warned that it could take days to stop the leaks, and said he recognised that "people are understandably frustrated and frightened, particularly as people in this region have already been through more disasters than anybody should have to bear."

And he issued a stern message to the British oil giant: "BP is responsible for this leak. BP will be paying the bill." >>> Ed Pilkington in Louisiana | Sunday, May 02, 2010

THE GLOBE AND MAIL: Oil spill threatens to sink Obama's energy plan: Political damage will be hard to contain, not least because the slick could shatter the President's shaky compromise on offshore drilling >>> Konrad Yakabuski, Washington | Sunday, May 02, 2010

WATCH AP VIDEO: BP's reaction to clean-up criticism: BP reacts as federal officials and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal say they're worried that the company isn't doing enough to get ready for a fast cleanup. | Saturday, May 01, 2010

Outgoing BP Chief: 'Life's Not Fair'
SKY NEWS: The outgoing BP chief executive Tony Hayward says he feels "demonised and vilified" over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill as the firm posts one of the biggest corporate losses in history. Joel Hills reports.



No, Tony, life certainly isn't fair when people who screw-up can walk away from a company with millions in the form of a golden parachute, yet others work all their lives, do things well, but walk away with next to nothing. Life certainly isn't fair. You got that right! – © Mark

Barack Obama Warns that BP Oil Disaster Is Not Over
THE TELEGRAPH: Barack Obama has warned that the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is not over.



Although oil has stopped leaking into the ocean, the US President has urged Americans not to "get too far ahead of ourselves".

BP announced on Thursday evening that it had successfully capped the Deepwater Horizon oil well for the first time since April.

Underwater video footage showing no oil gushing from the well has led to widespread relief across America.

Speaking outside the White House, Mr Obama said that although the worst of the crisis was probably now in the past it would be several more weeks before it was finally over. Tests will continue for the next 24 hours to establish whether the cap will hold. >>> Robert Winnett in Washington | Friday, July 16, 2010

Saudis Get Jittery over Security of Oil Installations
FINANCIAL TIMES: Saudi Arabia has begun setting up a 35,000-strong security force to protect its oil infrastructure from potential attacks.

The move underlines the kingdom’s growing concern about its oil installations after threats from al-Qaeda to attack facilities in the Gulf, as well as rising tensions between Iran and the US.

The force already numbers about 5,000 personnel, a Saudi adviser said on Sunday. They are being trained in the use of new surveillance equipment, countermeasures and crisis management under a programme managed by US defence group Lockheed Martin, according to the Middle East Economic Survey in Nicosia.

The recruits are learning about laser security and satellite imaging from Lockheed on behalf of the Sandia National Laboratories’ Defense Systems and Assessments Unit – a US government run unit in New Mexico, said MEES.

Lockheed said it did not have information on the initiative.

The kingdom, which is the world’s biggest oil exporter and has 25 per cent of the world’s proven oil reserves, is investing an estimated $4bn-$5bn in the new equipment and the force.

The force is expected to reach 35,000 within two or three years.

Saudi Arabia has a 75,000-strong army, an air force of 18,000, a navy of 15,500 and an air defence force of 16,000. Its oil installations are protected from within by 5,000 agents employed by Aramco, the state oil company. It has more than 80 oil and gas fields and an estimated 11,000 miles of pipeline. Saudis set up force to guard oil plants (more) By Andrew England in Cairo

Mark Alexander

The Golfing President
MAIL ONLINE: Barack Obama has been criticised for continuing to play golf while oil spills into the Gulf of Mexico.

He has played at least seven times since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded on April 20, creating America’s biggest environmental disaster.

Having already racked up 39 games since taking office, Mr Obama is approaching the record as the U.S. President spending the most time on the golf course.

Republican Party chairman Michael Steele has called on the President to stop playing until the oil leak has been curbed.

Steele said he was outraged ‘that President Obama finds himself on yet another golf course as oil continues to spew into the Gulf’.

Democrat Senator Bill Nelson said Mr Obama needs to have a ‘higher command and control operation’. You're playing too much golf during oil spill, Barack Obama is told >>> Daily Mail Reporter | Monday, June 28, 2010

Exclusive: 'BP Boss Off To Russia'
SKY NEWS: Sky News has learnt that BP's embattled chief executive Tony Hayward is to take up a new post in Russia as part of the deal to replace him following the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster. Our Business Editor Mark Kleinman has the details.

Trump’s Wall: A Symbol of His Presidency? - BBC Newsnight

Senior Republicans are resisting spending on the controversial wall when the money - they say - should be spent on disaster relief. The wall was meant to separate America from Mexico but the divide so far has been between the President himself and his party. Division that points to a gulf of differences on other issues - between those who are broadly internationalist and those who cry America First. Gabriel Gatehouse has been to the site of the wall in Arizona and sent this report.