BP’s troubles continue. A US government lending agency has been told by its own internal accountability watchdog that it must monitor more closely the safety of BP’s Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, amid allegations that the company failed to report cracks and leaks in its coating. A report from the office of accountability at the Overseas Private Investment … Read More
Safety
Browne Ordered to Court
Lord Browne, the chief executive of BP, faces the humiliation of a courtroom questioning over the deaths of 15 workers and hundreds of injuries caused by the Texas City refinery explosion. The UK oil group has fought to keep its chief executive out of the case, but a Houston appeals court ruled late on Friday … Read More
Sir John’s Toxic Legacy
We don’t want to overdo the concept of “irony” on the blog. But here are a couple to make you think. Here’s the first one: BP’s retiring CEO, Sir John Browne’s, is set to walk of with a retirement pot of $140 million. Not bad eh? We know he leaves behind chronic failures in BP … Read More
BP’s Financial and Safety Problems Continue
Oil giant BP has reported record profits of $22 billion, although its fourth-quarter profits decreased. Hit by lower production, the group’s profits for the final three months of the year fell by 12% to $3.9bn, against $4.4bn a year ago, and almost $7bn in the third quarter. Shares in BP have fallen 7p in early … Read More
BP: Report to Heavily Criticise Safety Performance
A scathing report will be released today that criticizes safety and management practices at BP’s American operations, after an investigation at a Texas refinery nearly two years ago which killed 15 people and injured more than 170 others. The report, by James Baker, the former US Secretary of State, will state: “BP has not always … Read More
BP Implodes in Infighting
BP has had to deny that a series of stinging criticisms of the company’s management, culture and cost-cutting by a senior executive were an attack on Lord Browne.
BP Boss “Showed No Interest In Safety”
BP’s Chief Executive, Lord Browne, was not interested in safety issues at the oil company’s American plants, according to evidence to an internal investigation into the Texas City refinery explosion, in which 15 people died and 180 were seriously injured. The internal investigation into the Texas City blast included copious notes taken during interviews with … Read More
Oz Goes Nuclear
A report to Autralian Prime Minister John Howard has concluded that twenty-five nuclear reactors, mainly on the east coast, could be producing a third of Australia’s electricity needs by the year 2050. The cost of nuclear power would be substantially higher than fossil fuels, but the attachment of a price on carbon emissions could make … Read More
BP Slashed Budgets, Despite Safety Warnings
The scale of BP’s safety problems have been highlighted with the publication of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board’s (CSB) preliminary findings into the company’s Texas refinery fire that killed fifteen people. The Board found that top officials at BP allowed widespread budget cuts at the refinery even though they were well aware … Read More
BP’s Day of Reckoning
Later today, some of BP’s most senior executives will face their first Congressional grilling over their corrosion problems at Prudhoe Bay. Although BP’s embattled CEO Sir John Browne won’t be testifying, Bob Malone, the new head of BP America will be grilled by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The hearing is called “BP’s … Read More