BP ‘put speed over safety on Gulf rig’

Oil giant BP has been accused of putting speed before safety in the run-up to the Gulf of Mexico rig disaster because it was massively over budget on the project.

On the first day of a trial which will decide on billions of dollars in compensation claims over the worst offshore oil spill in American history, a lawyer said company executives applied “huge financial pressure” on drilling managers.

Jim Roy, representing individuals and businesses affected by the spill, said BP wanted to “cut costs and rush the job” before the blowout of its Macondo well triggered the explosion.

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