A man who was working on the Deepwater Horizon rig shortly before the explosion that caused the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has said that he identified a leak weeks before the disaster.
Gulf of Mexico Equipment had not been repaired
Tyrone Benton said BP was notified about the leak located in the rig's blow-out preventer which is designed to seal off the well in an emergency.
It failed on the day of the explosion.
Mr Benton said the equipment had not been repaired and a second device was relied on instead.
BP said rig owner Transocean was responsible for the operation and maintenance of that piece of equipment.
Transocean said it tested the device successfully before the blast.
Meanwhile, BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward is planning to meet Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to calm fears over the oil giant's future.
According to the Financial Times, the trip is aimed at restoring confidence in Russia - one of BP's most lucrative areas of operation - that the company is able to withstand the cost of the worst environmental disaster in the US.
The move comes after Mr Hayward was heavily criticised in the US for spending a day sailing despite mounting anger that he is not doing enough to control the leaking well.
The White House led a barrage of criticism of Mr Hayward's decision to spend time relaxing on the Isle of Wight at the JP Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race.
President Barack Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said Mr Hayward had committed yet another in a 'long line of PR gaffes' by attending the race.
Gulf of Mexico Equipment had not been repaired
Tyrone Benton said BP was notified about the leak located in the rig's blow-out preventer which is designed to seal off the well in an emergency.
It failed on the day of the explosion.
Mr Benton said the equipment had not been repaired and a second device was relied on instead.
BP said rig owner Transocean was responsible for the operation and maintenance of that piece of equipment.
Transocean said it tested the device successfully before the blast.
Meanwhile, BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward is planning to meet Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to calm fears over the oil giant's future.
According to the Financial Times, the trip is aimed at restoring confidence in Russia - one of BP's most lucrative areas of operation - that the company is able to withstand the cost of the worst environmental disaster in the US.
The move comes after Mr Hayward was heavily criticised in the US for spending a day sailing despite mounting anger that he is not doing enough to control the leaking well.
The White House led a barrage of criticism of Mr Hayward's decision to spend time relaxing on the Isle of Wight at the JP Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race.
President Barack Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said Mr Hayward had committed yet another in a 'long line of PR gaffes' by attending the race.