Exploring BP Litigation

London-based British Petroleum is a global energy company involved in the oil exploration, natural gas, and petroleum business. As the fourth largest corporation in the world, BP sold 5.9 million barrels of refined oil per day and reached $239 billion in sales in 2009. The company employs more than 80,000 people, markets products in more than 80 countries, and operates production and exploration wells in 30 countries. BP has a major affect on the economic market worldwide; unfortunately, the company's operations have also impacted the environment, leading to a large amount of BP litigation.

BP's Environmental and Safety Record

BP has been fined numerous times for safety violations and other practices that led to oil spills, air pollution, illegal disposal of hazardous waste, and workplace accidents.

Oil Spills

According to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, a non-profit organization that advocates for the rights of citizens, BP was involved in 104 oil spills that occurred over a 15-month period in 1997 and 1998. Since then, two major oil spills, the Gulf Coast and Prudhoe Bay disasters, and a host of smaller spills have caused billions of dollars worth of environmental and economic damage.

Air Pollution and Dumping of Hazardous Waste

In September of 1999, BP (formerly BP Amoco) pleaded guilty to the illegal disposal of hazardous materials at Endicott Oil Field near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The company was fined $7 million as part of the plea agreement.

Various BP refineries have been fined for illegally burning or releasing polluted gases, and BP rigs have been fined for dumping dangerous materials into the ocean. The company remains ensconced in litigation for environmental damage caused to the United States and other areas throughout the world.

Workplace Accidents

In addition to the devastation caused to our ecological system, accidents and explosions at BP facilities have injured or killed hundreds of workers in the past few years. An explosion at a BP refinery in Texas City killed 15 and injured more than 170 people. The recent Gulf Coast oil rig explosion killed 11 and injured 17 people.

Contact a Lawyer

If you have been injured in an accident at a refinery or drilling rig, or your livelihood has been affected by an oil spill, contact an attorney as soon as possible. You may be eligible for damages in your case.