New BP chief executive Bob Dudley has vowed to "change the culture" of how the company tackles safety issues following the diseaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
Mr Dudley, who has been in charge of the company's clean-up operations in the Gulf, will become the group's first American chief executive following the resignation of Tony Hayward.
He says his top priority is to permanently seal the leaking Gulf well, contain the crude spill and to clean up and restore the area's beaches.
Mr Dudley described the oil spill as a terrible tragedy from which the company and the industry would learn a lot.
He said BP will emerge from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill crisis a smaller and wiser company.
Earlier, BP reported a record loss of $US17 billion loss, having set aside $US32 billion to cover the costs of the leak.
The BBC reports Mr Hayward, who is leaving by mutual consent, is likely to retain a role within the company. BP plans to nominate him as a non-executive director of its Russian joint venture, TNK-BP.
Greenpeace targets London BP stations
BP petrol stations in London have been shut down by Greenpeace activists in a bid to urge the company to adopt greener energy policies.
Greenpeace claimed it shut off fuel supplies at about 50 service stations in central London on Tuesday.
The BBC reports safety switches located on the forecourts were removed to prevent the stations re-opening.
The protest was a bid to urge BP to move away from what Greenpeace calls an obsession with high risk, environmentally reckless sources of oil.
BP says most of the stations are now open again.
