The newly-named CEO of BP said Tuesday morning his top priority at BP is sealing its blown oil well for good and cleaning and restoring the Gulf of Mexico.
Speaking with various news outlets after his appointment as BP’s chief executive, Dudley said he does not expect any more oil to gush into the Gulf as BP PLC moves to permanently plug the well with cement after capping it nearly two weeks ago.
Dudley is taking over Oct. 1 from Tony Hayward, who was forced to go by public and political anger in the United States over the spill.
Dudley, who grew up partly on the Gulf, will be the first American to lead London-based BP.
Dudley told CNBC he plans to change the company culture at BP and promised that the oil giant will learn from the disaster in the Gulf. He said he will make sure checks and balances are in place to prevent a repeat of the catastrophe, which started with an April 20 explosion that destroyed the leased oil rig Deepwater Horizon, killing 11 workers.
