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A day after agreeing to a $20 billion fund to
compensate victims of the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico, BP's chief executive expects to tell Congress that he was
"personally devastated" by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon
oil rig and understands the anger that Americans feel toward him
and his company.


      CEO Tony Hayward's contrition isn't likely to soften his landing
on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are sharpening their knives -
preparing to channel constituent anger over the worst environmental
disaster in the nation's history - during a hearing that some
compare to a public execution.


      In prepared testimony obtained by The Associated Press, Hayward
said the explosion and sinking of the BP-operated rig "never
should have happened - and I am deeply sorry that they did."


      Newly disclosed documents obtained by the AP show that after the
Deepwater Horizon sank, BP made a worst-case estimate of 60,000
barrels a day flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. That figure is far
higher than the company had said publicly until this week, when the
government released its own worst-case estimate of about 60,000
barrels a day.


      The undated estimate by BP, apparently made sometime last month,
reflected the actual situation as it was understood by BP at the
time, said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. Grassley, the senior
Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, obtained the documents
as part of an investigation into the oil spill and its aftermath.


      Grassley said it was not clear when exactly BP made the
calculation. "Certainly Americans have a right to know that BP
made these estimates, the date these estimates were determined and
why they were not disclosed at that time," he said Wednesday.


      In a letter to BP America President Lamar McKay, Grassley asked
BP to explain when it calculated a worst-case scenario of 60,000
barrels a day and to provide documents justifying the figure.

      In the course of the crisis in the Gulf, Hayward has irritated
some with comments like "I'd like my life back." He strikes a far
more deferential tone in remarks prepared for the congressional
hearing.


      "To be sure, neither I nor the company is perfect," he said.
"But we are unwavering in our commitment to fulfill all our
responsibilities." He said the company has spent nearly $1.5
billion so far and won't stop spending until the job is done.


      Hayward was to appear before the House Energy and Commerce
Committee's subcommittee on oversight and investigations, which is
looking into the April 20 explosion that killed 11 workers and
unleashed a flood of oil that has yet to be stopped. He called it
"a complex accident, caused by an unprecedented combination of
failures."


      It's unlikely, however, that lawmakers - especially in an
election year - will adopt President Barack Obama's more
conciliatory tone toward BP. After accusing the company a day
earlier of "recklessness," Obama and top advisers met Wednesday
with BP officials, including Hayward and board chairman Carl-Henric
Svanberg. After the meeting, Obama announced BP concessions to pay
a $20 billion fund. He said BP was "a strong and viable company,"
and its stock price rebounded.


      Still, in perhaps a pointed snub, Obama on Wednesday described a
"constructive meeting" with Svanberg but didn't mention Hayward.
Last week, the president said he would have fired Hayward for
comments such as when Hayward said he wanted his life back.


      Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., chairman of the oversight and
investigations subcommittee, and the full committee chairman,
California Democrat Henry Waxman, wrote Hayward this week to expect
questions on documents showing company decisions before the
explosion "that increased the risk of a blowout to save the
company time or expense."

      Ahead of the session, Stupak said of Hayward's appearance, "I
expect him to be sliced and diced."

Gallery

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After blasting BP, Obama now faces its leaders

Photo timeline of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill crisis

Disasters

Environmental News

A day after agreeing to a $20 billion fund to
compensate victims of the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico, BP's chief executive expects to tell Congress that he was
"personally devastated" by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon
oil rig and understands the anger that Americans feel toward him
and his company.


BP CEO telling Congress he's 'devastated' by spill

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