Transocean spill costing owners $6m a day

BP has announced that operations to contain a spillage at an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico is costing the owners $6 million (£3.9 million) a day.

The natural resources giant, which has a 65 per cent share in the facility, admitted this is likely to increase as services to secure the Transocean Deepwater Horizon drilling platform continue.

Earlier this month, a fire broke out at the structure and it eventually sank, with nine Transocean employees and two contractors presumed dead.

However, BP group chief executive Tony Hayward said personal safety is now a priority and he suggested the organisation is getting things under control.

"We are attacking this spill on all fronts, bringing into play all and any resources and advanced technologies we believe can help," he remarked.

According to the firm, it has recovered approximately 16,311 barrels worth of oil-water mix and 100,000ft of barriers have been deployed to prevent the slick from spreading.