Partner accuses BP of 'misconduct’

BP's partner in its damaged, gushing oil well in the Gulf of Mexico has accused the UK-based energy company of "gross negligence and wilful misconduct".
Anadarko Petroleum Corp, owner of a quarter of the well pouring out up to 60,000 barrels per day (9.5 million litres), broke its near-silence on the spill on Friday to squarely pin the blame for the crisis on BP.
"Frankly, we are shocked," Jim Hackett, the chairman and CEO of US-based Anadarko, said in a statement.
"BP's behaviour and actions likely represent gross negligence or wilful misconduct."
BP, on the back foot all week answering tough questions on the Gulf spill and its safety record in general, said it "strongly disagrees" with Anadarko's claims.
Anadarko's shares rose by 2.2 per cent in after-hours trading following Hackett's statement.
In contrast, moments after Anadarko's statement, credit rating agency Moody's cut BP's rating to junk level, citing potential liability from the spill.
Earlier in the day Moody's cut by three notches its rating on BP debt, which is trading around junk levels.
SCRAMBLING FOR CASH
BP is scrambling to line up resources to pay for a $20bn damage claims fund demanded by Barack Obama, the US president.
BP was seeking $1bn in loans from seven different banks, the Reuters news agency said, while US broadcaster CNBC said the energy giant was hoping to raise $5bn with a bond.