Exxon Mobil CEO says company is helping BP figure out how to control Gulf spill

Exxon Mobil CEO says company is helping BP

DALLAS — The CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp. says the oil industry’s biggest challenge is regaining public trust after the BP PLC oil spill in the Gulf.

He also insisted deep-water drilling is safe and shouldn’t be regulated more tightly.

Rex Tillerson’s comments came after Exxon Mobil’s annual meeting, where shareholders brushed aside a series of environmental resolutions.

Tillerson said his company has advised BP on how to stop the oil flow in the Gulf. He said BP was pursuing the right tactics.

Tillerson added that he was surprised by the size of the disaster, which is expected to surpass the 1989 Exxon Valdez accident as the nation’s largest oil spill — if it hasn’t already.

BP officials were considering Wednesday whether to try to plug the spewing oil well with heavy mud and then cement, a tactic called a “top kill.” Tillerson called it the “appropriate” step, but declined to predict whether it would work.

The CEO said almost since the Deepwater Horizon platform leased by BP exploded and sank, his company has offered boats, equipment and its own experts “to work with BP on evaluating various options as to how you might bring this well under control and stop the flow of oil.” Exxon has also explained technical issues to government officials, he said.

“The most difficult challenge confronting the whole industry at this point is regaining the confidence and trust of the public, the American people, and regaining the confidence and trust of government regulators,” Tillerson said.

Tillerson cautioned against new regulations or restrictions on offshore drilling until the cause of the BP disaster is known. He said current regulations have been “very effective.”