BP adds two rigs to Gulf of Mexico fleet

HOUSTON, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- BP regional President Richard Morrison said the addition of two rigs in the Gulf of Mexico is a sign of its ongoing commitment to the U.S. energy sector.

"The addition of these two new rigs reflects the vital importance of the deep water Gulf of Mexico to the future of BP," Morrison said in a statement Tuesday. "It also clearly demonstrates BP's commitment to the American economy and U.S. energy security."

The company said it plans to invest at least $4 billion in the region every year for the next 10 years.

BP boasted that one of its new rigs, West Auriga, can work in waters as deep as 12,000 feet. Contracted from Seadrill Ltd., the platform is designated for BP's Thunder Horse field in the Gulf of Mexico.

BP's legacy in the region was tarnished by the 2010 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico. BP said approximately 2.5 million barrels of oil spilled into the gulf for nearly three months as a result of the accident, which left 11 rig workers dead.

BP in 2010 established a $20 billion trust fund to help pay off claims, settlements, natural resource damages and other costs associated with the accident.