BP Trial Heads Into Second Week

BP executives are gearing up for testifying at the second week of a federal trial in New Orleans over its 2010 oil spill. Officials from the oil giant have so far blamed other companies for the disaster.

U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier is hearing testimony that will help him determine which companies are to blame. He’ll also decide how much the companies should pay in fines, depending on what they did or didn’t do to prevent the well explosion.

Eleven workers on board a Transocean drilling rig were killed when BP’s Macondo well blew up in April 2010. BP, Transocean, cement contractor Halliburton and others are accused by the Justice Department of cutting corners and ignoring safety warnings in a rush to finish the well.

The trial could continue for months.