Hayward expected to resign as BP looks to rebuild

Rawstory:

BP will sacrifice embattled chief executive Tony Hayward within days as it tries to rebuild its image in the aftermath of the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, reports said Sunday.

The BBC said Hayward was negotiating his exit and an announcement was likely by Monday when the BP board meets ahead of second quarter results expected to reveal a 30-billion-dollar provision for paying for the disaster.

In the Gulf, US oil spill chief Thad Allen said BP's long-awaited operation to permanently plug the leaking Gulf of Mexico well had been delayed and will now probably begin the week after next.

Originally expected as early as Tuesday, Allen said nothing major had happened to force the delay, it was just a "refined and revised" timeline from BP as it redeploys vessels and personnel following a recent storm.