The environmental disaster and ensuing bad press have taken a toll on confidence in BP, with its share prices hitting the lowest level since 1997.
The company says it can pay for what it calls "legitimate claims" arising from the worst oil spill in US history.
Senior BP officials, wedged between angry government officials and unhappy shareholders, are expected to meet the Obama administration next week.
Al Jazeera's Cath Turner reports. (June 11, 2010)
