American, Robert Dudley is tipped to succeed Tony Hayward as chief executive officer as BP looks to recover the company’s position in the U.S. He has been the favourite for the post since being appointed to lead the group’s day-to-day response to the spill. After the US administration’s response to the crisis, it seems inevitable that, for the first time, an American would be called up to lead the business.

On leaving the company, Hayward may be entitled to receive his pension fund, worth 10.84 million pounds at the end of last year, as well as a year’s salary of about 1 million pounds. That will mark the end of a long stint at the oil giant – he joined in 1982 as a rig geologist in Aberdeen.

But at least he’ll have his life back.