美国要求英国石油限期出台清理方案

The US government has given BP 72 hours to present its latest plans to clean up the oil spill in the Gulf¹ of Mexico.

美国政府限定英国石油公司必须在72小时之内做出清理墨西哥湾海底漏油的最新方案。

BP says its containment² effort is going well, but there are signs of mistrust between the company and the government.

The US justice department is mulling（仔细考虑） legal action to make sure BP has enough funds to cover the damage and compensate³（补偿，赔偿） those affected⁴ by the slick.

That could mean shareholders⁵ are not paid dividends⁷（股息，红利） , which would infuriate（激怒） investors⁸ and hit pension funds.

Amid growing public anger in the US, President Barack Obama will make his fourth visit to the region on Monday.

Growing distrust

The Obama administration is applying steadily⁹ more pressure on the BP, which claims it will have almost completely contained the ruptured¹⁰ oil well by the early part of next week.

Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, the man in charge of the clean up operation, has given the company three days to present its latest plans for cleaning up the Gulf.

He also wrote to BP on Tuesday demanding "more detail and openness" about how the company was managing claims for compensation payments to individuals and businesses in the region.

Meanwhile, 33 US House lawmakers sent a letter to BP chief executive Tony Hayward, urging the company not to spend money on a dividend⁶ and an advertising¹² campaign to improve BP's image.

"We urge you to halt your planned dividend payout and cancel your advertising campaign until you have done the hard work of capping the well, cleaning up the Gulf Coast and making whole those whose very livelihoods¹³（生计） are threatened by this catastrophe," the letter said.

Oil has been leaking into the Gulf of Mexico since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and sank off the coast of the US state of Louisiana, killing¹⁴ 11 workers.

Oil plumes¹⁵

Some beaches in Florida are for the first time displaying warning signs telling holiday makers¹¹ not to swim in the sea here, the BBC's Andy Gallacher reports from the Florida panhandle.

A containment cap placed on the blown-out well last week is now helping¹⁶ to contain some of the leaking oil.

Adm Allen said in a press conference on Wednesday that the operation was catching¹⁷ up to 630,000 gallons (2,800,000 litres) daily.

BP's chief executiveis due to appear before Congress for the first time next week.

The British energy firm's shares fell 3.4% on Wednesday over worries that the company will have to suspend its dividend payments because of the disaster.

Meanwhile, tests have shown that underwater oil plumes have travelled at least 64km (40 miles) from the leaking well, the US government says.