BP Profits Soar Amid Middle East Crisis, CEO Urges UK to Use Domestic Oil

BP's quarterly profits more than doubled to $5.73bn (£4.27bn) in the three months ending June 30, as the Middle East crisis continued to disrupt energy exports from the Gulf.

The company's chief executive, Meg O'Neill, said the UK should prioritize using domestic oil and gas resources, where they generate jobs, tax revenue, and other positive impacts.

O'Neill made her comments in a conversation with new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who is expected to make a decision on two controversial North Sea oil and gas projects - the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields.

Burnham's government is also facing calls to reform the North Sea tax regime, which the industry argues accelerates natural decline due to high taxes.