BP Staying In U.S.

BP

, the largest oil and natural gas producer in the U.S., will not leave one of its most important market despite the company's heavily damaged public image, CEO Bob Dudley said. Dudley said "BP will not be quitting America" and "There is too much at stake for BP and the U.S." Dudley acknowledged the risks of deep water drilling can never be fully eliminated, but said operations can continue safely and BP should remain a part of the industry, according to the Wall Street Journal. The company has learned a tremendous amount from the Gulf of Mexico disaster that can enhance safety in the future, Dudley said, according to the Journal. The company was recently mum on its plans for new drilling in the Gulf and earlier today announced the sale of four mature Gulf fields to Japan's Marubeni Oil and Gas for $650 million.