Strengths
BP is ranked at the world’s 3rd largest energy company and is positioned as a multinational oil company headquartered in London that: * Operates petrochemical businesses worldwide through the network of its subsidiaries and retail brands(Amoco; ARCO; BP Express, BP Connect; BP Travel Centre; ampm; Burmah Castrol etc) * Participates in London Stock Exchange, IPO in New York Stock Exchange. and is listed in the FTSE 100 Index; * BP Amoco strong brand loyalty for oil; * Strong brand management driven by the ‘Beyond Petroleum’ slogan. * BO Q3 net profit increase by 83% due to record oil and gas prices. The indicator amounts to $53.43 per share compared to $21.27 during the same period in 2007.
Weaknesses
* Launch of controversial business with the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline; * Increase in petrol prices in the UK; * Explosion of BP refinery in Texas that caused 100 injuries and 15 deaths in 2005; * Criminal charges due to the spread of 270.000 gallons of crude oil in the Alaskan tundra in 2006; * Toxic spill of 2,000 gallons of methanol in the oil field (Prudhoe Bay) managed by BP. * Closing of Alaskan oil wells.
Opportunities
* 8 b. USD investment in the research of alternative fuel methods, including hydrogen, natural gas, wind and solar over the forthcoming decade;