HOUSTON, TX, March 24, 2005 -- About 20 Texas City Refinery workers remained in local area hospitals today, eight seriously injured, as BP (NYSE:BP) and contractors continued recovery operations in the aftermath of the explosion yesterday which claimed 15 lives.

The fatalities are all contractors who were involved in maintenance work when the explosion occurred in the nearby Isomerization Unit, causing a large fire.

The Galveston medical examiner is continuing the identification process and humanitarian efforts for affected families are ongoing. Chaplains and counselors are also available to support families.

Five of the injured were released from hospitals today.

Yesterday firefighters with Texas City Mutual Aid (IMAS) responded to the first alarm at 1:20 p.m. The firefighting force quickly ramped up to about 200, and extinguished the blaze by about 3:20 p.m. Every available fire truck and ambulance in the area was dispatched to the scene, including Life Flight air evacuations.

An incident management team of about 50 at the Texas City Operations Center and in Houston continues to support crisis response efforts on a 24-hour basis.

The U.S. Occupational Health, Safety Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Texas Commission of Environmental Quality and Chemical Safety Board and other agencies are on site, and a team of BP experts is due to arrive within 24 hours to begin an in-depth investigation.

BP Group Chief Executive John Browne and other senior BP executives visited with Texas City Mayor and other community leaders this morning. Browne later met with refinery workers and talked with several of them personally. At a mid-day press conference he emphasized that nothing would be left undone in BP's effort to uncover the cause of this tragic accident.

For additional updates and more information, visit this Web site: http://www.bpresponse.org

Hugh Depland, 281-366-4092