国际英语新闻：Gulf oil spill hits 100 days as BP struggles for fresh start

In addition to the CEO change, BP on Tuesday also reported a 17- billion-U.S.-dollar loss in the second quarter this year, after setting aside 32 billion dollars to cover spill-related costs.

Meanwhile, the company announced that it plans to sell 30 billion dollars in assets over the next 18 months to help cover its liabilities and streamline the company into a smaller, higher- quality business.

The sell-off would help reduce its net debt to somewhere between 10 billion dollars and 15 billion dollars within one and a half years, from the 23 billion dollars at the end of June, the company said.

But many analysts doubt the amount set aside by BP will be enough to cover the actual cost for cleaning the waters and shores, repairing local ecosystems and compensating affected residents and businesses.

Some analysts believe BP will eventually pay between 30 billion and 60 billion for the worst oil spill in U.S. waters.

The underwater leak in the Gulf of Mexico was plugged two weeks ago, after a variety of BP's failed attempts to kill the leak, which was triggered by the April 20 explosion on BP-leased Deepwater Horizon drilling rig off the Louisiana coast.