Judge watches videotape of ex-BP CEO’s testimony

NEW ORLEANS — The judge in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill trial has watched videotaped testimony from former BP chief executive Tony Hayward.

Hayward was head of the London-based oil giant in 2010 when there was an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. Eleven workers were killed and millions of gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf.

At the height of the spill, Hayward famously said he’d like his life back.

The videotaped testimony viewed Wednesday showed a lawyer grilling Hayward about his comments involving cost-cutting at the company, but the former CEO said those measures didn’t affect drilling operations.

The trial in New Orleans is designed to identify the causes of the 2010 well blowout and assign percentages of fault to the companies involved.