BP has called in Bain, the consulting group, to find ways to simplify the complex organisational structure that the oil major blames in part for its recent problems.

In an e-mail to staff this week, seen by the FT, Kenny Lang, senior vice-president of BP’s Gulf of Mexico operations, said: “It’s not difficult to find examples where our complexity has driven inefficiencies, negatively impacting performance in one way or another, and I am sure each of you could cite specific examples.”