British oil company BP has posted better than expected results in the three months to September despite the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
BP's net profit fell 34% to $3.5 billion in the third quarter, compared with the same period a year ago.
Production outside of the company's Russian operations, fell more than 2% due to BP selling assets during the year, while it was also hit by lower refining margins.
BP has already sold $US 38 billion of assets to pay for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill of 2010, charges incurred by the group as a result of the disaster stand at $US 42.5 billion.
But the company has managed to limit its exposure to what it calls bogus claims by some businesses for economic losses as a result of the disaster in 2010.