But the move has only succeeded in provoking further criticism. The Google adverts have become the target of a mock BP Twitter feed with the tag BPGlobalPR, which was already attracted more than 140,000 followers.

“We’re paying Google a lot of money to make sure you only have access to the best possible info on the oil spill: our info,” one tweet reads.

Toby Odone, a BP spokesman, said the company’s goal in buying the search results was to make information on the leak more accessible.

“We have bought search terms on search engines like Google to make it easier for people to find out more about our efforts in the Gulf and make it easier for people to find key links to information on filing claims, reporting oil on the beach and signing up to volunteer,” he said.

Barack Obama, the US president, said on Monday that he was seeking “ass to kick” over the leak, which has left 20,000 barrels of oil gushing out of the damaged well each day.