Analysts have estimated the North Sea sale could raise £1.5billion and trigger another wave of consolidation.
RBC analyst Biraj Borkhataria said of the results: “BP has continued its streak of beating expectations and demonstrating it is highly leveraged to the macro environment.
“Operational indicators and controllables look strong.”
But Jonathan Noronha-Gant, from campaign group, Global Witness, criticised the results.
He said: “It is obscene that polluters are continuing to cash in on the fallout of the war in Iran, making more bumper profits from spiralling oil prices while innocent civilians suffer.
“These massive profits come as ordinary people across Europe are struggling with the rising cost of living, with many struggling to afford to heat their homes as winter arrives.”
Danny Gross, a climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “The Government must make energy affordable for everyone by removing the hidden taxes on electricity bills and forcing the worst climate offenders like BP to pay their fair share for the damage they cause to fund a faster, fairer transition to cheap, clean energy.”