Oil spill costs BP $2 billion

The British oil giant said in a statement issued here that the costs included those of spill response, containment, relief well drilling, grants to the Gulf states, claims paid to affected individuals and businesses, and federal costs.

"It is too early to quantify other potential costs and liabilities associated with the incident," said the company, whose Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded off the Louisiana coast in April and triggered the worst oil spill in the US history.

The BP last week agreed to set up a $20 billion fund to compensate victims of the spill.

In Monday's statement, the company also updated some of its response operations including operations to skim oil from the surface of the Gulf that have recovered in total about 558,000 barrels of oily liquid; Kazinform cites China Daily.

See www.chinadaily.com.cn for full version