LONDON, Aug 9, 2010 (AFP) - British energy giant BP said Monday that it has spent a total of 6.1 billion dollars in response costs to the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, days after plugging the damaged well with concrete.
"The cost of the response to date amounts to approximately 6.1 billion dollars (4.6 billion euros), including the cost of the spill response, containment, relief well drilling, static kill and cementing, grants to the Gulf states, claims paid, and federal costs," BP said in a statement.
An estimated 4.9 million barrels, more than 205 million gallons, spewed from BP's ruptured well in the 87 days from the beginning of the disaster until the leak was finally capped on July 15, the US government has said.
The company revealed on Thursday that it had finished pumping cement into the damaged well after a five-hour operation.
"The MC252 well has been shut-in since July 15; there is currently no oil flowing into the Gulf," the group said on Monday.
It added: "Following the completion of cementing operations on the MC252 well on August 5, pressure testing was performed which indicated there is an effective cement plug in the casing. BP believes the static kill and cementing procedures have been successful."
