LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Oil giant BP Plc (BP.L, BP_UN.TO, BP) has refused to pay for studies by the U.S. government into the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, arguing that it should not be forced to finance studies that the company is not allowed to see, the Financial Times reported.
The government is conducting studies into the spill caused by the oil giant that killed 11 men and caused the largest ever offshore oil spill in the U.S. It is also conducting research into the impact of the Macondo well blast on dolphins, whales and oysters.
BP has paid over $1 billion for the Natural Resource Damage Assessment meant to provide a comprehensive assessment of the harm done by the spill. This is a research program spread over years, which include more than 240 studies.
Citing some documents, the report said the U.S. government last year requested BP to pay $148 million to fund studies this year into the effect of the spill. However, BP has refused to pay most of this.
According to BP, the government has been accumulating evidence, much of which the oil firm has not been allowed to see. The company is of the view that these evidences may support its argument that the damage done to the gulf was much less than feared.
BP.L settled up 0.7 percent on Thursday at 482.05 pence.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX