BP will pay for oil spill damage

British Petroleum (BP) reiterated that it would take "full responsibility" for the consequences of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and "pay all necessary and appropriate clean-up costs."



An oil slick (C) is pictured off the Louisiana coast, in this Terra satellite image taken on April 29, 2010 and obtained April 30, 2010. The huge spreading oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico washed up to coastal Louisiana wildlife and seafood areas on Friday and the U.S. government and military struggled to avert what could become one of the nation's worst ecological disasters. REUTERS/NASA/Handout (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENVIRONMENT ENERGY DISASTER SCI TECH) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS
Photograph by: HO

" BP is committed to pay legitimate and objectively verifiable claims for other loss and damage caused by the spill " Jacob Zuma

"BP is committed to pay legitimate and objectively verifiable claims for other loss and damage caused by the spill," a fact sheet for claims and procedures read.

A spokeswoman repeated a pledge given by Tony Hayward, BP chief executive, at the end of last week that the company would "honour legitimate claims for damages".

"This may include claims for assessment, mitigation and clean-up of spilled oil, real and property damage caused by the oil, personal injury caused by the spill, commercial losses including loss of earnings/profit and other losses as contemplated by applicable laws and regulations," the fact sheet said.

It added that BP had established a toll-free claims line for spill-related claims.

The spokeswoman confirmed earlier estimates indicating that current efforts to contain the spill and secure the well were costing the owners of the Deepwater Horizon offshore rig about 6 million dollars per day.

She added that BP has its own in-house insurance. However, it was "far too early to quantify" the total cost of the damage.

BP said last week it had deployed the "full extent of BP's global resources and capability" to combat the spill. More than 2, 500 personnel were involved in a major protection and cleaning effort on the shorelines of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

US President Barack Obama, visiting the region, said on Sunday: "BP is responsible for this leak; BP will be paying the bill."