2010-08-10 02:04

HOUSTON -- British oil giant BP said Monday the costs of its response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill rose to approximately US$6.1 billion.

That figure included the cost of the spill response, containment, relief well drilling, static kill and cementing, grants to the Gulf states, claims paid, and federal costs, the company said in a news release.

Meanwhile, BP said that as of Saturday, more than 145,000 claims had been submitted and more than 103,900 had been paid, totaling US$319 million.

BP is now very close to sealing the blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico that has spewed an estimated 207 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico after the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon rig exploded off Louisiana on April 20.

Thad Allen, the US commander for the oil spill, said Monday the BP relief well being drilling is expected to intercept the leaking well this week to seal the gusher for good.