BP said it has spent $300m on its Gulf of Mexico oil spill response effort in the past three days, hitting the $100m a day spend rate for the first time and bringing its total bill to $2.65bn so far.
The figures, which BP released in a statement, include the cost of trying to cap the well, clean up the environmental damage caused by the leaking crude and pay compensation to those affected by the spill.
BP said it remained on track to complete its relief well, which aims to kill the leaking well at the point it meets the reservoir, in the three month timeframe initially envisaged, despite progress slowing on the well in recent days.
Last week, the well was being drilled at the rate of 304.8m (1,000') per day, but the pace dropped to less than 100ft (30.48') a day over the weekend, as the delicate task of closing in on the leaking well is conducted.
