BP to Settle Deepwater Horizon Claims for Up to $18.7B

July 7, 2015

BP has reached agreements in principle to settle all federal and state claims arising from the Deepwater Horizon accident and oil spill in 2010.

BP has reached agreements in principle to settle all federal and state claims arising from the Deepwater Horizon accident and oil spill in 2010.

BP announced July 2 that its U.S. Upstream subsidiary, BP Exploration and Production Inc. (BPXP), has executed the agreements with the U.S. federal government and five Gulf Coast states. The agreement with the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas also includes settlement of claims made by more than 400 local government entities.

The principal payments are as follows:

  • BPXP is to pay the United States a civil penalty of $5.5 billion under the Clean Water Act (CWA) – payable over 15 years.
  • BPXP will pay $7.1 billion to the United States and the five Gulf states over 15 years for natural resource damages (NRD). This is in addition to the $1 billion already committed for early restoration. BPXP will also set aside an additional amount of $232 million to be added to the NRD interest payment at the end of the payment period to cover any further natural resource damages that are unknown at the time of the agreement.
  • A total of $4.9 billion will be paid over 18 years to settle economic and other claims made by the five Gulf Coast states.
  • Up to $1 billion will be paid to resolve claims made by more than 400 local government entities.

The expected impact of these agreements would be to increase the cumulative pre-tax charge associated with the Deepwater Horizon accident and spill by around $10 billion from $43.8 billion at the end of the first quarter. Separately to these agreements, the total charge reported in BP’s second quarter results will also reflect other items including charges for additional business economic loss determinations.

The principal payments arising from the agreements will be made over extended periods of time spread over 18 years.

READ ALSO: Scientists Say Gulf Coast ‘Resilient’ 5 Years After Deepwater Horizon

Carl-Henric Svanberg, BP’s chairman, said: "Five years ago we committed to restore the Gulf economy and environment and we have worked ever since to deliver on that promise. We have made significant progress, and with this agreement we provide a path to closure for BP and the Gulf. It resolves the company’s largest remaining legal exposures, provides clarity on costs and creates certainty of payment for all parties involved.

"In deciding to follow this path, the Board has balanced the risks, timing and consequences associated with many years of litigation against its wish for the company to be able to set a clear course for the future.

"The Board therefore believes that this agreement is in the best long-term interest of BP and its shareholders. The Board set out its position on the dividend at the first quarter and this remains unchanged by the agreement."

The Consent Decree will be subject to public comment and final court approval. The Consent Decree and settlement agreement with the Gulf states are conditional upon each other and neither will become effective unless (1) there is final court approval for the Consent Decree and (2) local government entities execute releases to BP’s satisfaction.

 The agreements do not cover the remaining costs of the 2012 class action settlements with the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for economic and property damage and medical claims. They also do not cover claims by individuals and businesses that opted out of the 2012 settlements and/or whose claims were excluded from them. BP said it will continue to defend those claims vigorously. The July 2 agreements in principle also do not resolve private securities litigation pending in MDL 2185.

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