Oil giant BP is working behind the scenes to formulate its own estimate for how much crude spewed from its well in the Gulf of Mexico, as it prepares for a potential legal fight with the U.S. government over fines.
The company has carefully avoided accepting the government’s estimate that 206 million gallons of oil was released by the well after the April 20 explosion aboard an offshore drilling rig.
BP also has been preoccupied by the effort to kill the well. A spokesman tells The Associated Press now the company is reviewing data and will develop its own estimate.
No timetable has been given for reaching a conclusion.