2012 BP settlement payments $7.9B so far

The office that processes claims for businesses and people who suffered economic losses from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill says it has approved payments totaling $8.5 billion as of June 30.

Of that, $7.9 billion in claims has been paid.

The figures are in the latest federal court filing from Michael Juneau, the administrator of claims paid under a 2012 settlement BP reached with businesses and individuals affected by the spill after the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion. More recently, BP reached a $20 billion settlement with state and federal governments. In July BP announced it expects costs arising from the spill to total $61.6 billion - or about $44 billion after tax deductions.

- Associated Press