BP spill fine may hit $25 billion

HOUSTON--Federal regulators are seeking a settlement of $15 billion to $25 billion from BP PLC (BP) for the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico from the ruptured Macondo well, according to report by the Financial Times over the weekend.
Analysts at Tudor Pickering Holt said the $25 billion figure is above what they have assumed BP's liability would be under the Clean Water Act. "It is encouraging that a dialog with the U.S. government appears to be open/ongoing and removal of the threat of criminal prosecution would be helpful to BP shares," analysts said.