Mexico sues BP over 2010 spill

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HOUSTON, May 2 (UPI) -- The Mexican government is suing for claims related to the 2010 oil spill in the U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico, BP confirmed.

BP in its first-quarter earnings report said it was facing thousands of claims related to the spill. BP told energy reporting website Rigzone the Mexican government was among the plaintiffs.

Thousands of barrels of oil poured into the Gulf of Mexico after the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon oil platform caught fire and sank. The Mexican government at the time said it was examining possible legal action against BP.

Specifics on the Mexican suit weren't outlined by Rigzone or BP.

The first phase of a civil trial involving the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico concluded April 17.

BP said in its earnings report that cumulative charges from the incident totaled $42.2 billion. BP said Tuesday it reached a deal with trustees in Alabama and Louisiana to provide a total of $434 million to help with restoration related to the 2010 spill.

U.S. lawmakers last month drafted legislation that would facilitate joint oil and natural gas exploration along the maritime border in the Gulf of Mexico.