BP, Government Witnesses Testify On Gulf Oil Spill Estimates In Civil Trial

How much oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico after the 2010 oil well blowout is at the center of the second phase of the federal civil trial of BP and Anadarko Petroleum taking place this week in New Orleans.

The government is trying to prove that the companies lied when they reported how many barrels of oil spilled from the well.

A judge will make the final decision on the number and on whether BP acted with gross negligence. The resulting fine could cost BP billions of dollars.