NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- BP said Tuesday it is selling the oil collected from its spill in the Gulf of Mexico and plans to put the money toward restoring wildlife in Gulf states.
It's not clear how much money BP stands to donate by selling the oil. BP has collected about 64,650 barrels of crude from the spill as of Tuesday morning and oil is selling at around $70 a barrel. That totals about $4.5 million, but only part of that money is controlled by BP because it only owns part of the lease on the well.
BP (BP) said it plans to use the money to create a fund aimed at protecting and rehabilitating wildlife along the coastline of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
"We've already launched the largest environmental response in history, and BP is committed to protecting the ecosystems and wildlife on the Gulf Coast," Tony Hayward, BP's chief executive officer, said in a prepared statement.
The energy giant has been capturing about 11,000 barrels of oil per day with a containment cap placed over the leak -- its latest effort to stop the oil spewing from its well. ![]()






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