Due to already passed laws, BP owes somewhere in that neighborhood in fines and royalties on the spilled oil, before we even begin to talk about liabilities and

Due to already passed laws, BP owes somewhere in that neighborhood in fines and royalties on the spilled oil, before we even begin to talk about liabilities and negligence and punitive stuff. Like, even if the oil never touched an animal or shore and never caused economic hardship on the Coast, just because it hit the water, they owe billions of dollars. Agreeing to a payment system now, ahead of sorting out the exact fines, is a PR win for both BP and Obama.