Oil company BP says the cost of clean up efforts and damage claims has now risen to $3.1 billion from the oil spill that has fouled hundreds of kilometers of beaches and damaged the economies of four southeastern Gulf states.

BP said Monday the costs include $147 million in damage payments to people affected by the disaster.  A report in Monday's New York Times newspaper says BP has asked two of its partners in the oil well to contribute $400 million toward cleanup costs.