The oil giant BP squares off against the federal government in court today at a civil trial for damages arising from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The Wall Street Journal reports the Justice Department has considered offering BP an out-of-court settlement under which it would pay $16 billion. But BP has insisted on taking the case to trial in the face of what it calls “demands that are excessive and not based on reality or the merits of the case.” BP now faces fines of up to $21 billion for penalties under the Clean Water Act and payments under the Natural Resources Damage Assessment. In November, BP agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges and pay a $4.5 billion fine.