US govt ups estimated flow rate of leak from 5,000 bpd to 19,000bpd.

[Statistical]

U.S. government experts have estimated that BP Plc's (BP.L) blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico is spewing up to 19,000 barrels (798,000 gallons) per day of oil, the director of the U.S. Geological Survey said on Thursday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2711535020100527?type=marketsNews

If true and BP does stop the leak today we are looking at 38 days * 19,000 bpd = 722,000 barrels.

The worst spill in US history but not the worst in the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_spill#Largest_oil_spills

Would put it around 10th largest.

[ShortnFiery]

1. Let's ask the World's Oil Companies for help in sopping up this mess?

"The worst spill in US history but not the worst in the world."

[Junkdrawer]

2. The government tried to stick with 5,000 bpd, but when the 4" pipe...

they stuck in one end of the 19" riser started to briefly get that much, they had to up the number to something less embarrassing.

Given what we've seen in the film prior to Top Kill, the amounts under the surface vs. on the surface, and the rates that the 4" pipe was able to collect, I'd go with the independent scientists who put the "leak" in the 50,000 to 100,000 bbd range.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. The 5,000 bpd estimate...

had always been based on the amount of oil seen on the surface.

[BeFree]

4. yep

And we knew 5g was bs after the first week, right?

[leveymg]

5. I guess the Gov't doesn't need those extra billions of dollars in fines?

Nah. Let the oil companies keep it. We'd just waste it.

[backscatter712]

6. Probably because the top-kill numbers definitavely made liars of BP's execs.

Pump in so many gallons of mud, so many gallons come out the leaks, watch the gauges and observe the pressures.

It was obvious that BP was full of shit when they said 5,000 barrels, but now there's numerical proof.

[Botany]

7. Lots of oil

28,880,000 gallons of oil


19,000 x 40 (gallons per barrel) x 38 days = 28,880,000 gallons of oil

[Statistical]

8. No doubt it is a lot.

Valdez is roughly 11 million gallons. So 28 million gallons is 2 almost 3 Valdez spills.

Still the Valdez is sadly relatively small compared to the largest spills in history. For example the Ixtoc I leak is estimated at 3 million barrels (126 million gallons). My point was this isn't this the "end of life as we know it" apocalypse that some make it out to be.

Of course that assumes the top kill is successful. If not..... :(