Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico - Historic Disaster

[NeilBlanchard]

The best new estimate, based on actual video of the gusher, seems to be 70,000 Barrels per Day (+/- 20% or 56,000 to 84,000).

That's FOURTEEN TIMES worse than the previous estimate.

To put it another way: it is about 2.9 Million Gallons per Day -- it is already been bigger in the first week than the Exxon Valdez...

The other two estimates also based on the actual video of the oil/natural gas spill range between 20,000 Barrels and 100,000 barrels a day, and at least 50,000 barrels.

Gulf Spill Could Be Much Worse Than Believed : NPR

[Christ]

I'd like to think that people might open their eyes at some point... instead, I find it more and more likely that I'll just close mine.
-- Unknown

[Piwoslaw]

Sadly ironic that this tragic accident happened just after Obama approved off-shore drilling.

I remember how much went on in the US in the wake of Exxon Valdez, now this strikes much closer to home. Will this event finally make Americans stop and think about their oil dependence? Will they stop driving SUV's now? Did they stop in 1989?

[Daox]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Will this event finally make Americans stop and think about their oil dependence? Will they stop driving SUV's now? Did they stop in 1989?

Sadly no, I highly doubt it'll make most think twice about oil dependence. And, its only for one reason, it hasn't hit them where it counts yet, their pocketbook.

[Bicycle Bob]

The Santa Barbara spill led to the pressure that really slowed down offshore drilling, but the companies are in a much better position to resist government now, while making money on the disasters. Hay makes a fine, effective, non-toxic sponge for oil, but who has stock in a hay companay? I sure hope all those fishermen get to retire on their clean-up contracts.

[dremd]

I know it hasn't hit most of America in the pocketbook yet, but it has here.
Fishermen, processors, wholesalers, tourism, etc are all out of work for the next long while.

And as an FYI, the media seems to delay reports of oil about a week. Mobile bay had some tar balls on the 9th and had tons on the 10'th. Seaside had a few (handful) on the 8th. Vermillion Bay has been disgusting since the 12th.

I just hope that BP is lying to Wall Street, not the Gulf Coast, everything so far has been a lie, so0 . . . .

[NeilBlanchard]

Tarballs have reached Key West.

Edit: apparently they have now tested the said tarballs and they are *not* from the BP oil spill. There has been a report from a science ship showing the oil has made it into the so-called loop current, so it is only a matter of time...

[RobertSmalls]

NPR reports the ratio of oil to natural gas is 3000:1 (presumably by volume). Almost all of the natural gas is escaping into the atmosphere, where it is a greenhouse gas much more potent than CO2.

[copternadley]

oh my god, that's too much of a price. too much headache.

[aerohead]

Not to worry.
The invisible hand will take care of everything.