Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Spill Estimate Reaches Hayward's Upper Bound


The BP Oil Catastrophe has a new spill rate:

Working together, U.S. government and independent scientists estimate that the most likely flow rate of oil today is between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels per day.

This is the sixth position of the U.S. government since the blowout:

Estimated flow:
April 20 - Deepwater Horizon blowout
April 23 - No apparent leak
April 26- 1,000 barrels per day (bpd)
April 29 - 5,000 bpd
May 27 - 12,000 - 19,000 bpd
June 10 - 25,000 - 30,000 bpd, with it possibly 40,000 bpd
June 15 - 35,000 - 60,000 bpd

BP President Tony Hayward cited a maximum potential leak rate of 60,000 bpd over a month ago. That was early May. The supertanker solution was offered around the same time.

President Obama didn't address the higher spill rate or using tankers to vacuum up oil at sea in his remarks to the nation, but he's not known for clarity.

President Obama did mention his Oil Spill Commission, co-chaired by William Reilly who controls over $2 million in stock in ConocoPhillips, a joint venture partner with BP in the massive Tiber field in the Gulf of Mexico. Another commission member, Fran Ulmer works for the University of Alaska, a multi-million beneficiary of BP largesse. Obama stated:

I have established a National Commission to understand the causes of this disaster

He also charged Ken Salazar with a thorough review of the incident, only Ken bailed. It's now up to Obama's BP tied Oil Spew Commission.

In the picture above, Lord John Browne is on the left. Tony Hayward is to the right.

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