Gulf well possibly leaking five times as much as estimate, scientists say
Posted May 27, 2010 11:20:45 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Scientists studying the blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico now say it’s leaking at least twice as much oil and possibly five times as much as original estimates.
The Gulf of Mexico spill has now leaked far more oil than the Exxon Valdez disaster, maybe even three-and-a-half times as much, making it the worst oil spill in U.S. history.
U.S. Geological Survey Director Dr. Marcia McNutt is the leader of a team put together to try to figure out how much oil is coming from the well.
She said results are preliminary, but two teams using different methods determined the well is leaking at least 504,000 gallons (1.9 million litres) a day. One team said it might be leaking as much as 798,000 gallons (3 million litres) and another said that number might be closer to a million gallons (3.8 million litres).
Meanwhile, crews have been pumping mud into the leaking well since about 2 p.m. Wednesday.
BP managing director Bob Dudley said he is encouraged by what he sees, but adds that it is a difficult procedure.
“The procedure is working, in the sense that this is a half day to a two day procedure. It is a little bit like arm wrestling, something with about equal force trying to force mud down it while it’s flowing up” said Dudley.
It has worked above ground but has never before been tried a kilometre and a half beneath the sea.
The well blew out when the offshore drilling rig Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20.
BP and the Coast Guard had said since then that about 210,000 gallons (about 800,000 litres) a day was flowing.
Meanwhile, U.S. president Barack Obama is expected to announce he is keeping a moratorium on new deepwater oil drilling permits for six months.
Obama will also cancel lease sales in the western gulf and off the coast of Virginia.
