As I mentioned here previously, the true scope of this oil leak is far greater than the US government and BP have been admitting. Now, after a video released by BP showing the oil leak has been obtained around the world, independent scientific analysis has confirmed that the damaged pipe is spewing around 70,000 barrels a day into the Gulf. Compare that to the 5,000 barrels a day the "official" estimates had pegged it at. This means that this oil leak (it is not a spill) is far worse than the Exxon Valdez Spill and will surpass the Ixtoc 1 spill (the 2nd largest ever) in only 26 more days.
USA Today - Gulf Spill Reportedly 70,000 Barrels
Bellona - BP Finally Admits Spill 10 Times Worse than Thought
First the "official" estimate was 1,000 barrels per day. Next, a small organization called SkyTruth, which uses satellite images to monitor environmental problems, published an estimate on April 27 suggesting that the flow rate had to be at least 5,000 barrels a day, and probably several times that.. So the next day the official estimate became 5,000 barrels. Experts and scientists around the world have been saying it must be far greater than that. Now, BP releases a video, scientists and universities analyze it and, like magic, BP is saying it could be far worse than originally thought.
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