5,000 barrels per day leaking from oil rig site (from LBN, 5x early estimates):

[joshcryer]

Not sure why this wasn't copy-posted here too:

NEW ORLEANS – A massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is even worse than believed and as the government grows concerned that the rig's operator is ill-equipped to contain it, officials are offering a military response to try to avert a massive environmental disaster along the ecologically fragile U.S. coastline.

But time may be running out. Not only was a third leak discovered — which government officials said is spewing five times as much oil into the water than originally estimated — but it might be closer to shore than previously known, and could have oil washing up on shore by Friday.

At the same time, there appeared to be a growing rift developing between BP PLC, the operator of the oil rig that exploded last week in the deep waters of the Gulf, and the Coast Guard, which is overseeing the increasingly desperate operation to contain the spill and clean it up.

Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry was emphatic at a hastily called news conference late Wednesday that the new leak was discharging 5,000 barrels a day of sweet crude, not the 1,000 barrels officials had estimated for days since the Deepwater Horizons drilling rig exploded and sank 50 miles off the Louisiana Coast.

But appearing at the same news conference, BP's Chief Operating Office Doug Suttles was just as emphatic that he didn't believe the amount of oil spilling into the water had ballooned — or at the company wasn't able to handle the ongoing operation to contain it.

Article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100429/ap_on_bi_ge/us_louisiana_oil_rig_explosion

LBN thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4360781&mesg_id=4360781

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That last line in the part I quoted is fucking hilarious. "It didn't get worse, we just underestimated how bad it was." Fucking pigs, all of them.

[joshcryer]

1. "The Exxon Valdez is going to pale in comparison to this as it goes on."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8650620.stm

[JohnWxy]

11. "What, me worry?" It will only take a few months to drill another hole to relieve the pressure..and

HOPEFULLY, reduce the flow!

[DrDan]

2. 5000 is only from the new leak - right?

I thought it was leaking > 40,000 barrels a day initially - before this new leak was discovered.

[Statistical]

3. No it was 1,000 barrels = 42,000 gallons.

Now it is 5,000 barrels = 210,000 gallons.

It isn't a "new" leak it is simply their estimate was wrong.

[DrDan]

5. ok - thanks - my memory is failing I guess

[watrwefitinfor]

4. Sure couldn'ta seen this coming...

:sarcasm:

[hatrack]

6. Oops!!!!

:eyes:

[stuntcat]

7. like eco-terrorism

only the "good guys" have done it?

Someone will definitely pay, with a very expensive slap on the wrist, and all the life in the water won't ever be counted.

[pscot]

8. Hmmm. 5000 is less than 42000

so really, it's not as bad as we thought. Perspective is all.

[stuntcat]

9. "not as bad as we thought"!

I sure am relieved!!

[ConcernedCanuk]

10. Life for Mother Earth was much simpler when we just lived on the ground

.
.
.

Now we are poking into her bowels, and into her heavens;

mostly destructive.

and WE are the chosen species of god/spirits/whatever???

I think not