The US government on Thursday, Day 52 of the BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster, updated its estimate of oil spewing from the leaking well in the gulf, suggesting that it could be as high as 40,000 barrels per day, double an earlier estimate of 20,000 barrels. Director of the US Geological Survey, Dr. Marcia McNutt who is leading the Flow Rate Technical Group (FRTG) said that the revised estimates, prior to the insertion of the containment dome, are based on additional video that BP was directed to provide and on new data or analysis undertaken by three of the scientific teams.
The newly released estimates by the government are in stark contrast to the initial estimate put out by BP of 1,000 barrels per day and which was later revised to 5,000 barrels.
National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen said that “developing accurate and scientifically grounded oil flow rate information is vital, both in regards to the continued response and recoveery, as well as the important role this information may play in the final investigation of the failure of the blowout preventer and the resulting spill.”
Meanwhile, Admiral Allen yesterday sent a letter to BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg, requesting that he and other BP officials travel to Washington to meet with senior Administration officials on June 16, to discuss BP financial responsibility for all cost associated with the spill. President Obama is expected to participation in some portion of that meeting.
See Letter from Admiral Thad Allen to BP Chairman Carl-Henric Savberg Here.
In related developments, Congress on Thursday passed a bill that will allow the movement of monies from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund Principal Fund to the Emergency Fund which would allow the National Incident Commander to continue directing funds for critical administration-wide response activities in advance of reimbursement by BP, as the responsible party.
