http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/05/gulf_oil_spill_more_than_10x_g.html
Gulf Oil Spill At Least 10X Greater Than Thought: Expert
May 13, 2010
By Frank James and Allison Richards
NPR's Richard Harris has learned that much more oil, 70,000 barrels a day or more than ten times the official estimate, is gushing into the Gulf of Mexico from the Deepwater Horizon pipe, based on scientific analysis of the video released Wednesday.
That's the equivalent of one Exxon Valdez tanker full every four days.
The U.S. Coast Guard has estimated that oil was gushing into the ocean at the rate of 5,000 barrels a day. But, again, NPR has been told that estimate is very low.
Others have estimated before now that oil was spilling at a much faster rate than the official Coast Guard rate of 5,000 barrels a day.
SkyTruth.org, for instance, had a post on May 1, May Day, which is apt since that's the call sign for calamity, that said the 11 million gallons spilled by the Exxon Valdez was surpassed by the gulf spill on that day. There are 42 gallons of crude oil in a barrel so 11 million gallons would equal about 261,904 barrels.
Assuming the flow rate has been steady since the gusher started on April 20, the gulf spill surpassed the Exxon Valdez in the first four days.
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Have you ever wondered what happens to all that vacant space inside the earth, once minerals, oils and gas are taken out? What happens to the void left behind?
We have all seen movies and news reports of mining disasters deep under ground, when cave-ins occur. Solid minerals have been extracted, deep voids have been left behind, and sometimes horrendous mining accidents occur when walls and ceilings collapse, killing miners, and leaving families and friend totally devastated.
That is not a pretty picture to remember is it? But what happens to the inside of the Earth when oil and natural gas is extracted? Are we in any danger now that BP have found it impossible to stop this gusher?
http://just-me-in-t.blogspot.com/2010/05/does-bps-gulf-gusher-contribute-to.html
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