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[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/11/gulf.boat.boom.gi.art.jpg caption="Workers pick up oil soaked absorbent boom near Grand Isle, Louisiana. "]
USGS: More oil gushing than believed
(CNN) – Scientists now estimate the leaking BP oil well in the Gulf of Mexico was releasing 20,000 to 40,000 barrels - or 840,000 to 1.7 million gallons - per day through last week, the head of the U.S. Geological Survey said Thursday.
The scientists' previous estimate was 12,000 to 19,000 barrels per day.
The new estimate is of the well's flow rate prior to BP's cutting of the damaged riser pipe extending from the well's blowout preventer last week, U.S. Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt said. After BP cut the riser on June 3, it placed a containment cap over the preventer's lower marine riser package to capture some of the leaking oil.
Scientists estimate that the spill's flow rate increased by 4 to 5 percent after the well's riser pipe was cut last week in order to place the cap atop the well.
BP says that with the cap, it is capturing about 16,000 barrels daily and funneling it to a ship on the surface. Before that, BP was capturing some oil through a siphon inserted into the well riser. Read more
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CNN keeps claiming that BP is misleading the public. So is CNN. John Roberts Keeps saying that the gulf well new estimate is up to 40,000 BPD as though that is what is flowing from the well. The actual new estimate is 20,000 to 40,000 bpd. Roberts is still throwing around the number of 100,000 bpd which is a complete wild number. CNN needs to check some facts. The average gulf well produces only 9000 bpd(2008 data) and the largest well I found was 34,000 bpd. Roberts and everyone else at CNN needs to stop using the 40,000 number as fact to insight the public. Remember, fair and honest reporting. Well I'm not hearing much of it lately and have been switching other news channels. I don't blame them for not wanting their people to talk to you.
John. Why are you wasting our time with this ignorant woman , Reed , from Newsweek. If I want hate i'll tune into Fox news. You need to shut this woman up. I would like to hear the train whistle more than her. What is she doing to help?
It's a little tough to take your outrage seriously when you have John down there covering the gulf disaster and then you cut away to a BP commercial. I don't need to see that elitist denial machine telling us how they're taking responsibility for this after he already told us how he wants his life back.
I've already boycotted BP (and joined the group on Facebook). Does CNN have to be next? Come on, really? Money isn't everything... Tell BP where they can stick theirs.
Please help me to understand why you would give an anti Obama reporter (obviously Republican) Newsweek "reporter" so much airtime to spew nebulous statements without even questioning her? LAZY JOURNALISM....
Dear Rachel,
Here is what has been proposed to BP and multiple media sources for over a month(see link 1) – can not sleep watching this global disaster take place, unabated while there are solutions. It is unfathomable why this is allowed to continue.
Sincerely,
Michael Gruters
Riser pipe that fell to ocean floor is attached by hex bolts to a mating flange at the top of the BOP – this could be replaced by a new riser and flange (see link 2) –
These suggestions are on record at EPA (see link 2) at BP engineering for over a month –
Let's hope the USA can have a repeat of the 1950 World Cup....lol...
The temporary housing established by BP for the cleanup workers should be called "slick city"
Kiran, the UK are not and have never participated in the world cup. The USA's opening game is against England.
The last UK team was arguably the Republic of Ireland team participating in the 1994 cup in the USA.
Everybody has the perfect plan for stopping the oil spill yet it doesn't get stopped.
Less talk – more action, PLEASE.
@Pauly, I heard the same thing (concerning the leaks). Where is the actual evidence of this? Videos, pressure readings, 'x-rays', 'gammas', etc.? This kind of evidence needs to be made public. What are the facts? What is the known configuration of the well head , casing, drill pipe, BOP, riser flange, ...everything? Before AND after the April 21 explosion!
Heres how you stop the leak start dropping rocks sand and cement on that leak and bury it build an Island on top of it .
I worked for a major in the Oil & Gas industry for 14 years. I have believed from the beginning that BP was "tight holing" this well (trying to keep the production secret). They knew they were sitting on a huge discovery. Minimizing the flow served two purposes for BP: 1) It reduced the fines which the government would impose and 2) it would minimize the impact on their "bottom line" and therefore their stock price. Think about the "delta". Not only have they lost the revenue from this obviously huge discovery but they are faced with huge expenses to cover the damages.
Please send Alan Chernoff to the MMS to get the following information and make it public (you will have to pay for this so I can't do it myself).
Get the following"
1. A map of the MMS blocks in the Gulf of Mexico showing which blocks are leased and which are available.
2. A list of the currently producing wells at or near this well with their production records.
3, Royalty records from the wells in the Gulf.
I think you will find some very interesting information and give you many issues to follow up on.
Would you people shut up about The president kicking someone's ass over this oil spill. I love CNN but this is stupid...
The only ONE person who can stop this oil spill is Superman....
But he's a cartoon character....
The entire Gulf coast will be DEAD for decades!!!
No speculation needed
my 10 year old knows that
OH I SEE, NOW "YOU" worry about Everything!!! SINCE the marshlands and wildlfe are "ALREADY DYING!!! Cause of "LIE'S!!! This planet "WILL SURVIVE" WE THE PEOPLE WON'T!!! All this for the price of OIL, NOT WORTH IT!!! I said "LIQUID NITROGEN" to create a freeze plug to slow the "OIL"!!! WHAT'S YOUR BACKUP PLAN!!! USA is the way!!! ALWAY'S!!!
CNN has been rather slow off the mark getting people like Bill Nye (the science Guy) to put give a science perspective on the difficulties posed by this disaster and estimating the amount of oil involved.
Yet guys like Anderson Cooper refuse to try and understand the engineering, technical and other science involved, preferring to run with the notion of a massive conspiratorial cover-up when the truth is much more likely that the numbers and answers he wants just aren't known with any certainty. It's quite obvious why BP isn't returning his calls despite his constant whining. He doesn't get it and doesn't want to get it.
Perhaps the solution is to dress Anderson up in a form-fitting wet suit, put him in Deep Sea Diving suit, and imbed him five miles down by the well head for a while. To do what ? Count bubbles, perhaps.
Regarding the young woman who tried to sail around the world alone.
I went to bed thinking she was lost at sea but woke up to find out that she was alive and had communicated with her parents but was adrift.
That was good news for all.
But as with all adventures that come out badly, who will pay for the rescue? Kiran, why didn't you ask that question of the family members?
Exsploding a nuke without the wait of the ocean pushing down is different then with the wait thats a hell of alot of pressure pushing down .
It's amazing how even though we have not gotten any of the oil in PC Beach that it's still slow for this time of year. This is our season and now it's just another day praying it doesn't reach us.
Submit your ideas to CNN on how to fix the oil disaster: http://www.ireport.com/fixit.
Get involved! Volunteer, donate, and more at http://www.cnn.com/impact.
John,
Your interview with that EPA zar hit a very sour note this morning. More confirmation that our federal government, the people we elect and pay, are there to screw us.It doesnt matter if they are democrats, republicans, independents or zealots. Too bad we don't have a reset button. This oil spil just sickens me to see our own U.S. people allowed a foreign company to deficate in our pool.
What kind of parent would allow there teenage kid to do such a thing dont they like there kid .
Sen Nelson of FL stated the other day that there's evidence of oil seeping from the sea floor. If this is true, it means that the casing under the sea floor has been breached. Cutting off the pressure w/ valve or anything else would cause thse breaches to become full blown leaks. Not one or 2 but many. A lot further down than 5,000 ft.
Mark my words, before this Gulf Oil Disaster is all said and done. Many high ranking officials, elected and otherwise, are going to be incarcerated. There is no excuse for this debacle and level of incompetence exhibited by all those affiliated.
John,
You're the man. Thanks for mentioning that we were losing wetlands daily (football fields, acres, sq. miles – depends on your source) every day before this catastrophy. All the more reason to consider opening up those canals and levees (sp) to flood the Miss Delta and tributaries. Let's "power wash" some of that oil out of the marshes, perhaps keep encroaching plumes off shore, and at the very least – start the process of new silt deposition. Who knows, this may be a good way to signal to the wildlife that something is very, very wrong, thus giving them a chance to adapt in mass ( migrate to northwestern coast line in Texas). Of course, other than the silt deposition, these are just theories, but why not start modeling them. We have the tecnology! Keep up the good work John (and the gang).
Theres a few things to worry about an under water exsplosion such as the effects on the gulf stream or a tidle wave or even caveing in the ground around the culdera and releasing all the oil at once .
@Adam, I'm with you concerning that 'bolted flange' and 'sheared off riser' being replaced with shut off valve of appropriate design. This whole situation with BP has become completely bizarre and a contradition in engineering principles and disciplines. Looks like BP is going to 'implode' on itself. It is remarkable that they can work at these depths. We need facts. This situation makes 9/11 twin tower attacks look like a mosquito bite. Way too much disinformation being propagated.
James Carville wants BP to shut up & write the checks. I have never heard him tell LA politicians the same when it comes to workkers that get injured in any of their industries & have to file a WQorker's Comp claim. In LA & other states, the process can take years before the injured person is compensated.
Or where is he & all the others when people become disabled & have to file for Social Security disability? Again, this could take several years. Heck, it can take years for Disabled Veterans to be compensated!
The for profit companies world wide are having their way and have so for centuries. Now India and China are ruthless for profit countries. Capitalism has developed manners to disect our Earth and have fun as they do it.
I notice that some for profit companies are profitting from cleaning up the messes.
America must make up its mind to either begin corrections or as I have came to see turn up the volume and spare generations by bringing on with more rapidity the ice age.
How is the governor of California's Hummer doing?
Help the economy of Grand Isle and our coastal towns by moving your broadcast to that area! Stay in their hotels, eat at their restaurants. You guys are reporting how hard this area is, and will be, hit economically – yet you broadcast the majority of the time from New Orleans which is 21/2 hours away!!!!!!!!
Didn't John Roberts ask that woman why the Obama Administration signed off on the safety procedures if it was so wrong?
Please ask Carol Browner why they haven't lifted the Jones act. This would allow ships, boats skimmers from other countries to come in and help remove the oil. They have turned down offers from other countries to allow oil skimmer ships to come in and help.
Please ask her to lift/wave the Jones act like bush did for Katrina. Let's stop messing around and get help in here.
Why nukes? Why media ban? ... The nuclear option sounded pretty far fetched and stupid until it was leaked that BP actually drilled down 30,000 ft and hit a stratus pocket of ultra high-pressure gasses that blew all of their safety equipment. What's being released into the Gulf and the atmosphere are VOCs, Hydrogen Sulfide, Benzine and Methyl Chloride – Deadly toxins in massive concentration. Pressure may be as high as 70,000 psi and cannot be stopped by any human technology – except a nuke... but if they rupture it and make it worse this will go in forever and kill everything on the planet. This is a catastrophe unlike anything we have ever seen. Soon, this will come out in the mainstream. God help us.
That woman on CNN is an expert – at double speak. All that talking she is doing and still she avoided John's point blank question.
If the original estimates of the well yield was about 150,000 brls per day, why would the free flowing well be less?
America has become weak and puny whenever it comes to resolve .
We should have an army of scientist on this oil leak not just a few .
This president gets blame for everything while the former (oil men) presidents get off scots free. What about the companies involved with BP and their connections to these former presidents and one vice president.
Where were Carville and Maitlin during Katrina? All they are doing is calling out the president. We all need an impartial investigation. Just blame the black man for doing nothing to stop the leak and for the problems in the US including the economic problems.
Why is CNN calling for the nuclear option? Not just today but in past newscasts. With all the toxins being released into the Gulf by the oil & dispersants, why would anyone want to poison the Gulf w/ radiation? It's one thing to have tar balls ending up on the shores. What would happen if a hurricane hit & started dropping radioactive tar balls into the street & onto peoples' porches?
Besides, an expert told John Roberts the other day that it would take 6 months to a year to even set up a nuclear explosion. The relief wells will be built & hopefully, working long before that.
CNN needs to go undercover into B.P.'s organization by planting spy's into there clean up crew's .
james carville for czar of the oil spill
Are you really that stupid Billy to think ANYTHING I have said is in support of BP?.... lol... Maybe you are to dense to be wasting precious oxygen that the rest of us need.
CNN is chasing cleanup crew workers to get a story? You want to get these people fired? Besides, the media is running around shoving mikes & cameras in everyone's faces. When politicians, workers & everyone else has to stop what they're doing to answer stupid questions or hold news conferences, it means they aren't doing the work necessary to get the job done. The Coast Guard should release one press release daily & everyone should shut up & get to work!!!
MeLon how long have you worked for bp ?
Wake up AMERICA!... Time to go to rehab and quit being oil junkies!
Rep Boehner agreed w/ the Chamber of Commerce that the taxpayer should help w/ the costs of this disaster. Then he backtracked. Why? It's no secret that the GOP has held up all attempts to raise and/or eliminate the $75 million liability cap.
Besides, the taxpayer is already funding this mess. Oil co's receive billions in tax breaks, incentives & subsidies. I saw a report yesterday that BP has already collected more than $800 million in US govt contracts this year!!!
i don't trust bp they are stalling for a reason ...we need to be a step ahead of them instead of trailing behind them ,we need to tell them what to do instead of them telling us ...that corp is laughing at us
while seeing how thay can get away with on the cheap ........
I am tired of looking at that video of this broken pipe spewing crude with a bolted joint right below it... Why has no one removed the bolts and bolted a open valve on it that would relieve the pressure til tightened .... then close it..... there has to be something that could be put over that to at least capture the crude if not to cap it off. Frustrated. Feel so bad for the people whos lives are affected. Save the Oceans
plug the hole ,write the check,and shut up !!!!!!
i vote for jame carville for czar of the oil spill..as a former resident of the vieue carre (839 bourbon st apt 1 (bourbon and doumaine ...the french quarter new orleans) he has the drive and motivation to get the job done .....i really mean this ......you should do a poll on public opinion on this issue
we need to see more of him to motivate others ...take off the kidd glove ...filter the bs bp is feeding us ...and make sure bp isnt in the process to trfr $$$ to the bp euro so they can bankrupt bp america
sieze the bp property and assets i mean get something done before people lose it and after seeing pictures of dead wild life and marshes take to the streets for action
respectfully sent
billy n miami
btw ...i take my satelite radio to work so i can listen to the lastest news about the spill on cnn xm radio channel 122
Politicians from the Gulf states & elsewhere are calling for an end to the moratorium & for even more drilling, Many claim that drilling in shallow water is safe even though the Ixtoc 1 disaster was in shallow water & took 10 months to stop.
Shallow water drilling means drilling closer to the shore. If they can't protect the shores from a leak almost 50 miles from shore how do they expect to stop one that is say 15 miles from shore? More wells mean higher chance of another rig exploding or being damaged by a hurricane. What's going to happen if a well closer to shore starts leaking while this one is still gushing?
It's time to consider controlled flooding of the Mississipi and Pear Rivers to wash out as much oil as possible and deposit new silt ( the foundation of new wetlands/marshes). This situation is now threatening national security and MUST be overtaken operationally and fiscally by our government. The DOJ can freeze BP assets (not payroll to US employees) and executive / legislative / judicial branches need to start to communicate on how to do this ASAP.
Christine Romans, Bernie Sanders has HR 4213 before Congress and it is known as American Jobs and Tax Loopholes Closing Act! Heard anything about it down Wall Street way?
Why won't the Democrats sign a budget?
Good Morning CNN and to the “Most News in the Morning.” THE AMOUNT OF OIL COMING OUT! To me it’s simple. My name is Jerry Barton from North East PA (the Poconos), and my background is Electrical Engineering/Mathematics, Etc.. If BP had this Drill-Rig (and it’s 21 inch riser pipe), in operation before the Blow-Out happened. And further were taking Oil and Gas out of the well, and were monitoring All the pressures as they say they can do with the BOP (Blow Out Preventor) device. They have to really know what number of Barrels of Oil and Cubic Feet of gas had to be coming out of it? Their job is to capture and/or collect/recover both, store both, transport both, sell both,,, how could they NOT KNOW?
Good Morning CNN!
I was going to suggest that the low lifes known as the BP officials be sent to a Louisiana prison but then I heard that they haven't even contacted the families of the 11 employees killed during the accident so I had to rethink my position – line them up against the wall and execute them.
Kiran Chetry how is our friend Melissa and her sobriety?