There's been lots of speculation lately on just how much oil is leaking from the Deepwater Horizon blowout. Unfortunately BP has been low-balling their estimates from the very beginning, first estimating it at 1000 barrels/day, then raising that estimate to 5000 based on early calculations by Skytruth and Dr. Ian MacDonald. Surfrider has been using Skytruth's more recent calculations as the basis for the counter running at the top of our site. As of today, this calculation puts the total volume of oil released at a whopping 35 Million gallons, more than 3 times the size of Exxon Valdez.
In the meantime, BP has resisted efforts to accurately measure the flow of oil, saying that it's unnecessary and not even possible.
BP finally relented to pressures to allow a live video stream from the leak but still insist that measurements are not needed.
Today, the New York Times ran an Op-Ed by a team of researchers arguing very clearly why knowing the true volume is important, and how it could be done simply and accurately.
Understanding the full extent of oil in the water will have huge implications for cleanup planning, especially as the oil is carried to Florida (and beyond) by the Loop Current and possibly into the Gulf Stream.