Government, BP spar over size of oil leak

[ProSense]

Source: CNN

<...>

An updated estimate issued last week by a government-led team put the leak at 12,000-19,000 barrels (504,000 to 798,000 gallons) a day, more than double the initial figure.

<...>

"The very, very first estimates came from BP," Browner said on the CBS program. "They had the footage of the plume. The government then did satellite imagery and we realized that those estimates were not accurate."

Browner noted that BP had a "vested financial interest" in downplaying the size of the leak.

"They will ultimately pay a fine based on those rates," Browner said. "That's why we brought in an independent team. We did not include BP in the estimates that were made available this week."


Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/05/30/oil.spill.bp.government/

[wordpix]

1. O should have put Browner out front on this a long time ago---she's got credibility

[gateley]

2. Thank God they brought in an independent team. BP would just go

oil? What oil?

[jwirr]

3. Given BP's liability there is no question which estimate I believe.

[gristy]

4. My recollection is that BP estimated the gush rate from imaging of the spill at the surface,

but this method was widely criticized. When BP finally released video of the gusher at the far end of the collapsed riser, scientists were able to calculate the gush rate themselves and came up with this most recent gush rate.

[joanmj]

5. I agree.

[ProSense]

6. Rep Markey doesn't agree

"I think that they were either lying or they were incompetent," Markey said on the CBS program. Noting that BP has consistently provided information that proved to be wrong, Markey said he had "no confidence whatsoever in BP."

[gristy]

7. I agree with Rep. Markey. But not clear to me what he said is in disagreement with my earlier post.

[kpete]

8. White House official accuses BP of 'vested interest' in minimizing spill

Source: The Hill

White House official accuses BP of 'vested interest' in minimizing spill
By Ben Geman and Vicki Needham - 05/30/10 12:04 PM ET

A top White House official and a senior Democrat on Sunday attacked BP for downplaying the amount of oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico, accusing the oil giant of protecting its financial interests in low-balling the gusher’s size.

The tough line with the company comes a day after BP and federal officials abandoned the “top kill” effort to block the damaged well.

“It is important to understand that BP has a financial interest in what those flow rates are. They will ultimately pay a fine based on those rates,” said Carol Browner, the White House climate and energy adviser, on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

“It is important for people to understand that BP has a vested financial interest in downplaying the size of this,” Browner later added. “We are on top of it. We have the best minds looking at it.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/100661-white-house-official-accuses-bp-of-vested-interest-in-downplaying-spill

[Lasher]

9. Of course they're protecting their financial interests, that's what corporations do.

People are just so naive to think a corporation would ever do otherwise. Contrary to the endless libertarian Republican meme, they need to be tightly regulated and closely watched. That's why the Gulf has gone straight to hell. And that's why Wall Street bankers took the world economy down, enriching themselves mightily while they were at it. They weren't tightly regulated or closely watched.

[Proletariatprincess]

14. That's why the allegory of capitalism is a wild stallion....

harnessed by the public interest. Reagan removed the harness...now we just have a wild animal running away with our wealth and future.

[CLANG]

19. and we no longer have enough money to pay the guy to put the harness back on

[mikita]

10. color me surprised.... n/t

[msongs]

11. well she gets the sarah palin points out the obvious award lol nt

[chill_wind]

12. Ya think?

[EFerrari]

13. No one could have imagined BP would have a vested interest in minimizing their crime!

[nvme]

15. so using the average of the 2 mean figures ...............

that totals to over 26 million gallons??????????? so that is like EXXON VALDEZ x 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:wow: :wow: :wow: :wow:

[defendandprotect]

16. k

[L0oniX]

17. Nuke that fucker with a bunker buster and be done with it. Fuck BP trying to save it.

[CLANG]

18. I'm glad Markey is not mixing words

this is a clusterfuck of astronomic proportions!