Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Top Kill Option:

26-May 2:00 pm

Top kill underway. Mud seen streaming out the riser, based on ROV streaming video. No junk shot used.

BP officials have repeatedly stated that their was a significant chance of failure. Top kills have been successful but never in 5,000 ft of water.

Estimation of Flow Rates

This subject perhaps has been very overblown. Per the first link:

"If you've already amassed all of the resources, booms and skimmers that you can, knowing the amount doesn't make much of a difference," said Wes Tunnell, a 35-year veteran of oil spills at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi."

Rates from various experts ranged from 5,000 to 100,000 BPD, so it looked for a while like 50,000 was about right. But, now it's 12,000 to 19,000 BPD, as an initial preliminary number.

Environmental Damage Reports

Areas impacted include: St Benard Parish, Plaquemine Parish, Breton Sound, Lake Washington at Barataria Bay, Lafourch Parish, Terrebonne Parish, Timbalier Island, Lake Chene in Barataria Island as of May 26.

Louisiana State Government- Emergency Website

Spill maps