And that's just on the surface.

East coast of US, then...

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/49119

BP has made no attempt yet to cap the well or stop the leak. Their efforts have been focused on getting at least some of the oil into tankers so that they can make money. With a $75 million cap on oil spill damages, the only way that BP can loose any more money at this point is if oil stops flowing out of that well.

I really have nothing against offshore drilling if oil companies are totally accountable for accidents. The spill is most unfortunate. BP executives instead of coming out with statements like, “in comparison to all the water in the ocean this spill is minute”; they should have said, “We will do what ever it takes and no mater how much it costs to put things right, including reimbursing for collateral economic damage.” Even if it costs them billions they can afford it. Now because they are trying to slime out of their responsibility there are going to be more laws against offshore drilling and increase the price of energy world wide. Everyone will be harmed. I wish there were immediate alternatives to the petroleum based economy but that is still some time in the distant future. In the mean time we are at the mercy of the big international oil cartels. Do we cut off our noses to spite our faces to restrict exploration and development of domestic supplies?

Jerryb,

You should follow the story a bit closer, they have done several things to try and stem the flow of oil. Unfortunatly all they can do at this time is stem the flow not stop it. Stopping it will take spending several months drilling a new well so they can relieve the pressure. Once pressure has been relieved they can try and cap the leaking one.

There was obviously no workable, worse-case scenario emergency plan in place. The gov't dropped the ball, BP execs/engineers didn't self govern and now we are in for a potentially major environmental disaster. Drill, baby, drill.

Darrin

Had you followed the story more closely you would know that BP has not tried to "stem the flow of oil". Their efforts have been to channel some of that oil into tankers.

:they have done several things to try and stem the flow of oil. Unfortunatly all they can do at this time is stem the flow not stop it. "

No. It appears that BP can stop it but it means abandoning the well and losing 100's of millions. They would rather pollute than lose.

Hey, Kevin Costner's company has a centrifuge that they're deploying there - it separates petro from water at a rate of 200 gal./minute. BP and Louisiana officials have given the device a green light.

Ok, what is your proposal to stop the flow right here and right now?

From what I've read, before they can do anything the pressure of escaping oil has to be reduced. Obviously if you know better then call up BP and tell them how to do it. Or better yet, call up FEMA and tell them because BP might ignore you but not the govt.

There have been worse oil rig disasters in the gulf. This one kicked out 420,000 gallons per day for nine months. And for a while it was releasing 3 times more than that per day.

http://members.tele2.nl/the_sims/rig/ixtoc1.htm

Hopefully they will stop the flow on the BP rig long before then. As the owner of a small fractional interest in property in NW North Dakota I'm hoping that they shut down all offshore drilling.

Worst thing is eleven men died and no one will be held accountable for the negligence.

Darrin, several techniques have already been mentioned in the press to stop the flow of oil, none of which BP has tried. They could repair the blow out preventer, which they had disabled, they could fill the well with some sort of mud that is used to plug oil wells, they could do what the Russians have done, which is to detonate a bomb underground near the well to move the rock to shut the well.

No need to call BP or FEMA, they already know about these things. What they all have in common, and how they differ from what BP has been tried, is that they will not make money for BP, as they stop the flow of oil.

Corporate greed on display in aces. When are we going to get our country back?

The disturbing thing that I heard on the evening news is that the Coast Guard is refusing to share photos it has of the situation (because BP doesn't want them to) and chased reporters away from a spill area. I guess we know who the Coast Guard thinks it works for in that area and it's not the American people.

How is it theses inept criminals that cut corners to make an extra buck and had the whole thing blow up in their face creating possibly one of the worst eco-disasters in history .. how is it BP is in charge of the facts, access to the area and the solution? Where is the US Government? This is insanity.

Jack:
Let's put the oil spill in proper context now. In less than one month from now the annual Atlantic Hurricane season will commence and I am sure the National Hurricane
Center and its' parental governmental agency NOAA will be overjoyed with British Petroleum's quick response to this disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Throw into this picture a few category 1 hurricanes along with a possible category 2 hurricane maybe a category 3 disturbance and you will have a colossal oily mess on your hands !! I am sure British Petroleum missed the boat on that one in their great contigency planning. Oh, well. What's a few thousand miles of oily muck on our southern and eastern seaboards along with a few dead animals. Likewise, I hope this small oil spill does not take 20 years like the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska took. Remember, THIS IS ALL IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY EVERYBODY !!

Be careful what you ask for. There is a way to stop this oil leak right now, but you'll like it far less than having the oil continue leaking: an underground nuclear explosion to seal the well head.

No, I'm not kidding. Russia has done it 5 times when in this situation, and publicly suggested that we do it here.

Check that photo

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/05/20/the-gulf-oil-slick-from-space/#more-19751

And here are better ones

http://blogs.tampabay.com/photo/2010/05/gulf-oil-spill-satellite-images.html