New leak volume report

This may sound incredibly stupid...but at this point how much is actually leaking is moot. Stopping it is the only important issue. Whether it has been leaking 5000 bpd, or 50,000 bpd, we are already seeing the impact. It seems like assigning it a definitive number is just a huge waste of time. It is too much "fricking" oil...thats how much is leaking....(also skytruth has been asserting this number since day 2)....Now, who has the scoop on what went wrong with the top hat?

they're talking bout this on CNN right now...thats an exxon valdez every four days

5,000 barrels per day @ 42 gallons per barrel = 145.83 gallons per minute = 0.325 cubic feet per second.

50,000 barrels per day would be 1,458.33 gallons per minute or 3.25 cubic feet per second (obviously).

The current plan is to insert tubing into the discontinuity shown on the most recent footage. One of the articles that I read asserted they will be going in with 6" dia. material, so this opening must be greater than 6" wide at it's narrowest point unless it will be pried open during this process (doubtful).

I know it is not regularly shaped, but absent any information about the split's geometry I'll use a circular 6" nozzle for an example which has a cross section of 0.196 square feet.

Approximate the fluid's velocity dividing the flow rate by the nozzle area. This yields a rough estimate which doesn't account for many unknowns.

Low number case @ 5,000 BPD, V = (0.325/0.196) = 1.66 feet per second through the opening.

High number case @ 50,000 BPD, V = (3.25/0.196) = 16.6 feet per second.

I went back and looked at the video several times and I think it lies between these numbers.

Anybody else want to take a wild arse guess at it?