Scientists call for accurate assessment of oil spill size

Two weeks ago, the US government estimated the size of the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico at 5,000 barrels a day, a figure that has been endlessly cited in news reports. Scientists and environmental groups are, however, raising pointed questions about that accuracy of the estimate.
They have also criticised BP for refusing to use well-known scientific techniques to arrive at a more precise figure.

The criticism mounted yesterday, a day after the release of a video of a huge black plume of oil gushing which BP has repeatedly claimed as impossible to measure.

According to analysts the 5,000 barrels a day figure was put out hastily by government scientists in Seattle and appears to have been calculated using a method not recommended for major oil spills.

According to Ian R MacDonald, an oceanographer at Florida State University who is an expert in oil slicks, his calculations based on satellite imagery show the leak could easily be four to five time the size claimed by the government.

Scientists say given the fact that the size of the spill would be directly related to the amount of damage it would cause to the ocean and the ocean floor it was important that an accurate estimate was made.

Meanwhile BP has repeatedly said its highest priority was to plug the leak and not measure it and in a recent briefing Kent Wells, a senior BP vice president has said there was just no way it could be measured.