New oil spill estimate released

A new analysis by government scientists says the runaway well in the Gulf of Mexico gushed 4.9 million barrels, or 205.8 million gallons of oil, the largest accident spill ever. The well spewed out 62,000 barrels a day initially, then eased to 53,000 barrels a day until it was capped July 15, according to the Flow Rate Technical Group. Of that, some 800,000 barrels were captured. The new numbers were released Monday night. It's considerably higher than the 138 million gallons from the Ixtoc I blowout in 1979. A pumping test and a "static kill" at the site will be delayed until Tuesday after a small hydraulic leak was discovered in the capping stack hydraulic control system. (Sources: Washington Post, Bloomberg, AFP, 08/02/10) The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 workers. BP leased the rig from Transocean.