Page 30 - Flow Rate News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

>> if it is -- >> and if that happens -- >> go ahead, sorry. >> if that happens, you're never going to get a chance to measure the flow rate. >> we're going to talk to congressman markey about that, he has real concerns about that, because that's a multibillion dollar equation there. because bp is going to be charged based on how many barrels were actually pouring out. the difference could be tens of billions of dollars. donovan niewenhuise i appreciate your talking to us, chad myers as well. up next, ed markey with more on bp's incentive to kill this well fast and never let another drop of ...

Methane gas. despite that news, after three days of tests, thad allen, the government's point man on the spill, sees encouraging signs so the ongoing well integrity tests will continue with potential for additional extensions in 24-hour increments. bp and government officials have extended the testing of that capped well into a fourth day. >> as long as it's holding the pressure that's building inside of it, that's a very, very good sign. >> reporter: the government might still ask bp to open the valves on the stacking cap to begin capturing the oil and siphoning it to ships on the surface. ne...

Never get an accurate flow rate if this is the new plan. this is the way this is going to end on the cap. no more oil going up to the ships. just wait for relief well. that means we'll only have estimates as to how much oil is truly leaking into the gulf. b.p. certainly could be finding that advantageous. there is liability issues to deal with, depending on the flow rate. >> eric: why is that important if they only have estimates versus knowing how much may have gushed in the gulf? >> legal liability, financial liability for b.p. a lot of it depends on how much oil has gone into the gulf. at t...

Not they can sustain in keeping this containment cap in place, working the way it is. the longer this goes, the better sign that there is no structural damage or -- to that well bore going deep into the earth. >> when are we out of the woods. what happens over the next couple days? >> this is what is going to happen. after 48 hours if they've can go that long, then they need to make the decision about how they're going to move forward. there is a couple different ways of doing that. but, late this afternoon, admiral thad allen put out a statement, saying, the scenario, i think he mentioned thi...

The riser pipes to coming out of the blowout preventer and containment cap and run four lines to ships on the surface of the water to collect the containment. they say they are able to collect the oil, excuse me, they say they are able to collect about 80,000 barrels a day and if the government estimates are correct on the flow rate which is right now at a highest of about 60,000 barrels a day they say with all of that they'd be able to capture all of the oil that would be leaking into the gulf of mexico. the picture would look a little different but they say the end result would be the same t...