They can't collect and measure the spilled oil (if only they could!), or get flow instrumentation down there. The only way to estimate is to determine the cross section area of the pipe opening, and the average velocity of the oil jet. They know the diameter of the pipe, but the pipe was mangled first by the accident, then by the shears. The pipe opening is not the ideal shape for a calibrated flow nozzle, so a "spot" velocity from the middle of the stream would not be very reliable, a velocity profile would be required. Perhaps someone more qualified could make a reasonable guess. Looking at the video, I haven't a clue how to estimate.
IUt is not the "garbage out" of conversions, even multiple ones, it is the "garbage in" of bad data. ________________________________ From: Pat Naughtin <[email protected]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> Sent: Wed, June 9, 2010 9:29:29 PM Subject: [USMA:47625] Re: Oil Spill Technical Team Using SI Dear Gene, You might be interested in this article in our local newspaper, 'The Age': http://www.theage.com.au/world/experts-at-loggerheads-over-oil-leak-rate-20100608-xtlj.html Since each of the sources has their own 'down-dumber' I don't suppose we can have any confidence whether the original data (kilograms, litres, cubic metres, metres per minute, metres per hour, gallons UK, gallons USA, feet per minute, etc, ) is being reported reliable given the possibility of multiple conversion errors. Cheers, Pat Naughtin Author of the ebook, Metrication Leaders Guide, see http://metricationmatters.com/MetricationLeadersGuideInfo.html Hear Pat speak at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lshRAPvPZY PO Box 305 Belmont 3216, Geelong, Australia Phone: 61 3 5241 2008 Metric system consultant, writer, and speaker, Pat Naughtin, has helped thousands of people and hundreds of companies upgrade to the modern metric system smoothly, quickly, and so economically that they now save thousands each year when buying, processing, or selling for their businesses. Pat provides services and resources for many different trades, crafts, and professions for commercial, industrial and government metrication leaders in Asia, Europe, and in the USA. Pat's clients include the Australian Government, Google, NASA, NIST, and the metric associations of Canada, the UK, and the USA. See http://www.metricationmatters.com/ to subscribe. On 2010/06/10, at 05:20 , <[email protected]> <[email protected]> wrote: >I *heard* on a news network that the Technical Team assigned to measure the >flow rate of crude oil and gas leaking from the floor of the Gulf of Mexico is >measuring depth in meters, *independent* of BP statements. > >What unit of flow rate is being used by the Team? I would like to hear the >rate in kg/s for each major hydrocarbon component of the liquid and gas >leakage. > >Neither "barrels per day" nor "gallons per day" is acceptable. > >Gene Mechtly. > >
