Gulf spill may have been somewhat bigger than feds, BP estimated

Independent analysis used new technique developed for hydrothermal vents

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HOW MUCH GUSH To measure the volume of oil flowing from the Deepwater Horizon well, researchers used high-resolution video clips to follow swirling movements of parts of the jet. Courtesy U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works

On September 19, petroleum engineers finally — and conclusively — plugged the BP well in the Gulf of Mexico.