Feds, BP 2 million barrels apart on Deepwater spill estimates

 Lawyers for BP and the federal government continue to argue in court over how much oil poured into the Gulf of Mexico following the 2010 explosion of Deepwater Horizon.
Determining the volume is a multibillion-dollar question for U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier.
Government experts estimate 4.2 million barrels, or 176 million gallons, spilled. BP says an estimate of 2.45 million barrels is more accurate.
The volume is important because it will be used in determining any penalties under the Clean Water Act.
Under that act, a polluter can be forced to pay a maximum of either $1,100 or $4,300 per barrel of spilled oil. The higher maximum applies if the company is found grossly negligent, as the government argues BP should be.
Using the government’s figures, a maximum penalty could total $18 billion. Using the company’s figures, that maximum penalty would be about $10.5 billion.