“BUT FOR WHAT PURPOSE IS THE ESTIMATE EVEN MADE -—”
there is a legal mechanism to fine bp based on the number of barrels spilled, so eventually the spill estimate numbers are going to be worth tens of billions of dollars. This also may relate to why bp totally lowballed their estimate from the start.
yes I know, that is why they need it as big as they can get it — They put the Obamacare low-ball estimator folks right on it.
But who will really know what leaked ... My point is it’s not knowable.