On Friday, it was noticed that BP PLC challenged the exactness of some third-party estimates.

It was seen that the Company was unable to put a figure on the volume of the oil that was pouring from the well into open water. On Thursday, BP was admitted that the leak was more than the estimate of 5,000 barrels. From the subsea images it was seen that the oil continued to flow from the well.

BP said in a statement that the third party’s estimates of flow were incorrect and this happened because they had not thought about the riser pipeline that was connected to the well from which the oil was leaking.

"In addition, a drill pipe currently trapped inside the riser has reduced the flow area by an additional 10%, and around half the plume of hydrocarbons that can be seen leaking from the well is natural gas”, said BP.

It was noticed that BP, the U. S. Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Minerals Management Service, the Department of Energy and the U. S. Geological Survey had formed a taskforce that would give new estimates of the oil flow from the well by May 22.

The previous estimate produced by NOAA was 5,000 barrels a day.