The Pipe BP is using. What is its maximum rated capacity?

What is the pipes maximum rated capacity? You know, the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico pipe that has oil pouring out from the end of it?
How many units of oil/gas are capable of flowing through the pipe? By unit I mean feet/meter/gallons what ever the unit may be given on a per time. Example, 85000 gallons/hour or 2000000 gallons/day. What is the number?

What ever that number is is most probably the amount of oil/gas flowing from the well.

If you think about the amount of weight pressing down on this huge pool of oil and gas, the atmosphere of air at sea level (14.7psi), the weight of the water (14.7psi * (151 Atmospheres)), the soil and rock beneath the sea . You add all that up and you get millions of tons. Well like anything that has pressure applied to it, if a hole is made, it’s going for the hole, the least resistance. All the pressure pushing the oil/gas up and throught the pipe and trememdous pressure and speed. It’s like filling a balloon with water, hold the bolloon closed and apply pressure and the balloon flexes, much like oil moving throught its surroundings. Release your grip on the opening of the balloon, apply pressure and whoosh, the water is pushed through that hole, just like the oil/gas is. 

What if your oil/gas is in a surrounding that does not let the oil seep through?  Now apply pressure to all sides of this area containing the oil/gas, add some heat and it begins to expand. It tries to but the walls of the cage surrounding the trapped oil/gas hold it back. Now puncture the enclosure and the oil/gas willingly flow through the puncture. This puncture is the RISER pipe in this example. Take a deep breath and hold it. Now without releasing any air, try to exhale. The air gets trapped in the mouth and blows the cheeks outward. You can’t blow out. Now crack the lips a little while attempting to exhale and the air escapes, just like the gas would. As long as you apply pressure, the air will continue to escape through your lips. just like oil/gas escaping as long as the pressure presists.

Larry

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