How bad is the Gulf Coast oil spill?

Dasher42 writes: Claims are circulating on the internet that the Coast Guard fears that the Deepwater Horizon well has sprung two extra leaks and raises fears that all control over the release of oil at the site will be lost. The oil field, one of the largest ever discovered, could release 50,000 barrels a day into the ocean, with implications for marine life around the globe that are difficult to conceive of. So, considering that losing our oceanic life with subsequent unravelling of our land-based ecosystems is a far more possible apocalyptic scenario than a killer asteroid — what do we do about it?