BP and the government underestimate the oil flow

If they were talking to investors in the well before it blew, they might overestimate the flow of this well.  But, in light of the situation, is it at all surprising that BP would unerestimate the flow of oil from the busted well-head into the Gulf of Mexico (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/us/14oil.html?hp)?