Oil in the keys already???? - Page 2

Fr. Frank · #11 05-19-2010, 11:26 PM

Civil Air Patrol flights have reported small oil sheen/slicks now positively in the Loop Current. (which does feed into/merge with the Gulf Stream Current, Ken)
The slick reported was 2-3 miles long, very narrow, and about 80 miles north of the Dry Tortugas. It was also described as light, not heavy, discolored by dispersant (which identifies it as from the BP spill), with estimates from so-called experts describing it as "probably less than 1000 gallons total"
I'm interested in hearing if they make a big deal out of a little bit of oil like this. I remember spills way bigger than that off Palm Beach in the 70's from oil tankers flushing ballast seawater from their holds before offloading in Port Everglades.

Ryank · #12 05-19-2010, 11:26 PM

Quote:

The gulf oil spill is a huge mess, and BP should be held responsible for their failure to contain it. But don't lose heart, folks. Crude oil occurs naturally, and mother nature has ways of dealing with it. The Gulf is loaded with natural oil seeps. This spill has just dumped a lot more than usual over a much shorter period of time. So while the immediate situation is a gummy mess, I think in two years or less, you'll be hard pressed to find signs of lasting damage.
Dave

I agree, even if it does impact florida, time will cure all.
But as to those that feel there is a media hype, not sure what you mean? The oil slick is huge, As I have seen from the air, which is not shown on any media tv station I have viewed. Even what is visible from the air a majority of what is leaking out is not floating on the surface but hanging at different depths. The report that it might get caught in the middle of the gulf and not make it to Fl at all is well and good, but it is a report from the same group that is trying to protect tourism, and not start any panics. I understand their intentions but feel at the same I would rather know the entire truth of a situation. Its not that it could potentialy ruin fishing and diving for a few years, it is much larger then that. I would love to believe everything is awesome and honky dory and no oil is going to effect us. Yes we all know tar balls have floated up on beaches for the last 100 years and it is a normal ocurrence. We will have to wait and see, and hope...

Spidercrab · #13 05-20-2010, 12:08 AM

i still clamin wit no slimee clams yet

drill baby drill

sam

DonV · #14 05-20-2010, 12:49 AM

I've been down here for a week and a half, will be here for a week or so more, it's starting to affect the tourist coming here. Lots and lots of cancellations for fishing trips, hotel rooms, etc. from the news media's reporting. Just got back from KW and it's the BIG talk down there. A big mess.

Greno · #15 05-20-2010, 09:20 AM

Our tourism is dead here in Alabama. We actually had a nice looking girl on the beach in a bikini surrounded by guys wearing tyvek suits on the front page of the paper. This has been horrible for the hotels and restaurants as cancellations are all the way across the board and months away. This incident has really brought out the idiot sector, people getting sick from the smell in the air (its 100 miles away folks) so they can sue, everyone and their brother calling the line saying they lost money so they can sue, attorneys adds everywhere, horrible. Just like what happens after hurricanes. Makes you sick of humanity.

NOLA Riverrat · #16 05-20-2010, 12:58 PM

Ditto here in LA. The media is killing the tourist trade. There is still great fishing in certain areas but the media is causing those customers to cancel. This gushing oil well is going to play hell with our coast line and its marshes. We are really worried because we now have oil on land where there wasn't even a sheen so it looks as though the oil may be below the surface. No one really knows for sure what the future holds but we are praying.

76Red18 · #17 05-20-2010, 05:45 PM

Quote:

tar balls in keys do not match fingerprint of of from horizon. the loop current will spread it farther, but the action in the current will ultimately increase the rate of degredation. this incident has been blown way out of proportion and millions off resources wasted in places that will never see an impact from this. my wife is from jupiter and laughed because tar balls used to wash up on the beach very frequently when she was younger. it is an oil spill not the end of the world. the saddest part is everyone has forgotten the 11 people that died because their fishing might get hurt for a few months.

"Tar balls don't match". You really believe that?
"Blown out of proportion". BP said today that they are siphoning off 210000 gallons daily. Wasn't it only yesterday that it was only leaking 220000 gallons daily?
"Its only an oil spill not the end of the world" Buddy, for those people that depend on that water and it's resources to live, they will be devastated; not the end of the world, but close.
"11 people died and everyone is worried that there fishing will be hurt for a couple months" My condolences to those 11 who died and their families and friends. I wonder who those 11 were? Buddy this is going to hurt for more than a couple months.

Greno · #18 05-20-2010, 06:29 PM

Let me rephrase, if you are one of the 10,000,000 people complaining that don't make their living on the water, its not the end of the world.

Yes, I believe the tar balls don't match, you obviously haven't lived your life on the water near a major shipping port, lots of unexplained things come out of ship bilges.

I don't want to go into free flowing well hydrulics of an open hole in a minor field in the Gulf, but needless to say I never believed the amount they reported anyway. They may be recovering that many barrels of fluid from the well bore, but a majority of it will be saltwater from the formation.

76Red18 · #19 05-20-2010, 06:57 PM

No, go into it. Whats the pressure of the escaping fluid? Whats the temp at that depth? If they could stick a 6" pipe into it, then why not a bladder on the end of that pipe pressurized to seal off the leak until a relief well is bored.
I've been on the water all my life and have seen what pollutants do. Not oil but phosphates from Lake Okeechobee run-off. Kills everything.

gofastsandman · #20 05-20-2010, 08:30 PM

BP said they could drill 18,000 ft in 90 days and hit a target the size of a basketball. Oh look, it`s the Easter Bunny again. I hope they prove me wrong!

Many things are not being discussed.

At 110 days, this is some simple math I did on day 5.

At 2 kts., the GS will travel over 5,000 miles.
Kittery ,Me. is 1500 miles to WPB.

At 210,000 a day you are north of 20 million gals.
You may want to add a zero to "their estimate".

Disolved O2 is already low in the gulf.

Not so cheery,
GFS