Oil Sludge - Gulf Shores, Alabama question

So i live in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and this recent oil rig that blew up that is releasing 40,000gallons of oil a day is probably going cause alot of problems in the next couple of weeks and or months to our beaches, fishing and animal wildlife we have around our beautiful Gulf Coast.

This is very depressing knowing its going to hurt and ruin our area for probably years to come.

But my question is has anyone ever had to deal with sailing around or near such of a tragic event?

Even after most of this heavy pockets of oil is going im sure it will still be close on our coastlines and in the water in some areas.

Will this oil stick or ruin my boat?
What would be the best thing to clean this stuff off my boat if i get it on it?

Im pretty nervous about taking my boat out there now and getting it sludged

This web site link may be of use to you. I'm watching daily. I think western LA and Texas have more of concern than to the east. http://www.oceanweather.com/data/Gulf-o ... index.html

also visible from space in this sat photo

http://blogs.abcnews.com/scienceandsoci ... space.html

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The type of oil (light, sweet crude) evaporates and leaves "tar balls" that either sink or wash up.

To put it into perspective, this is the amount that normally leaks naturally into the Gulf environment on a regular basis - it's just spread over a much wider area so it's not as noticeable.

The leak would have to continue for over a year to equal the amount the Exxon Valdez leaked in three days.

I wouldn't take your boat out in obviously contaminated water. If you do get oil stains, they are removed with oil-dispersing detergent (Dawn) and solvents (acetone).

I'm more worried about the effect on the Mississippi Mini Mega coming up in two months - in Ocean Springs, MS.

And people thinking drilling off the coast of Florida is a great idea.....

This type of failure is very rare - because it's hugely expensive, and that cuts into profits. Between the cost of the rig, which was no ordinary rig:
Before:


During:


the cleanup, the inevitable lawsuits over the dead workers, etc., etc. No company wants to have to deal with that, so the odds of something like this happening again soon are fairly small.

It's like a the airline industry - it is by far the safest way to travel, but every time there's a major airplane crash - more people become afraid of flying.

Looks like the front fell off. ( Sorry I couldn't resist)

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I know, its just stupid. Keep drilling in North Dakota so I don't have to work anymore.

Those photos look like something from a James Bond movie... Octopussy, maybe others. Since the cause is "unknown", could it be?

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MBounds,

Is that really true that @1000 gallons a day "naturally" leak into the gulf? Seems like ther would be more enviromental impact from that.

MP

Sure does, it bubbles up from the bottom. The weight/pressure of the water basically pushes out.

derek, you're better off asking the locals this question. However, it is not at all recommended to sail in the stuff if you don't have to.

Absolutely. Especially since the problem is way worse than earlier reported.

The final decision is a methane bubble rose from the ocean floor and exploded at the surface when contacting the rig. It is rare and I would assume undetectable. Must have been one hell of an explosion!

Our heavy addiction to oil will continue to cloud our perceptions, we need to keep working towards a different form of power for automobiles other than internal combustion engines. I don't see electric cars as a viable alternative, at least not yet. The technology might get there in several years. As I understand it, the long term problem is going to clean water. We can live without oil but not without water.

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