Oil Spill

[bigd14]

The oil spill off of Huntington Beach sounds bad, lots of dead and dying marine life already. Have there been any notices to mariners or restrictions in place for recreational vessels? Or has anyone been otherwise affected?

It seems with the level of technology available these days that any loss of oil from a pipeline could be almost immediately detected and shut down before much escapes. Maybe that’s my wishful thinking though.

I hope the spill can be managed quickly, that the damage to natural resources is not too great and that none of you SoCal sailors are adversely affected by it.

 

[gabriel]

130K gallons about 7 average size swimming pools worth of oil. not a lot of oil really.

 

[Chris Mc.]

A quart of oil in my opinion is too much, but the good thing is it is obvious and measures will certainly be taken to rectify the spill/leak. If only we could get the powers that be to address plastic in the same fashion. Strictly a thought of concern and not a political statement.

 

[toddster]

Nooz reports are confused and contradictory. Hopefully it is the nooz riters who are confused and not so much the USCG. We just don’t know at this point.

 

[Christian Williams]

Not much contradiction around here.

Massive oil spill sends crude onto Orange County beaches, killing birds, marine life

An oil slick believed to have originated from a pipeline leak has hit Huntington Beach, closing a stretch of beach and raising grave wildlife and environmental concerns.

www.latimes.com

Might be a paywall.

 

[Martin King]

Went down to Huntington Beach and anchored off the pier to watch the air show on Saturday. Returning to Long Beach later we went right through it. The stench was awful enough to make me nauseous. We passed a boat that was setting out booms and trying to contain it. I learned later that day that it was so bad that the air show was cancelled for the following day.

 

[gabriel]

Not much contradiction around here.

Massive oil spill sends crude onto Orange County beaches, killing birds, marine life

An oil slick believed to have originated from a pipeline leak has hit Huntington Beach, closing a stretch of beach and raising grave wildlife and environmental concerns.

www.latimes.com

Might be a paywall.

I wouldn’t be one bit suprised that leak turned out to be significantly more than the estimated number.

 

[Parrothead]

The CEO of the company that operates the offshore drilling platforms owned up to it yesterday afternoon in a press conference with USCG and Orange County officials (I suspect much to the consternation of his corporate lawyers). He explained both ends of the affected pipeline were shut off as soon as they learned of the breach and the 126K gallon figure came from the entire volume of the pipeline between shut off points. That is, a worst case if the entire pipeline was purged.

He also said the affected pipeline supported as many as 70 offshore wells.

 

[Mblace]

Conjecture is that one of the many container ships waiting to get into LA/LB to offload dragged an anchor across it. Relatively speaking a somewhat small spill, but in a warm climate it disperses very quickly and can cover a large area - the sheen could go for many miles. Unfortunately the capture technology for a dispersed spill on the water is very poor - basically have to boom off sensitive areas and bag the tar balls on the beaches. Lots will evaporate, but still very dirty and destructive.

 

[Mr. Scarlett]

the sheen could go for many miles

300ml of diesel can cover a 500m area.

 

[Parrothead]

Conjecture is that one of the many container ships waiting to get into LA/LB to offload dragged an anchor across it. Relatively speaking a somewhat small spill, but in a warm climate it disperses very quickly and can cover a large area - the sheen could go for many miles. Unfortunately the capture technology for a dispersed spill on the water is very poor - basically have to boom off sensitive areas and bag the tar balls on the beaches. Lots will evaporate, but still very dirty and destructive.

It's looking like more than conjecture. Earlier today divers found the split in the pipeline (~5 miles out and 98 feet deep) and that section of the pipe had been dragged over 100 feet resulting in a big bend from its original position. Anchor snag is not yet concluded but it's under more serious consideration and assessment tonight.

 

[Bepi]

I was sailing down the coast to watch the air show Sunday there was no oil to be seen. I was just nearing the end of bolsa chica Beach about 10:30 a.m. when I realized there was a disturbing lack of jets in the sky.I checked the internet, and then turned around fuming. I had been monitoring channel 16 anchored behind Island white the previous night and monitored the oil spill but heard not a word about the show being Canceled. I was really looking forward to anchoring and having the finest planes in the world to fly over my head. But as the poet says "the best laid plans" etc. Yet on that morning I had had my fill of promised joy.