I just heard about the oil spill in California and wanted to comment before all the data was in.
When you think about an oil spill, most people think about the oil being transported in an oil tanker, but that is not the case in this spill. It is like the spill in the gulf. Do you remember how that one was so over rated? I think this one will be too. The oil spill is crude oil that is mostly water. In the case of the gulf, the oil was homogenized and the oil particles were microscopic. Because the water was also warm different oil eating organisms was able to eat the oil before it got very far. In this case the water is much colder and the oil is only partially homogenized. The other thing is that the Pacific Ocean flows South with a good current along the coast of California. This is going to mean that much of the oil will end up going South and outside the USA.
The oil deposits off the coast of California have been there for millions of years and oil has been leaking out all during that time, so this is really nothing new. The waves on the coast of California are bigger than most areas like the East coast and thus the waves hitting the beach will grind the oil into smaller particles and because of the warmer temperatures along the coast of California, it will not take long for the oil to be destroyed. The Sun and oxygen in the air will combine to burn up much of the oil too. If this oil gets on your shoes or feet, it will be easy to wash off compared to oil spilled from a tanker that can be like tar.
That is all I have to say at this time, but I may comment later when there are more facts about what and how this happened. I worked as a rough neck in the oil fields of Southern California when I was in college so I do know a little about this subject.
