quote:

Originally posted by slosig:

Have been going to the Faria Beach (just west of Ventura) for over 50 years. We always had turpentine and paper towels by the doors to the cabin as you *always* came back from the beach with tar on your feet. Funny thing happened after the platforms became common - the tar on the beach went WAY down. Some envirowhackos still whine about offshore drilling, but it has certainly made the beach a lot cleaner in that area. In the last few years there is starting to be a little tar again where there used to be none. I'd guess they have backed off on the pumping...

Whoa, wait. I too remember the days of tar balls on the beach and oil everywhere. I remember it well. But I was always told by sources I had thought to be reliable that the tar balls and other mess were the result of the off-shore drilling off the coast of Southern California. Maybe that was the case back then, before techniques changed?

This is significant because that "mess" is what's giving most people hesitation about further off-shore drilling.

Another question... With the announcement last week, why is the state of Florida to be exempt from offshore drilling? Why is Florida different? is it scientific or political?

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:

Have been going to the Faria Beach (just west of Ventura) for over 50 years. We always had turpentine and paper towels by the doors to the cabin as you *always* came back from the beach with tar on your feet. Funny thing happened after the platforms became common - the tar on the beach went WAY down. Some envirowhackos still whine about offshore drilling, but it has certainly made the beach a lot cleaner in that area. In the last few years there is starting to be a little tar again where there used to be none. I'd guess they have backed off on the pumping...

Whoa, wait. I too remember the days of tar balls on the beach and oil everywhere. I remember it well. But I was always told by sources I had thought to be reliable that the tar balls and other mess were the result of the off-shore drilling off the coast of Southern California. Maybe that was the case back then, before techniques changed?

This is significant because that "mess" is what's giving most people hesitation about further off-shore drilling.

Another question... With the announcement last week, why is the state of Florida to be exempt from offshore drilling? Why is Florida different? is it scientific or political?

Some of that old tar was from oil tankers washing tanks (no longer allowed), most was from natural seepage from the bottom, all the natural near shore seeps have been drilled and drawn down.

One easy answer about the FL exemption. Votes, lots of votes.
I've been in coastal Florida my whole life, both parents were born here, 3/4 of my grandparents were born here. I am 100% for offshore drilling. There is no reason not to other than the media has everyone terrified of "Deepwater Horizon" and certain politicians are exploiting that fear for political gain.
As I mentioned earlier it can all be done now without even any visible rigs, except for the month or 2 it takes to drill and install the subsea equipment.