I am sure that you have been following the national news story surrounding the Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Needless to say, this situation has caused varying levels of concern among our clients. As a valued contact of Blue Sun Properties, we want to take this opportunity to let you know that we understand and share your concern. Unlike the national news which generally takes an opportunity to sensationalize an event such as this, we would like to provide you with as much first hand, factual information as possible. Although we do anticipate a negative impact and are preparing for such an event, our area has yet to feel any direct effects of the spill. For now, here’s what we know:Immediate On-Shore Conditions:
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Tar balls and oil sheen on Gulf waters will begin appearing in Northwest Florida at some point in the future.
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Water flowing into the Gulf from all of our recent rains have been keeping the oil from shore and that the oil is currently drifting Westward.
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Oil “sheen” is different than an oil “slick.” A “sheen” is about one millimeter deep which discolors the water and sand. A “slick” is the deep dark crude oil most damaging to wildlife.
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Not all impact will be linear (West to East). “Breakouts” in the sheen plume may mean that areas to the East will see an impact as soon as or before areas to the West.
Plans to cap the well:
- The best option is to effectively close the final five pistons (one has already been closed by BP robots)
- Failing that, BP is currently constructing a “dome” that will be placed over the well area. The dome will include piping that will direct the oil out of Gulf waters.
- Relief wells are currently being “slant drilled” to cap the well below the surface. This is the ultimate “true” fix, though it may take as long as 8 weeks.
Challenges with “dome” solution:
- It is expected to take 10 days to 2 weeks.
- It is a temporary solution that will still require the drilling of relief wells
- A dome has never been put into place nearly one mile into the ocean under these conditions.
Mitigation efforts underway:
- Skimming, dispersants and open-water burns are currently taking place off shore.
- Booms are working offshore to coral oil to facilitate ever more burns, though difficult wave action has limited progress.
- Environmentally sensitive areas are being identified and protected with “booming.”
- Burning and costal dispersants are not planning on being done inshore.
The “booming” process:
- Each County is being asked to identify environmentally sensitive areas in their Area Contingency Plan. The hope is to have all such areas “boomed” within the next 48 hours. Today, 13,000 feet of boom was put into place
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- Booming does not stop oil – it merely diverts it at the surface.
- Currents and rough waves significantly reduce the effectiveness of booming.
- Booming cannot be done on the Gulf front beaches – only inshore.
- Currently the booms out in the ocean are failing.
- Openings to bays and estuaries will be given top priority.
- Diversion booms have failed at the Pensacola Pass and catchment booms are being installed. The same is likely for the Destin Pass, though there are hopes of leveraging the bridge structures for better results.
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Impact to Beaches:
- Local beaches may be stained by the oil sheen and will see tar balls
- Staining can be “solved” with raking and disking
- Tar balls mostly need to be cleared by hand. BP is paying for tar ball pickup, though additional volunteer efforts are needed.
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If “tar mats” reach shore, they must be identified before they collect sediment and sink or are covered by more sand.
As we move through the uncertainty of the next few weeks, rest assured that Blue Sun Properties will continue to service its listing clients and responsibly guide its buyers with one objective in mind – their best interest. In this regard, we will provide updates as local conditions evolve and circumstances dictate. However, if you would like to discuss this situation, please do not hesitate to contact us. The Unified Command has established a website to report current conditions at www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com that we recommend you visit.
Vacationers are encouraged not to change their plans as there are many variables that will affect if and when the oil spill will impact our beaches. For information related to the oil spill, please visit the following links:
The following list of telephone numbers was provided to aid in coordinating efforts:
Bay County Public Information Officer Valerie Lovett: (850) 248-8170
Joint Information Center: (985) 902-5231
To Report Oiled or Injured Wildlife: (800) 557-1401
To Report Oil-Related Damages: (800) 440-0858
To Report Oil on Land: (866) 448-5816
