[ad_1]
California officials said tarballs were seen on local beaches following the oil spill in Orange County last weekend.
The Golden State Department of Fish and Wildlife describes tarballs as small, dark and often sticky remnants of oil spills or natural oil seeps into bodies of water.
CALIFORNIA OIL PIPELINE LEAK: THE MYSTERY CONTINUES TO TURN AROUND THE CAUSE
The agency explained that as winds and waves break an oil slick into small patches, various physical, chemical and biological processes change the appearance of the oil in a process called “weathering.”
The formation of tar balls occurs when the oil plates are broken into smaller pieces.
Although tar balls vary in size, they are usually less than 10 centimeters in diameter – failing that, tar cakes are larger – and the balls can travel hundreds of miles from the point of oil release. ‘origin.
The department said the tar balls were “like a toasted marshmallow” – often hard and crisp on the outside and soft and gooey on the inside. Fresh tar balls look more like drops of molasses.
The temperature of the tar ball and the amount of particles and sediment in the water or on the shore can impact the tack of the tar ball.
The number of tarballs that wash up on the shore depends on the pattern of winds, ocean currents, vessel traffic, how often the beach has been cleaned up, and whether the source was an oil spill or seep that s ‘is produced recently.
Although the tarballs on the shore can be picked up by hand, the petroleum contains dangerous chemicals and the public is advised to avoid contact with the tarballs.
CARGO SHIP NEAR CALIFORNIA PIPELINE MAKES STRANGER MOVEMENTS: REPORT
If on skin, people should wash the area with soap and water or baby oil and avoid using solvents, gasoline, kerosene or diesel fuel on the skin. skin.
Wildlife can also pick up tarballs, which could lead to loss of tightness, fatal exposure to cold, or ingestion of hazardous materials.
“If you see tarballs, oil slicks or wildlife affected by the # oil spill, please do not touch them,” the city of Carlsbad tweeted on Thursday. “Notify the experts at 877-823-6926.”
The tarballs have also been spotted in San Diego, Oceanside, Del Mar and Encinitas as crude oil moves south, according to Fox 5, although the link has yet to be 100% confirmed.
Tens of thousands of gallons of crude oil were spilled from a leak in an Amplify Energy undersea pipeline, shutting off the ocean and shore of Huntington Beach and other communities.
While the cause of the leak is still under investigation, a video of the ruptured pipeline released by the U.S. Coast Guard showed a thin, 13-inch-long crack, and federal transportation investigators said that preliminary reports suggest the failure could have been “caused by an anchor that snagged the pipeline, causing a partial tear.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
This is not the first time that tarballs have dotted the beaches of Southern California.
In 1999, an undersea pipeline that leaked at least 3,800 gallons of oil caused tarballs to spill on the beaches of Orange County, and tarballs washed up on the beaches of Newport and of Huntington in 2016 from natural seepage off the coast.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
Source link