Low Pressure Oil Fields

Unlike deepwater oil reservoirs, oil fields in south Florida contain very low amounts of gas...much like a flat soda...so submersible pumps inside the well are required to extract the oil and lift it to the surface.  This absence of a natural flow makes a spill improbable; if the well head on an established well were to be knocked over, the oil level would likely drop several thousand feet.

Contained Production Areas

In south Florida oil fields, every well pad is encircled with a limestone berm and lined with an impermeable liner, both of which would contain oil in the event of a spill.  Because deepwater oil production takes place in a water column of 5,000+ feet and water acts as a natural dispersant, it is much more difficult to contain an offshore spill.

Slower Production Rates

Because onshore wells in South Florida are smaller than deepwater wells and pumps are required to lift the oil to the surface, production is slower, which means a spill could be corrected before a large volume of oil makes it to the surface. The maximum onshore production rate using a submersible pump is a few thousand barrels per day in south Florida, much less than that of a deepwater well, which could have a production rate of tens of thousands of barrels per day.

Sticky, Slow Moving Crude

The heavy sour crude produced from south Florida oil fields has the consistency of liquid tar, unlike the light, more mobile crude often found offshore in deep water.  If this sour crude were to spill onto the surface, it would cool and transition quickly into an asphalt-like substance unable to travel very far from the well head.

Accessible Drilling and Production Equipment

Offshore drilling and production equipment deep underwater is a challenge to monitor and maintain.  Onshore equipment is easily accessible for continuous monitoring and inspection. If a spill were to occur, production shut off, response and cleanup can be initiated and completed quickly.

Time Tested Operations

Onshore oil operations, including contingency plans, have been tested over decades and proven to be more reliable, whereas deepwater oil drilling and production equipment, techniques and contingency programs are still evolving.