Reporting Oil in Florida

Report evidence of oil by calling the State Warning Point at (800) 320-0519.

A key component to reporting evidence of oil is recognizing the appearance of weathered oil. When crude oil is released into the environment, its composition changes as a result of “weathering,” or exposure to the water and sun. Evaporation is one of the more significant weathering processes. Evaporation occurs mainly during the first 24 to 48 hours after release, and it greatly reduces the amount of the lighter components of crude oil. Some crude oils may lose up to 40 percent of their volume due to evaporation in the first days after a release. The composition of any released material remaining in the affected area is substantially different from the originally-released crude oil.

Impacts reported to the State Warning Point will be investigated by reconnaissance teams of trained individuals for verification. When verified, a Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Technique (SCAT) team will be deployed. Oil on Florida’s coastline will most likely be in the form of tar balls, oil sheen, tar patches or mats. The following photos, provided by the Unified Command Joint Information Center are meant to help people when calling the State Warning Point.

	Tar Balls: Pliable, globules of weathered oil, ranging from mostly oil to highly emulsified with varying amount of debris and/or sediment. Tar balls may vary in size from millimeters to 20-30 centimeters across.
	Tar Patches: An oil configuration or "structure" that reflects a broad range of shapes and dimensions. Numerous tar balls could combine to form a patch; oil of various colors and consistency could form a patch or single layer 10s of cm to 10s (or even 100s) of meters in diameter. Patches of oily debris, barely able to float with sediment/plants in them, might be called "tar mats."
	Oil Sheen: When fresh oil spreads out on the water surface, it eventually becomes sheen, a very thin layer of oil floating on the water surface. Sheens can vary greatly in color. In regards to the Deepwater Horizon incident, the thinnest sheens are nearly transparent, and the thickest are dull brown in color.