[Bloody Sam Roberts]

I'm always amazed at how the enviro-weenies get so upset when there is a big oil spill. Yes it is a bad thing but...I think they envision crude oil as that black stuff that comes out of a car's crankcase after 4000 miles of use. The old "Black Gold" line doesn't help either.

In fact, it looks nothing like that and is 90% water when it comes out of the ground. This is one reason it breaks down by natural processes. "Texas tea" is a more apt description.

[thackney]

I think they envision crude oil as that black stuff that comes out of a car's crankcase after 4000 miles of use.

Crude Oil comes in many "flavors", colors, sweet/sour, thick or thin, etc.

90% water when it comes out of the ground

That depends where you are on the production curve. But what we move, pipeline or rail, has all the water that can be reasonable separated already removed.

[IMR 4350]

The only time you are going to get a 90% water to oil mix during production is when you are producing from a fresh water zone which is very seldom except on top of a dome.

A 90% salt water, doesn’t mix with oil and is easily separated, to oil ratio during production is common with stripper wells.