Nevertheless, how does the elevation of the Observer affect your formula?
The equation is this: Visible distance (nautical miles) = 1.17 × Square root of the height (feet)
What that means is that an oil derrick 100 feet tall would be entirely below the horizon at 11.7 nautical miles (13.5 statute miles) from shore. (Multiply nautical miles by 1.15 to get statute miles.) If painted sea green/blue, they’d be invisible even closer.
Nevertheless, how does the elevation of the Observer affect your formula?
I say put the rigs on the beaches if we have to-—DRILL, BABY DRILL!
Once they nationalize the greedy oil industry the socialists will drill for oil everywhere, look for a platform on your lawn at that point.
500’ should be ample!
There may have been small incidents, but no 'Valdez' type disasters from the thousands of wells and miles of pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico.
You have to run that equation from both the oil platform end (as you did) and from the viewer’s end, then add the two distances together to get the true horizon distance for that situation. In this case, the viewer’s position would be 1.17 x the Square root of the height of the highest condo or hotel room balcony facing the Gulf (just wait and see...). Figure that if both ends are 100 feet, the horizon distance just doubled to 23 miles.
That equation only applies to absolutely clear atmosphere. At Panama City, FL. a Navy platform (looked just like a rig) 3 miles offshore was barely visible from shore during normal weather (sea haze & humidity) but could be seen easily in the fall with low humidity. Another, larger, platform 12 miles out became visible on very rare occasions such as in fall or winter following passage of a cold front.
During tourist season, humidities are high and the onshore sea-breeze keeps haze levels high and visibilities down to about 6 or 7 miles.
I have operated sea going vessels in and out of there since the 1960's and coming in from offshore we start seeing the condos at about that distance and they are taller than most rigs. Some hazy summer days it shrinks to just 3 miles or so.
i live on the atlantic coast of florida...i say drill baby drill....gas in daytona is back to 2.79 a gal and rising daily....i was in california back in early 99 and driving the coast they had platforms visable from the shore...wasn’t anything wrong with it in my opinion and when is the last time we heard of a disaster out there...
10 miles is FINE. Drill HERE, drill NOW!!
This thing by the Democratic Congress is a TRAP!!! They are only allowing a small portion of offshore Florida to be drilled if they can get Republicans on board for cap-and-trade!