Posted on 08/04/2008 10:31:45 PM PDT by americanophile
A patch of land in Ventura County's Los Padres Forest where the ground heated up to 812 degrees Friday continues to puzzle firefighters and geologists after a month and a half of monitoring. "It's a thermal anomaly," said Ron Oatman, spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department. Firefighters first responded to the hot spot a month and a half ago, Oatman said. There were no visible flames, but they created a containment line about 2 feet wide and monitored the two-acre plot. Because the smoke was not going away, the containment line was widened to about 30 feet Friday, he said. The firefighters and geologists who surveyed the area in Sespe Oil Field on Friday are uncertain what's causing the heat, but they have some theories. The area is considered an active landslide that in the last 60 years has moved and trapped hydrocarbons, found in petroleum products, natural gas and coal, some several hundred feet deep, Oatman said. After it dried out, the earth began to crack and oxygen crept in, causing "some sort of combustion," he said. This same land area has recorded high heat about five or six times since 1987 and has always been dubbed a "natural phenomenon," Oatman said.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Just reading the headline makes me think of Centralia. :)
You know, in the event that some of the hot stuff that is under the ground actually comes to the surface......then.........
Surprise!
So, would a VOLCANO give the libs who live along the coast something to talk about?????
Volcano! The Movie.
...”liquid hot magma!”
Let's hope it's not as bad as Centralia!
Well, maybe they can tap it for geothermal...as long as they don’t get too much oxygen in there.
I must admit, though, I am not convinced by nitrogen-blanket technology. I gave a thumbs-down to it on a recent project because it’s just so risky... ...or am I just being irrational?
This is obviously Bush’s fault.
of course...oil and global warming
“It’s a thermal anomaly,”
There be monsters there
Sounds like California has a case of Crotch Rot and now we know exactly where Cali’s junk is located.
Sespe creek and that whole area is famous for hot springs and mud bath clubs.
She’s gonna blow!
Volcanoes....gotta love 'em.
So why are they not using it for geothermal?
My first thought is geothermal; that makes me a little uncomfortable for some reason lately. Perhaps it’s just the increased awareness of seismic/volcanic activity, but it seems that we are experiencing a more active seismic period...
I pray that it will be absolutely nothing to worry about!
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