INTRODUCTION In 1958@ the American Petroleum Institute undertook a year's study to find out how much oil was stranding on the beaches near the residential community of Golden Beach@ Florida. The report of the 1958 study described the techniques used@ reported upon amounts of oil recovered at study sites@ and correlated strandings with weather conditions and other factors (Dennis@ 1959). The results of a beach and harbor survey along the Atlantic seaboard from Boston to northeastern Florida were also reported. Three major classes of beach oil were established in the 1958 study. Any soft@ sticky oil was designated. #2; any non-sticky oil@ putty-like in consistency@ was designated #3; and any hard conglomeration of oil@ shell particles@ and sand@ was designated coquina oil after a common Florida rock which consists primarily of small shells and shell particles. In June@ 1971@ the writer was asked by the API to conduct a year's study of Florida's southeast coast. Golden Beach was again selected as a study site. In addition@ sites were selected at Palm Beach@ 50 miles to the north@ and at Highland Beach@ an intermediate point.
API PUBL 4231-1974 history
1974API PUBL 4231-1974 A SECOND OIL POLLUTION SURVEY OF THE SOUTHEAST FLORIDA COAST