[Coral-List] Oil and coral drilling

[Gene Shinn]

Grape seed oil works just fine as  hydraulic fluid for hydraulic 
drills. It comes in 5 gal cans. The biggest worry is a high pressure 
hose bursting while drilling. In 30 some-odd years of drilling we 
never had that happen, but it could. I wouldn't worry about a little 
lubricant on the equipment. It is likely less threat to corals than 
suntan cream on the divers body. Back before staghorn coral was 
threatened you could submerge it in Louisiana crude oil for 1.5 hrs, 
put it back in the water and it would live.  A little grease on your 
tool is not likely to damage the reef.  Gene
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No Rocks, No Water, No Ecosystem (EAS)
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E. A. Shinn, Courtesy Professor
University of South Florida
Marine Science Center (room 204)
140 Seventh Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
<eshinn at marine.usf.edu>
Tel 727 553-1158---------------------------------- 
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