Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. Katelin Downing EVR1001C Professor Moran Polk State College FALL 2021.

Background. The Exxon Valdez oil ship ran aground on Bligh Reef on March 24, 1989. It spilled about 11 million gallons of oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound..

Causes. Improper Maneuvering of the Ship Improper Navigation (Maybe captain was intoxicated) Fatigue Ineffective traffic system for vessels by the Coast Guard Ineffective pilot/escort services.

Flow of Oil from Oil Spill. Diagram, map Description automatically generated.

Clean-Up. Controlled burns Mechanical booms Mechanical Skimmers Permanent storage containers Dispersants Prioritize clean up areas.

Clean-Up.

Treating the Shoreline. Hoses used to use seawater to flush oil from the shoreline Heated seawater Manual Clean-Up Raking Tilling Oily debris clean-up Bioremediation Spot washing.

What happened to remaining oil?.

What happened to remaining oil?. Clean-up efforts were reduced in 1991 After a survey of 8,000 miles of coastline in 2001 found: Oil saturated subsurface regions Surface oil not a good indicator of subsurface oil Areas in the most subsurface oil were found low in the intertidal zones..

Lingering Oil. Lindgering Oil in Prince Williams Sound Graphic.

Financial Impact of Oil Spill.

Ecological Impact of Oil Spill.

Ecological Impact of Oil Spill. 250,000 Birds 250 Bald Eagles 2800 Sea Otters 300 Harbor Seals Thousands of fish, herring eggs, and crabs At minimum 22 killer whales Intertidal plants and animals.

Litigation. $5 billion in punitive damages 1994 Class Action Lawsuit.

Improvements in Oil Soil Prevention and Response Planning.

Summary. Image result for laws created because of exxon valdez oil spill.

Sources. Youtube.com https://www.asmaa-algarve.org/en/news/what-s-new/the-exxon-valdez-oil-spill-short-analysis.