Exxon Valdez Case Study

Great Essays
A detailed presentation of the accident
A chronological presentation of the course of events
A contextual description about both the local surroundings but also about the period in time
A lesson learned description
Own conclusions and observation

Introduction:

In United States, at 12:04 Am in local time on March 24, 1989, the tank carrying crude oil (53,094,510 gallons) know as Exxon Valdez struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Which led to largest oil spill in US history, estimated over 10 million gallons of crude oil has scattered over 350 miles of shorelines in Price William.

Figure 1: Exxon Valdez

The Exxon Valdez is two-year-old tankship with 11 cargo tanks; it is 987 feet long, 166 feet wide and 88 feet deep. To avoid
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0323 Coast guard person enter the Exxon Valdez and estimated 5.8 million gallons were lost from tanks 1,3,5starboard, starboard slop tanks and number 5 Center tanks 0330 Initial response efforts Alyeskas control are delay due to equipment damaged and shortage of workforce. Alyeskas barge were under repair. 0400 Coast Guard made high priority to stable the Exxon Valdez tank and requested for oil transfer equipment from Alyeskas 0414 Exxon Baton Rouge had started to reach the Exxon Valdez for oil transfer 0500 Coast guard start survey the area 0727 Helicopter survey were started by Alyeskas Marine Terminal and video typed by coast guard investigator, which showed 1000 feet wide with four mile long 1115 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposes temporary flight
Restriction around Exxon Valdez. Exxon Baton Rouge arrived at scene 1140 H3 Helicopter observed 20 to 30 feet from side of vessel with heavy oil due to calm sea with slow movement. 1145 COTP imposes 500-yard safety zone around grounded vessel. 1200 Regional response team (RRT) started teleconferences and discussed about including using of dispersants and in-situ
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2015 Exxon completed the mapping of oil spill and launched bird resume operation 2045 Burn test conducted near goose islands with 100 square feet, an estimated of 15000 gallons of oil were consumed
1989 March 26 0530 Coast Gaurd Strike Team members join responders on Exxon Valdez. Before strike team were placed at open water oil containment and recovery system 0643 CG reports shipment of one MARCO skimmer from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Twenty people transported to Bligh Island to survey beach clean-up and bird and wildlife impact. 75 oiled birds reported sighted by Department of the Interior (DOI) personnel. Birds include White Wing Scoters, Old Squaw, and Golden Eye ducks. Most oiled birds sighted on west side of Bligh Island. Two oiled sea otters sighted. DOI estimates that 3,000 seabirds and several hundred sea otters live in area of Knowles Head to Galena

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