The Complete Story of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
The discovery of oil has undoubtedly revolutionized human life. Oil dominates our daily lives in many ways. However, at the same time, oil and its derivatives have become a significant environmental threat.
Oil spills from tankers and drilling platforms pollute water bodies and negatively impact marine ecosystems. Numerous maritime incidents over the past two centuries have resulted in millions of gallons of oil being released into the ocean.
Of all the oil spills of the past five decades, the Exxon Valdez oil spill remains the most devastating. Nearly 30 years ago, over 11 million gallons of crude oil were released into the Gulf of Alaska, killing thousands of marine animals.
Key Facts About the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, marking the beginning of one of the deadliest maritime disasters. The Exxon Valdez, then owned by Exxon Shipping Company, struck a coral reef at approximately 12:00 AM local time while en route from the Valdez terminal to Long Beach, California.
The Exxon Valdez was carrying approximately 54 million gallons of oil, 10.8 million gallons of which leaked into Prince William Sound due to a ruptured hull during the incident. The Exxon Valdez spill was the second-largest oil spill in the United States after the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Exxon Valdez spill prompted a rethinking of oil spill prevention regulations in the United States. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 required oil companies to implement stricter precautions when operating double-hulled tankers and to pay higher penalties in the event of future spills. Furthermore, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trusteeship was established to repair the marine habitat damaged by the spill.
What caused the Exxon Valdez spill?
Following the accident, multiple reports indicated that the Exxon Valdez ran aground under the command of Captain Joseph Hazlewood for various reasons. Reports indicated that the captain was not at the helm when the incident occurred while the tanker was navigating a route known for its hazardous navigation.
It was reported that Hazlewood appeared to have altered course to avoid an iceberg before handing command to the third officer. Unfortunately, the third officer failed to properly steer the vessel, causing it to veer off course and strike a coral reef. This was primarily due to a radar malfunction, which had been out of service for over a year before the oil spill.
Further investigation revealed that Hazlewood was under the influence of alcohol and asleep in his bunk at the time of the accident. Investigators also noted that Hazlewood made the mistake of handing the helm to the sleep-deprived third officer, who was not professionally qualified to steer a ship. Further investigation revealed that the ship’s seagoing crew was insufficient to perform these duties.
Furthermore, authorities found that ExxonMobil, like many other shipping companies, failed to follow agreed-upon procedures, including installing ice monitoring equipment.
The report also revealed that the vessel had chosen an undesignated route within the standard shipping lane at the time of the incident. Due to this violation by the Exxon Valdez, the ship’s owner, ExxonMobil, implemented a policy requiring strict adherence to designated shipping lanes and routes to prevent further maritime incidents similar to the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
After a year-long investigation and trial, Hazelwood was acquitted of charges of being intoxicated during the voyage. However, the captain was ultimately convicted of misdemeanor negligence, fined $50,000, and sentenced to 1,000 hours of community service.
Impact of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
The supertanker collided with a coral reef, rupturing eight of its 11 cargo tanks and leaking 11 million gallons of crude oil (equivalent to 250,000 barrels) into the waters of Prince William Sound, contaminating over 1,300 miles of coastline.
Delays in cleanup efforts led to a disaster. The spill spread to other areas within days, making it impossible to control.
As the spill spread, marine life was threatened. Marine mammals, already facing extinction due to rising temperatures, now had to contend with this human error.
Seabirds were also forced to succumb to the disaster, trapped by the oil slick and ultimately drowning. It is estimated that nearly 250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, up to 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, and at least 22 killer whales died.
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The spill killed herring and salmon and disrupted commercial fishing for crab, herring, grouper, salmon, shrimp, and other species in the region. Many species suffered economically, but the indirect impact on fisheries was most significant.
Recreational fishing declined, and in some areas ceased altogether, resulting in total economic losses of $580 million.
The tourism industry was also affected. Nearly a year after the spill, tourist arrivals to Alaska have remained at a record low, severely impacting the local economy. The spill reportedly affected over 26,000 tourism jobs and over $2.4 billion in revenue.
Despite significant contributions to the cleanup effort by ExxonMobil and the U.S. Coast Guard, the accidental and avoidable sinking of the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ultimately resulted in significant environmental impacts.
Even years after the accident, the Alaskan coast has yet to fully recover from the spill. The Exxon Valdez oil spill continues to clog the Alaskan coast. The fishery collapsed after the accident and has yet to fully recover. The trauma it inflicted on fishing communities continues, manifesting in broken families and alcoholism.
ExxonMobil Valdez oil spill cleanup
The cleanup was a success thanks to the rapid response of the U.S. government and ExxonMobil.
Over 11,000 personnel, 58 aircraft, and 1,400 vessels were deployed to the affected area for the cleanup. The effort involved complex operations, including the removal of various marine organisms to protect their habitats until the cleanup was successfully completed.
The cleanup lasted nearly three years, from 1989 to 1992, and marine scientists continue to monitor the area.
ExxonMobil reportedly spent over $3.8 billion on the cleanup and compensated 11,000 fishermen and other affected individuals.
The accident also sparked multiple legal battles between shipping companies, the federal government, and the Alaska Fishermen’s Association.
In 1994, an Alaskan court ordered ExxonMobil to pay $5 billion in punitive damages. However, after multiple appeals, the U.S. Supreme Court reduced the award to $507.5 million. During this process, oil cleanup methods included incineration, mechanical cleaning, and chemical dispersants.
While more surface oil was removed, subsurface oil remained. The subsurface oil had a higher toxic concentration, and despite the cleanup efforts, approximately 20 hectares of Alaskan coastline remained contaminated by the subsurface oil.
The full extent of the marine disaster caused by the Exxon Valdez was only recently realized. However, thanks to the swift and effective response of all parties involved, the impact of the Exxon Valdez oil spill will be permanently mitigated.
Thanks to this positive development, we can be confident that despite the accident, the worst-case scenario has been avoided and that marine rescue operations have been carried out to the best of our ability.
