Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

1
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

• Marine Biologist
• Briefing
• March 24, 1989

2
What caused the spill?

• Just past midnight an oil tanker crashed into the
  rocks.
• We do not know exactly why the ship crashed but
  the crude oil is still leaking from the tanker
  and spreading across the ocean.

3
Where did the spill occur?

• Prince William Sound off of the southern coast of
  Alaska. The oil is spreading at a rate of one
  mile per hour.
• We will be flown out to the site after this
  briefing.

4
How much oil?

• 11 Million of gallons of crude oil.
• Equal to about 125 Olympic size swimming pools.
• This is not the biggest spill but it has the
  potential to be the most harmful to the wildlife
  and environment. Many animals have already been
  killed. We would like to save as many as we can,
  contain the spill, and clean-up the oil.

5
We estimate that the following wildlife have
been killed

• 3,000 sea otters
• 250,000 seabirds
• 250 bald eagles
• 22 killer whales
• Billions of fish, clams, oysters, and small sea
  creatures

6
What will you be doing?

• You will be using the latest equipment to try and
  clean up the spill. Some of these tools have
  never been used so you will need to tell me if
  they worked or not.
• Some of you will be on the shore, some of you in
  planes, and some of you in boats.

7
Clean-up Rules

• One person at a time uses the tool.
• Everyone gets a turn.
• Be very, very careful as the oil stains clothing.
• Dispose of tools carefully.
• After you have used all tools once, try to
  combine tools.

8
Facts about Clean-up

• Cost 2 billion dollars (Exxon paid half)
• Workers over 10, 000
• Clean-up officially completed in 1992.

9
Effects on the Ecosystem

• Ecosystem a community of plants and animals and
  their interactions with a region
• In an ecosystem each living thing depends on
  other living things
• For example in the Prince William Sound area
  when the shellfish died, there was less food for
  the seals. Many seals died and so there was less
  food for the killer whales.

10
How does oil harm wildlife?

• Oil harms wildlife in two main ways
• Oil slicks fur or feathers. This hurts the
  insulation. The oil gets on the fur and feathers
  and destroys the insulation value. Birds and
  mammals then die of hypothermia (they get too
  cold).
• They eat the oil, trying to clean off their fur
  or eating other animals. The oil is poisonous.
  Oil does not always kill the animals. It could
  cause blindness or keep them from having babies.

11
We estimate that the following wildlife have
been killed

• 3,000 sea otters
• 250,000 seabirds
• 250 bald eagles
• 22 killer whales
• Billions of fish, clams, oysters, and small sea
  creatures

12
How were the animals cleaned?

• Veterinarians and volunteers used Dawn
  dishwashing detergent and water.
• They scrubbed for many hours and many days.

13
Did the spill affect humans?

• Yes, humans are part of the ecosystem.
• Alaskans depend(ed) seal meat and fish for food.
• Fishing is a major source of income for families.
  
• Many families are still struggling with the
  smaller seal and fish populations.

14
Clean-up Tools

• Hot Water
• High pressure water spray. Then, scooped up.
• Mechanicalbulldozers to expose oil.
• Bacteria ate the oil
• Chemical Solvents
• Containment Booms
• Skimmers

15
Booms

• Containment Booms keep the oil from spreading too
  far across the surface of the water.
• www.basilfearn.nf.ca/oil_1.htm

16
Skimmers

• Skimmers skim across the surface of the water and
  suck up the oil.
• www.offshore-technology.com

17
High Pressure Spray

• High pressure water spray is use to clean off the
  rocks on the shore.
• www.epa.gov

18
What happened to the oil?

• Most of it evaporated
• Dispersed into the water column
• Degraded naturally
• Cleanup crews collected 14 of the oil
• 13 percent sunk to the sea floor.
• 2 (some 216,000 gallons) remained on the
  beaches. 

19
Has the area recovered?

• Scientists are very surprised that the area is
  doing much better. Many mammals, birds, and
  marine species have fully recovered.

20
Animals Still Affected by Spill
21
Good things that happened because of the spill

• Scientists know more about the ecosystem
• Scientists know better how to clean up spills and
  save animals, birds and fish
• The government has protected lands and animals
  that live in these lands.