In march of 1989, the exxon valdez oil tanker ran aground on bligh reef in prince william sound, alaska. It gained widespread infamy after the march 24, 1989 oil spill in which the tanker hit prince william. The exxon valdez, 25 years later national ocean service. Picou and gill first conducted fieldwork in 1989, five months after the exxon valdez oil spill. The exxon valdez was an unrivalled environmental disaster which forced the united states to set a new standard for response to oil spills. Exxon valdez oil spill, 25 years later, offers lessons. How the exxon valdez disaster changed americas oil spill emergency management. Twentyfive years after the exxon valdez oil spill office of. In the early hours of march 24th 1989 the exxon valdez oil supertanker runs aground in alaska. Twenty years after the exxon valdez oil spill the catastrophe on march 24, 1989, that released 10. The incident happened after an exxon corporation tanker, the exxon valdez, ran aground on bligh reef during a voyage from valdez, alaska, to california. The exxon valdez top 10 environmental disasters time. Cleaning an otter fouled by the exxon valdez disaster u. Exxon valdez creates oil slick disaster an oil tanker has run aground on a reef off the alaskan coast, releasing gallons of crude oil into the sea.
Because it is so well known, the valdez oil spill is an excellent example of a thorough root cause analysis investigation. The exxon valdez was his first introduction to working on a big oil spill for noaa. While the spill was a major disaster, it has provided unusual opportunities for scientific. Apr 01, 2009 a short video about the exxon valdez oil spill. Joe hazelwood, runs aground on bligh reef, spilling more than 11 million gallons of crude oil into prince william sound.
The 1989 exxon valdez disaster was the worst ever oil spill in us waters until the deepwater horizon spill in 2010. Environmental case study the exxon valdez oil spill, ten. The exxon valdez ran aground in march of 1989, spilling 11 million gallons of oil into prince william sound. On march 23, 1989, the exxon valdez crashed hard aground on the coast at prince william sound, alaska. More recently, federal regulation has followed highly publicized environmental accidents, such as the 1990 oil pollution act developed in response to the 1989 exxon valdez spill in alaska. Keywords disasters, oil spills, social impacts, stress on april 20, 2010, the deepwater horizon drilling rig owned by transocean ltd. Crucial time passed before containment and cleanup efforts began. As the gulf of mexico oil spill shows little sign of abating, time takes a look back at historys greatest environmental tragedies. May 28, 2008 the development of this volume reflects the collective research interests of the editors over the last seven years on the exxon disaster in alaska.
Oil spill facts exxon valdez oil spill trustee council. On the night of march 24, 1989, the exxon valdez oil tanker ran aground on bligh reef in the pristine waters of alaskas prince william sound. The class consisted of 32,000 fishermen, alaska natives, landowners, and others whose livelihoods were gravely. The start of the exxon valdez oil spill disaster in alaskas prince william sound duration. March 23, 1989 was a rest day of sorts for some members of the exxon valdez crew. The development of this volume reflects the collective research interests of the editors over the last seven years on the exxon disaster in alaska. The class consisted of 32,000 fishermen, alaska natives, landowners, and others whose livelihoods were. Because it is so well known, the valdez oil spill is an excellent example of a thorough root cause analysis investigation shortly after midnight on march 24, 1989, the valdez, transporting crude oil from alaska to california, struck bligh reef. Exxon valdez oil spill disaster timeline and history of the litigation date description of event 032489 exxonvaldez runs aground shortly after midnight. Ironically, the worst environmental disaster in history was an oil spill that doesnt even rank among the top 50 largest oil spills source. Aerial of exxon valdez in the middle of oil slick 2. The incident becomes the biggest environmental catastrophe in north american history.
Lieff cabraser served as one of the courtappointed plaintiffs class counsel. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The exxon valdez and 2011 sage publications bp oil. The exxon valdez got into trouble in prince william sound when it hit bligh reef, splitting its side open and releasing oil, with reports of.
The exxon valdez oil spill was a manmade disaster that occurred when exxon valdez, an oil tanker owned by the exxon shipping company, spilled 11. The exxon valdez, first launched in 1986, was a mammoth oil tanker that stretched 987 feet 300 meters in length. The exxon valdez oil spill occurred in prince william sound, alaska, march 24, 1989, when exxon valdez, an oil tanker owned by exxon shipping company, bound for long beach, california, struck prince william sound s bligh reef, 1. They show thousands of carcasses of dead seabirds and sea otters covered in oil. In sheer size, it was eclipsed last april by the disastrous well.
A1 sylves how the exxon valdez disaster changed americas. The exxon valdez disaster is a 1992 movie depicting the exxon valdez oil spill disaster off the coast of alaska. No one anticipated any unusual problems as the exxon valdez left the alyeska pipeline terminal at 9. The 11 million gallons or 257,000 barrels of oil that eventually escaped from the tankers. Shortly after midnight on march 24, 1989, the valdez, transporting crude oil from alaska to california, struck bligh reef. How the exxon valdez disaster changed americas oil spill emergency management richard t. We also look at lessons we might learn from this environmental disaster in light of growing oil exploration and. Before the exxon valdez disaster, little was known about the longterm impacts of oil contamination on the environment, particularly in extremely cold climates. In a flash, dramatic images shoot across the planet.
It has tourist and fishing industries, as well as salmon spawning grounds. Mar 24, 2011 the exxon valdez catastrophe on march 24, 1989, no longer holds the distinction of being the largest oil spill ever in u. With john heard, bob gunton, mark metcalf, bruce gray. In the wake of disaster retro report december 9, 20 in 1989, a tanker ran aground off the coast of alaska, causing one of the worst oil spills in united states history. Coast guard 22 years later, bps deepwater horizon oil rig exploded, killing 11 workers and spreading millions of gallons of crude. It would eventually spread almost 500 miles from the original crash site and stain thousands of. Pdf oil spills are potentially the most destructive pollution source impacting beaches and marshes.
It was ten years ago on march 23 that the oil tanker exxon valdez ran aground on bligh reef, leaking 11 million gallons of oil into alaskas prince william sound and creating the most notorious oil spill in us history. Most of the film was shot in vancouver, richmond and steveston, british columbia, but it also utilizes archival film clips of. It was one of the worst manmade environmental disasters in u. Aug, 2012 the 1989 exxon valdez disaster was the worst ever oil spill in us waters until the deepwater horizon spill in 2010. However, prince william sounds remote location, accessible only by helicopter, plane, and boat, made government and industry response efforts difficult and severely taxed. The exxon valdez got into trouble in prince william sound when it hit bligh reef, splitting its side open and releasing oil, with reports of an eightmile 12. On the night of march 24, 1989, the exxon valdez oil tanker ran aground on bligh reef in the pristine. The exxon valdez oil spill was a manmade disaster that occurred when exxon valdez, an oil tanker owned by the exxon shipping company, spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil into alaskas prince. History us history 1900 to present on march 24, 1989, an oil tanker called the exxon valdez hit a reef off the coast of alaska and dumped millions of gallons of oil into the ocean. How the exxon valdez disaster changed americas oil spill. The citys excellent, nearly landlocked icefree harbor was explored and named by the spaniards in 1790. The 1989 exxon valdez oil spill has lingering effects as nations look to drill in the arctic. Exxon valdez was the original name of an oil tanker owned by the former exxon corporation.
On march 24, 1989, shortly after midnight, the oil tanker exxon valdez struck bligh reef in prince william sound, alaska, spilling more than 11 million gallons of crude oil. Exxon valdez oil spill on march 24, 1989, the tanker exxon valdez grounded on bligh reef in alaskas prince william sound, rupturing its hull and spilling nearly 11 million gallons of prudhoe bay crude oil into a remote, scenic, and biologically productive body of water. List of books and articles about exxon valdez oil spill. The bp disaster as an exxon valdez rerun article pdf available in contexts 103.
It was ten years ago on march 23 that the oil tanker exxon valdez ran aground on bligh reef, leaking 11 million gallons of oil into alaskas prince william sound. Directed by paul seed, it stars christopher lloyd, john heard, rip torn and michael murphy most of the film was shot in vancouver, richmond and steveston, british columbia, but it also utilizes archival film clips of the actual disaster and cleanup efforts. Directed by paul seed, it stars christopher lloyd, john heard, rip torn and michael murphy. Exxon valdez, may 1620, 1989 video recordings video td427. The reallife struggle to contain the environmental and financial damage caused to alaska by the oil spill from the exxon valdez is dramatized. Exxon valdez oil spill, massive oil spill that occurred on march 24, 1989, in prince william sound, alaska. The exxon valdez catastrophe on march 24, 1989, no longer holds the distinction of being the largest oil spill ever in u. Alan haigbrown, keeping the oil inside the ships on prince william sound, 40 professional mariner 20 1999. Nearly 11,000,000 gallons of crude oil were dispersed when the exxon valdez ran aground, polluting 1,300 miles of alaskan shoreline and causing the extermination of much native wildlife. Describes the oil tanker exxon valdez, the events that led up to its disastrous oil spill in. An eighteen foot wide hole was ripped into the hull, and 10. Exxon valdez oil spill class action lieff cabraser heimann. In this episode, we talk with noaa marine biologist gary shigenaka to find out how marine life in prince william sound, alaska, is faring today.
Yet the exxon valdez oil spill is widely considered to be the most disastrous oil spill in the world in terms of its environmental impact source. The exxon valdez oil spill was a manmade disaster that occurred when exxon valdez, an oil tanker owned by the exxon shipping company. After the exxon valdez spilled nearly 11 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean, a team of noaa scientists arrived onscene to provide scientific support during the long cleanup. Pdf lessons from the exxon valdez oil spill disaster in alaska. Column jul 07, 2010 if only information flowed as freely as oil. Joseph hazelwood, chief engineer jerry glowacki and radio officer joel roberson left the exxon valdez about 11.
Apr 10, 2011 on march 23, 1989, the exxon valdez crashed hard aground on the coast at prince william sound, alaska. The exxon valdez oil spill trustee council evostc is one of the eight founding partners of the alaska. Exxon valdez oil spill, massive oil spill that occurred on march 24, 1989, in prince william sound, an inlet in the gulf of alaska, alaska, u. Delayed efforts to contain the spill and naturally strong winds and waves dispersed nearly. Prior to the deepwater horizon spill in the gulf of mexico, the exxon valdez was the largest spill to ever occur in u. Introduction with the exception of the titanic, the exxonvaldez may be the most infamous ship disaster in history.
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