A Supertanker Smashes into Bligh Reef Causing a Deadly Oil Spill
Apr 1, 2010 Toni Walters
Supertanker for Oil Transportation - Columbia114
Crude oil is used in many everyday items including ink, explosives, fertilizer and medicines. Oil is used to run cars and factories. The world depends on oil. Supertankers are used to transport oil around the world.
The Exxon Valdez Oil Disaster
On the evening of 25 March, 1989, a supertanker smashed into Bligh Reef off the coast of Alaska. The Exxon Valdez was headed out into Alaska’s Prince William Sound and was granted permission from the US Coast Guard to steer east, to avoid icebergs. According to later investigations, the ship was never returned to the normal shipping lane after the danger of hitting icebergs was past.
Ruptured Tanks Causes Oil Spill
The Exxon Valdez smashed into Bligh Reef and two of the 13 tanks were punctured, leaving eight holes in the tanker’s starboard side. The tanker then smashed further onto the reef and six more tanks were ruptured. The crude oil cargo was spewed into the sea at a rate of 200,000 gallons (910,000 liters) a minute. 30,000 tonne of crude oil was spilled into the ocean causing one of the worst oil spills in American history. Within the 12 hours before any emergency action was taken, bad weather and storms washed the oil spill further out to sea. The oil slick quickly became a major environmental disaster. With each tide, oil was washed onto shore of over 2000km of coastline.
Sea Life and Natural Habitats
Hundreds of thousands of birds and animals were killed in the disaster and all commercial fishing was stopped in the area. When covered, birds try to clean their feathers and as a result swallow large amounts of oil which poison them. When the fur of seals and otters becomes covered in oil, they cannot float or keep warm, resulting in them sinking. Plants and animals along the shore line where also badly affected from the oil spill.
New Laws as a Result of the Disaster
After the Exxon Valdez disaster the US Government was forced to take action and the Oil Pollution Act, 1990 was passed. All oil tankers using US waters are required to have double hulls, this helps to reduce the chance that they can sink or leak oil. Tanker owners and oil companies must have emergency plans in case of accidents and tough penalties apply for those responsible for any oil spills.
Related Article: 1988 Piper Alpha Oil Rig Disaster
Source:
- World’s Worst Oil Disasters, Rob Alcraft, (Heinemann Library, 2000)
Copyright Toni Walters. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
