Deepwater Horizon

At four minutes after midnight on March 24, the ship struck Bligh Reef, a well-known navigation hazard in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. The impact of the collision tore open the ship’s hull, causing some 11 million gallons of crude oil to spill into the water.

In response to the spill, the United States Congress passed the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA). The legislation included a clause that prohibits any vessel that, after March 22, 1989, has caused an oil spill of more than 1 million US gallons (3,800 m3) in any marine area, from operating in Prince William Sound.

Skimmers, which collect water and then remove oil from the surface, were deployed over 24 hours after the spill. The skimmers got clogged with oil and kelp, so this was ineffective. Dispersants, which are chemicals that breakdown oil, were released into the water.

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.

At four minutes past midnight on 24 March, a cold-water reef ripped the thin skin of the Exxon Valdez’s single hull, releasing the equivalent of about 17 Olympic swimming pools of oil into Prince William Sound, Alaska.

Joseph Hazelwood

For many, the case of the Exxon Valdez oil spill has become a symbol of unethical corporate behavior. Had Exxon’s managers not callously pursued their own interests at the expense of the environment and other parties, the accident would not have happened.

Why is the Exxon Valdez significant? It was an oil tanker that caused one of the worst oil spills in U.S. history, leading to the building of double-hulled ships. It is from the North American Free Trade Agreement, the goal of which was to eliminate trade barriers among North American countries.

It took a quarter century, but the northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) living in Alaska’s Prince William Sound have finally recovered from the effects of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, according to a new report from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

On the surface, Prince William Sound appears to have recovered. But you don’t have to dig too deep—into the soil or into memories—to find the spill’s lingering effects.

Exxon Valdez oil spill costs exceeded $7 billion Cleanup alone cost in the region of US $2.5 billion and total costs (including fines, penalties and claims settlements) have, at times been estimated at as much as US $7 billion.”

around three years

Today, 20 years after the largest spill in U.S. waters, the oil that gushed from the hull of the Exxon Valdez is still having effects. Sea otters once again play in the waters of Alaska’s Prince William Sound, and salmon and some other species have rebounded.

EVOS oiled wildlife and rocky intertidal shorelines and exposed early life stages of fish to embryotoxic levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Long-term impacts following EVOS were observed on seabirds, sea otters, killer whales, and subtidal communities.

In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground in Prince William Sound, spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil, impacting miles of Alaska’s coastline and killing millions of animals.

Answer: The oil contaminated 1,300 miles of coastline. Most of the fisheries closed due to people not wanting to get poisoned by contaminated fish and people still today do not fish there for this reason. Some species of fish never fully recovered.

Of the remaining $25 million, $12 million went to the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund and $13 million went to the national Victims of Crime Fund. As restitution for the injuries caused to the fish, wildlife, and lands of the spill region, Exxon agreed to pay $100 million.

Answer: Exxon Valdez is significant because it was an oil tanker that caused one of the worst oil spills in U.S. history, leading to the building of double-hulled ships. Explanation: The spill led to the approval of new environmental legislation in the United States (Oil Pollution Act of 1990).

He was fined $50,000 and this summer will begin performing 1,000 hours of community service, picking up litter along Alaska highways. After his trial Captain Hazelwood became a teacher at a maritime academy. Recently, he’s been working as a consultant for a law firm in New York.

The salaries of Oil Tanker Captains in the US range from $38,310 to $134,950 , with a median salary of $75,482 . The middle 50% of Oil Tanker Captains makes between $63,430 and $75,466, with the top 83% making $134,950.

Gregory Cousins

Prince William Sound, Alaska, United States

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.S. The incident happened after an Exxon Corporation tanker, the Exxon Valdez, ran aground on Bligh Reef during a voyage from Valdez, Alaska, to California.

Prince William Sound (Russian: Чугацкий залив Čugatski zaliv) is a sound of the Gulf of Alaska on the south coast of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located on the east side of the Kenai Peninsula. Its largest port is Valdez, at the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System.

When oils rigs or machinery malfunction or break, thousands of tons of oil can seep into the environment. Oil spill effects on environments and habitats can be catastrophic: they can kill plants and animals, disturb salinity/pH levels, pollute air/water and more.