The Exxon Valdez oil Spill
We will look at:
The background history of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
The effects of the spill- particularly to the Sea Otters
Finally, what we can do to prevent another “Exxon
Valdez Oil Spill”
What do we want to know?
How did the Exxon Valdez oil spill affect
Alaskan wildlife, particularly sea otters?
How is the wildlife recovering? Is there any
long-term damage?
What do we think?
We believe that the Exxon Valdez oil spill had
several negative impacts on Alaska’s
wildlife, and we believe the wildlife is still
being negatively impacted today.
Let’s look at
the Exxon Valdez
At 4 minutes past midnight on March
24, 1989, The Exxon Valdez loaded
1,264,155 barrels of North Slope crude
oil, on the Bligh Reef in the
northeastern portion of Prince William
Sound.
About 1/5th of the total cargo, that’s
11.2 million gallons, spilled into the
sea.
This was the LARGEST tanker spill in
the United States history!!
What went wrong…
The Exxon Valdez Oil Tanker
ran aground due to the failure
of the 3rd mate to properly
maneuver the vessel because
of impairment from alcohol,
fatigue, excessive workload
and inadequate navigation
equipment.
The Exxon Shipping company
did not provide proper
equipment and an adequate
rested crew.
More Trouble…
The captain of the ship,
Joseph Hazelwood, was seen
drinking with the crew in
several bars immediately
before boarding the ship.
The ship had been diverted
from normal traffic lanes,
presumably to avoid
icebergs.
And most importantly, there
was a lack of proper
navigational systems.
Valdez Alaska
And the jury says…
Federal appeals court
Ruled that they pay
$5.3 billion in Punitive
damages. The Exxon
Corporation asked the
judge to set a lower
amount- they felt it was
Oil Spill Recovery Teams
unfair to have to pay
for the oil spill by Congress and then pay the
fisherman, etc.
As a result, in 1994 Exxon was ordered to pay
damages to 33,000 commercial fisherman, Alaskan
natives, property owners and others harmed.
More Rulings…..
Hazelwood was put on trial and found not
guilty for operating a vessel under the
influence of alcohol.
He was ordered to pay a fine and complete
1000 hours of community service.
Hazelwood and Third Mate Gregory Cousins
both resigned.
More on Exxon Valdez
This map shows how
widely distributed the oil
was- the area in red
shows where the oil
spilled.
Approximately 1300
miles of beaches were
oiled. Even though, this
horrific event took place
in 1989, we are still
cleaning up the waters
today.
How was the oil cleaned up?
Barges were sent out to
deploy containment booms
around the tanker to prevent
the oil from spreading too far.
They were delayed and took
12 hours to reach the scene.
Skimmers were sent out to
skim the layer of oil from the
surface of the water. Some of
the oil was burned away.
High-pressure hot-water
hoses and chemical cleaners
were used to blast the oil off
the beaches.
The Effects of the Exxon
Valdez Oil Spill on Alaskan
Wildlife
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Cleanup efforts
Positive Human Impact
This rescuer
saved a baby
sea otter from
an oil spill.
What happened to the animals?
Several rehabilitation centers
were opened to care for oiled
and injured animals.
Animals were washed with
Dawn dishwashing soap to
remove oil from their feathers
and fur.
After a short period of
rehabilitation, animals were
released into unoiled areas.
The Effects on the
Sea Otters
The oil slicks on the surface are
especially dangerous to the fur
bearing sea otters. The oil
interferes with the otters ability to
maintain its body temperature
which results in death from
hypothermia.
Sea Otter
Effects continued
The oil produces organ failure –
most commonly lung and kidney
problems
Destroys reproductive systems –
animals can no longer reproduce
Volatile components of oil can
remain in the water for many years
Oil compounds can enter and
contaminate food sources.
Number of Otters
Causes of Death Among Sea Otters
Following the Spill in Prince William
Sound
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
1693
424
81
3
Found dead Est. died and
Died in
Died en route
onshore
unrecovered rehabilitation
to rehab
centers
centers
Cause of Death
Interpreting the Data
The spill was responsible for the death of a large
number of sea otters.
It is estimated that only 20% of the otters that
died in the Prince William Sound were actually
recovered. This estimate more than triples the
mortality of the otters following the spill.
It is believed that some otters could have died
after being released from rehabilitation, due to
long-term injuries or stress from being reintroduced into an unfamiliar area .
Sea Otter Population Surveys in
Prince William Sound Before and After
the Spill
600
500
400
300
200
100
-1
98
Ju 5
n89
Ju
l-8
Au 9
g8
M 9
ar
-9
Ju 0
n90
Ju
l-9
Au 0
g90
M
ar
-9
1
Ju
l-9
1
0
19
84
Number of Otters
700
Time
Interpreting the Data
The overall trend of the graph shows a decrease
in sea otter population from 1984 to July of
1991.
The continuing downward trend of otter
population numbers suggests that exposure to
oil had long-term effects on the otters. Two
years after the spill, their numbers remained
on the downward trend.
The Current Status of
The Prince William Sound
Number of Species
Recovery Rates Among Wildlife
Affected by the Spill
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Not
Recovering
Recovering
Recovered
Recovery Status
Recovery
Unkown
RECOVERY
A species is said to be recovered when they
return to the status quo before the spill
This concept, however, is hard to grasp, since
the status quo of many species before the
spill is unknown .
Non-Recovering Wildlife
Common Loon
Cormorants
Harbor Seal
Harlequin Ducks
Pacific Herring
Pigeon Guillemot
These animals, in oiled areas of the sound
have shown no increase back to their
populations pre-spill.
Recovering Wildlife
Clams
Killer Whale
Marbled Murrelets
Mussels
Sea Otters
These animals are stable or increasing in nonoiled areas, however are not increasing in
oiled areas.
Recovered Wildlife
Bald Eagle
Common Murre
Pink Salmon
River Otter
Sockeye Salmon
These animals have no lasting injuries from the
oil spill.
Recovery of Sea Otters
Since 1993 the population of sea otters as a
whole has been increasing in the Prince
William Sound
However, the most heavily oiled bays in the
western part of the sound are not showing
signs of recovery
Recovery of
Sea Otters continued
Studies show that a sea otters in the western
part of the sound have much slower
reproductive rates in comparison to the rest
of the sound.
We can therefore infer that today the oil
continues to hinder sea otter recovery, as it
still affects their reproductive cycles.
The Age of Sea Otters
Since the Exxon Valdez oil spill, there has been
an increase in the death rate of young sea
otters.
The developing organs of newborn sea otters
are inhibited by the toxicity of the oil and
have led to an increased death rate among
newborn an juvenile Sea otters.
Recovery of
Sea Otters continued
The destruction of their environment and
depletion of food sources is also hindering
recovery today.
During clean up efforts, many shorelines were
destroyed from high pressure and hot water.
The sediments many small animals depend on
were no longer available to support them.
Consequently, much of the food sea otters
depended on could no longer support the sea
otter population.
Recovery of
Sea Otters continued
In April 2002 nineteen carcasses were recovered
in the western shore of the sound.
Liver samples taken from the carcasses indicated
high levels of an enzyme associated with oil
exposure.
Analysis of the effects
of oil on Sea Otters
Immediately following the spill, the death rate
among sea otters soared. This can be blamed
directly on the spill itself.
With 28 beach acres contaminated by 15, 850
gallons of oil today, sea otters are still
exposed its dangers.
Today, the recovery of sea otter carcasses still
occurs. The devastation of their population
has made people more aware of the disaster
that such a huge oil spill creates.
the result of
the spill…
The U.S. Coast Guard now
monitors fully laden tankers via
satellite as they pass through
Valdez Narrows.
Weather criteria for safe
navigation have been firmly
Established.
Congress enacted legislation
requiring that all tankers in
Prince William Sound be doublehulled by the year 2015.
Improvements in Prevention
Two escort vessels follow every tanker on
either side, equipped to assist in case a
spill should occur
Drills regularly occur every year. Over
300,000 barrels of oil are now able to be
cleaned up in a 72 hour period
Now there are barges able to hold 818, 000
barrels of recovered oil.
Conclusion
The plight of the Otter is based on a
complicated and intertwined
ecosystem of which man plays a key
role.
It is up to us to protect and assure the
continued existence of Otters and all
species on this planet.
EXXON VALDEZ
Any Questions