The Exxon Valdez and Environmental Damage
This article will review current information regarding environmental engineering techniques being used in Prince William Sound, Alaska. The creation and implementation of some of these techniques was inspired by the Exxon Valdez incident. There were no absolute positive correlations between bioremediation techniques used, new tanker technology, and the lessening of ecological impact. Environmental engineering appears best at studying the variables and then learning through trial and error what are the most positive steps to take.
At 12:30 am (PST) on March 24, 1989 the Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef, a well known and well marked submerged reef far outside the designated tanker lanes. The Exxon Valdez spewed 11 million gallons of North Slope crude into the protected waters of Prince William Sound. When Alyeska clean up crews finally arrived, a full 14 hours later, Bligh Reef had ripped the bottom out of the Exxon Valdez and the ship lay in a pool of oil 2 miles wide, 6 miles long and 24 inches deep (Voth, 1994).
Readiness and Remediation to 1989 Standards
Accordingly, techniques for limiting the spread of oil spills and subsequent clean ups were limited to burn offs, anionic and nonionic subfracants, booms, bioremediation, removal of the crude, and high pressure hoses. Although some of these techniques were novel and effective in the short term, the dimensions of the Exxon Valdez incident were beyond anyone's readiness factor. Prevention of oil spills, a facet of the petroleum industry largely forced upon it by inadequate response to past incidents, was limited to the technique of double hulling oil tankers (Skerrett, 1992).
Current Environmental Engineering Techniques
The current trend is toward prevention of incidents such as the Exxon Valdez. To that end, advanced techniques in shipbuilding, oil spill recovery and bioremediation have taken center stage. Th...