Oil Tracking, Containment, and Recovery During the Exxon Valdez Response1

ABSTRACT The initial response to the Exxon Valdez oil spill, in Prince William Sound, Alaska, March 24, 1989, was to locate, contain, and recover free oil on the open water before it reached the shoreline. Mobilizing the necessary equipment and materials was a major challenge. Oil was tracked primarily by airborne observers supplemented by remote-sensing devices; the immediate generation of maps showing the oil's location was a critical component in the initial response. Free oil was contained mainly by the placement of booms of various designs and manufactures in crucial locations. Ultimately, more than 100 miles of containment boom were used for this purpose. After containment, oil was removed by skimmers and other devices from the water's surface. Additional equipment was needed to transfer the recovered oil from the skimmers to temporary storage, where it was held pending final disposal. This paper presents the details of the tracking, containment, and recovery operations, with comments on how well va...