Exxon Valdez oil spill – 30th anniversary

Thirty years ago the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spilled 41 million litres of crude oil off the coast of Alaska, causing an ecological disaster


Mar 24, 1989: Vessel exits shipping lane to avoid icebergs and hits Bligh Reef

Valdez
Alyeska Marine Terminal
Chugach National Forest
10km 6 miles


ALASKA
Kenai Peninsula
Oil spread by wind and currents for 56 days
Inset map
Prince William Sound
Kodiak Island
Gulf of Alaska
200km 124 miles


Main map
U.S.
Prudhoe Bay oil field
Trans-Alaska Pipeline
Hudson Bay
CANADA
Valdez
2,000km 1,240 miles


Area affected by oil spill


Oil, originally extracted from Prudhoe Bay oil field, covers 2,100km of coastline and 28,000km2 of ocean

Eight of 11 cargo tanks ruptured

WHAT HAPPENED TO OIL?
50% Biodegraded
20% Evaporated
14% Cleaned up (over two years)
13% Remained in subtidal sediments (5.3m litres)
2% Remained on shoreline (818,000 litres)
1% Remained in water (409,000 litres)


WILDLIFE KILLED
Estimated 250,000 seabirds
Estimated 5,300 marine mammals
Unknown number of salmon and herring


Source: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council 
Pictures: Associated Press 
© GRAPHIC NEWS