|
Response continues at VMT oily water spill
Kristen Nelson Petroleum News
Work continues to clean up the oily water spill which was discovered April 12 at the Valdez Marine Terminal.
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Spill Prevention and Response said in an April 21 situation report said additional tests have been performed and all indicate that the 58-SU-3 sump continues to be the only source. That sump was emptied and the ballast water header which enters the sump was isolated April 13.
ADEC said the focus of engineers and surveyors continues to be on identifying the flow path from the sump to the small boat harbor.
“Tactical excavations are underway to verify the flow path with additional excavations planned.”
The unified command for the incident - Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., the U.S. Coast Guard and ADEC - reported April 22 that as of that morning some 925 barrels of water/oil mix had been collected from recovery activities on the water, with 12 barrels of oil recovered from volumes metered so far, and less than one barrel recovered from land.
“The exact volume of oil spilled remains undetermined,” the unified command said in the fact sheet issued at 10:30 a.m. April 22.
Outflow at culvert The unified command said the outflow location is a culvert that ends within the primary containment boom; that outflow is currently discharging high volumes of snow melt and rain water with a minor sheen; engineers are developing a plan to remove oil from that outflow.
There is ongoing excavation in a 40 by 40 foot area around the sump looking for the oily water’s underground entry point, with personnel mainly using air knives - which use compressed air to dig - because of underground piping and utilities.
One area of excavation downhill from the sump was completed without locating the flow path and engineers are developing a dig plan farther west, work which the unified command said could begin April 23. There are some 30 people involved in the excavation work.
The command said more than 240 people are involved in the response, locally and statewide, with 15 vessel of opportunity boats on scene and 13 Alyeska work boats.
The area has been boomed since April 12, with more than 26,000 feet of boom deployed and response crews using skimmers and current buster boom. The unified command said an afternoon flight of the work area and Port Valdez April 22 “observed that all sheen was within containment.”
“Additional plans are being prepared to address the spill outflow location,” ADEC said April 21, with a shoreline cleanup plan approved for the next stage of cleanup operations.
| 