Green Options » Exxon Mobile

The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill - 20 Years After: The Analysis

Michael Ricciardi — Fri, 01 May 2009 06:19:58 +0000

Twenty years ago last month, the supertanker Exxon Valdez struck a reef in Prince William Sound and ran aground, releasing 40 million liters {approximately 10 million gallons) into the surrounding sea and onto the beaches. It remains the worst oil spill in US maritime history. In the days that followed, impact inventories revealed the lethal outcome: a quarter of a million sea birds had been killed, along with 22 Orca whales, nearly 3000 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, and unknown millions of fish eggs.

In 1991, the Alaskan and US Governments reached an agreement with Exxon Mobil in a 900 million dollar settlement, almost 200 million of which was set aside for scientific study of the disaster and its impact on the PWS ecosystem. Exxon Mobile also funded its own studies (generating 400 papers and reports) which were frequently in disagreement with the government scientists’ reports and findings.

Twenty years after, the Exxon Valdez spill has become the most studied maritime, industrial disaster ever. A news report in Science Magazine (March 26, 2009) by Lila Guterman (with Jacopo Pasotti reporting) presented some of the scientific findings from the post-spill research.

Spiking the Water? A Whiskey Bi-product May be Able to Clean Contaminated Groundwater.

Joe Mohr — Tue, 13 May 2008 03:44:44 +0000

A few thoughts and a cartoon popped into my head last week while reading an article in Grist on oil companies having to clean up contaminated groundwater. The article stated that

“Some of the nation’s largest oil companies will over the next 30 years have to pay to clean up groundwater befouled with gasoline additive MTBE. In settling a suit brought by 153 public water providers in 17 states, a dozen companies — including BP, Shell, ConocoPhillips, and Chevron — will also have to pay a total $423 million cash.”

Thought #1: Finally!
Thought #2: 30 years! How about 3? And how about shipping clean water to homes in the affected areas in the mean time?
The article goes on to state that the estimated cost of the cleanup is $30 billion…
Thought #3: Why $423 million then?! I’m taking that same logic with me next time I fill up my car. “What, the cost is $4 a gallon? I’ll pay $1.50.”
It also mentioned that Exxon Mobile (among others) did not agree to settle…
Cartoon #1: Big Oil’s Mess? It MTBE, It Could Be, It Is!
And,
Thought #4: How can 17 states worth of contaminated groundwater even be cleaned up?
That’s when discovered that a few University of Aberdeen researchers have found that a whiskey bi-product may just do the trick.

Mean Joe Green #9: Big Oil’s Mess? It MTBE, It Could Be, It Is!!!

Joe Mohr — Sat, 10 May 2008 02:21:14 +0000

We learned it in Kindergarten–”If you make a mess, CLEAN IT UP!”

Especially if that mess is the gasoline additive MTBE, a possible carcinogen that has leaked into our groundwater. It’s been around since 1979 (ironically, when I was in kindergarten) and is now banned in 23 states, and has not been used by oil companies since 2006.

For more on the 423 million dollar law suit requiring Big Oil to pay big money, check out this article in Grist–after you take a peek at my cartoon, of course…