Exxon Valdez

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the enormous environmental disaster of the Exxon Valdez oil spill into the Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska. The paper provides the history of the Exxon Company, a detailed description of the accident and the following environmental cleanup. It describes the criminal negligence of the company and complete public relations failure.

Table of Contents:

Introduction
Situation Analysis
Burning Mechanical Cleanup Chemical Dispersants
Effects on the Environment
Government Action
Exxon's Reaction
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The Exxon Valdez, a tanker loaded with oil from the shipping terminal in Valdez, Alaska, ran aground on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound (in the Gulf of Alaska) at 12:04am, on March 24, 1989. At the helm was of Gregory Cousins, Third Mate, who was not licensed to pilot the ship through Prince William Sound, whose waters were considered treacherous. Joseph Hazelwood, the captain of the ship, was apparently asleep below deck. Third Mate Cousins had tried to dodge floating ice, performing a series of strange right turns. When the ship hit Bligh Reef, its hull ruptured and much of the cargo spilled. In the next few days, the oil spread rapidly, causing the deaths of thousands of sea birds, sea otters, and other wildlife. It covered the coastline with oil from the ship resulting of the wreck and eventually contamination of marine life; the fishing season in the sound was halted for several years.

More papers on Exxon Valdez:

• Essay # 71060 : "Exxon Valdez Disaster"
• Essay # 44423 : "The Exxon Valdez Disaster"
• Essay # 75311 : "The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill"

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