RECOVERING FROM A BLACK WAVE: Recovery and Clean-Up after Marine Oil Disasters Researched and Written by: Bethany Waite Museum Management and Curatorship Program, Fleming College Produced for: Canada Science and Technology Museum July 2014 July 2014 RECOVERING FROM A BLACK WAVE: Recovery and Clean-Up after Marine Oil Disasters Table of Contents Introduction .....................................................................................................................................3 Brief History of Marine Oil Transportation: From “Bubblin’ Crude” to the Supertanker Era ..3 Torrey Canyon: Disaster During A Movement..............................................................................5 The Accident ................................................................................................................................5 Human Error ...............................................................................................................................8 Outcomes ......................................................................................................................................9 Arrow: Oil on Canadian Soil ........................................................................................................ 10 The Accident ............................................................................................................................. 10 Task Force ................................................................................................................................. 13 Recovery .................................................................................................................................... 14 Oil Containment and Clean-Up ............................................................................................... 18 Outcomes ................................................................................................................................... 22 Kurdistan: Oil and Ice ................................................................................................................. 23 The Accident ............................................................................................................................. 23 Two Halves of a Whole ............................................................................................................. 24 Continuous Clean-Up ............................................................................................................... 26 Outcomes ................................................................................................................................... 29 Nestucca: A Foreshadowing Event ............................................................................................. 31 The Accident ............................................................................................................................. 31 Clean-Up ................................................................................................................................... 32 Outcomes ................................................................................................................................... 35 Exxon Valdez: A Pristine Catastrophe ....................................................................................... 36 The Accident ............................................................................................................................. 36 Human Error ............................................................................................................................ 38 Contingency Plan Confusion .................................................................................................... 39 1 July 2014 Oil Movement ............................................................................................................................ 40 Clean-Up ................................................................................................................................... 41 International News ................................................................................................................... 44 Outcomes ................................................................................................................................... 46 Brigadier General M.G. Zalinski: Cleaning Up the Past........................................................... 52 The Accident ............................................................................................................................. 52 Recovery .................................................................................................................................... 54 Outcomes ................................................................................................................................... 56 Conclusion..................................................................................................................................... 57 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 58 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... 67 Appendix A: Collections Inventory.............................................................................................. 68 Artefacts .................................................................................................................................... 68 Trade Literature ....................................................................................................................... 84 Appendix B: Collections Development ........................................................................................ 85 Objects ....................................................................................................................................... 85 Oral History .............................................................................................................................. 87 Publications............................................................................................................................... 89 Conference ................................................................................................................................. 89 2 July 2014 INTRODUCTION This research project was completed for Fleming College’s Museum Management and Curatorship Program curriculum-based summer internship implemented at Canada Science and Technology Museum. Recent events have led to petroleum transportation becoming a topical issue once again. This report examined the first worldwide method used, marine transportation. Marine transportation allowed this product to be used globally. However, this form of shipping is not perfect and accidents occur. Marine oil disasters from tankers greatly affect the environment with long-term consequences still unknown. History has shown that the occurrence of a disaster will cause change to take place. The focus of this research report is recovery and clean-up techniques following marine oil disasters. This will include technological development of equipment used, scientific research on the environmental impact these spills have on the coastal ecosystem, evolution of preventative measures and changes in legislation. Scholarly journals, books and newspaper articles were reviewed to determine what is considered the first major oil disaster. These sources were also reviewed to determine which disasters influenced the recovery and clean-up response. This research determined the Torrey Canyon (1967), Arrow (1970), Kurdistan (1979), Nestucca (1988), Exxon Valdez (1989), and Brigadier General M.G. Zalinski (sank in 1946, recovery of oil in 2013) oil spills would be discussed in this report. Canada Science and Technology Museum does focus on Canadian innovation, but it is understood that petroleum transportation is an international affair. Changes that occur within this industry affect the industry on a global scale, not just limited to Canada. This is why disasters which took place outside of Canada are also included in this report. BRIEF HISTORY OF MARINE OIL TRANSPORTATION: FROM “BUBBLIN’ CRUDE” TO THE SUPERTANKER ERA The use of crude oil as an energy source began in the 1850s (Parker, 2009). However, one problem arose. How was this resource to be transported from the remote locations it was found in? The solution was found by turning to the water. In the 1860s the first oil tankers were built and propelled with sails. The first steam tanker, Vanderland, was built in 1873 by the Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company (Parker, 2009). In 1878 the first modern tanker, Zoroaster, was designed and built by Ludvig Nobel of Sweden (Franks and Nunnally, 2011). A three island design was created to increase storage capability. At the stern of the ship was the smoke stack and crew’s quarters, the middle of the ship was the bridge and officer’s quarters and the bow had a raised forecastle to protect against rough seas and increased storage 3 July 2014 for supplies. This was the standard ship design for tankers for over 60 years (Modern Marvels, 2004). Ships called oilers began to be used during World War One. These ships were capable of providing underway replenishment of fuel. This allowed Navy ships to be refueled while sailing across the ocean. Therefore, British destroyers were refueled during a tactical operation