Following an oily sheen near the Valdez Marine Terminal’s Berth 4, where Alaska oil is loaded onboard oceangoing tankers, authorities started cleaning operations. Specifically, officials determined that the main source of the pollution was a mixture of oil and water flowing downhill from an overflowing drain sump.
According to Reuters, clean-up crews managed to recover 574 barrels (24,108 gallons) of an oil-water mix, as about 15 fishing vessels and more than 240 personnel are involved in the operation.
In fact, team composed of system operator Alyeska Pipeline Service Co, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation are collaborating and provide their immediate response to the spill.
Despite the spill, TAPS operations continue as normal. Namely, one tanker loaded with crude departed the Valdez terminal on Wednesday morning and another had likely arrived by midday to start loading, a spokeswoman told to Reuters.
At the moment, the total amount of oil spilled is not currently known, while the reason behind this is under investigation.
For the records the Valdez terminal is located in Prince William Sound, on the south coast of Alaska.
