Effect of spill near Oahu may not be as bad as 1998 mishap State and federal officials today were assessing the environmental damage of a Sunday morning oil spill off Leeward Oahu that could reach Kaua’i. About 630 gallons of
Effect of spill near Oahu may not be as bad as 1998 mishap
State and federal officials today were assessing the environmental damage of a Sunday morning oil spill off Leeward Oahu that could reach Kaua’i.
About 630 gallons of crude oil leaked from the tanker Overseas Chicago into the ocean at 7:15 a.m., according to officials. They said the spill occurred while the ship was transferring crude oil through hoses and undersea pipelines to a Tesoro refinery at Barbers Point.
Tesoro officials said the spill was caused by a malfunction in the transfer hose couplings.
The ship had nearly completed transferring 600,000 barrels of crude oil when its crew and crew members from other ships noticed the couplings had separated, officials reported.
Coast Guard and state officials were examining whether built-in safety features to close the hoses worked properly.
Gary Gill, deputy director of the Department of Health for environmental issues, said a buoy placed in the oil slick showed currents were moving the oil toward Kaua’i last night. The spill may be visible here in about a week, according to reports.
Several specially equipped boats and helicopters were called to disperse the spill.
Teams of veterinarians were on standby to treat any birds or mammals exposed to the spill.
State and federal officials accompanied Tesoro investigators on a helicopter flight Monday to determine whether further measures are needed.
It was the second time in three years that Tesoro has spilled oil from its mooring point, which is more than a mile off Barbers Point, Gill said. The first spill was in 1998 and involved more than 4,200 gallons of oil.
According to some reports, the effect of yesterday’s spill on Kaua’i could be less than the 1998 mishap. That spill resulted in more than two years of study, legal maneuvering and finally a restoration plan.
The plan, hammered out between Tesoro Hawai’i Oil, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the state Department of Health and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, calls for the restoration of affected areas.
Oil from the Aug. 24, 1998 spill came ashore on many of Kauai’s beaches, including Barking Sands, Polihale, Nukoli, Fuji’i and Kipu Kai beaches.
TGI staff writer Dennis Wilken contributed to this report.
