Amerada Hess Oil Co. storage tanks; Port Alucroix, Limetree Bay, St Croix, US Virgin Islands

Port Alucroix, Limetree Bay, St Croix, US Virgin Islands | 1989-Sep-20

Initial Notification: On September 18, 1989, Hurricane Hugo hit the island of St. Croix with winds in excess of 140 miles per hour. Five large oil storage tanks were destroyed and several severely damaged at the Hess Oil Virgin Islands Corporation (HOVIC) power plant in Port Alucroix, St Croix. Of the 10,000 barrels released, approximately 9,000 barrels were contained within earthen berms on the facility's grounds. Coast Guard personnel of the Marine Safety Office (MSO) San Juan participated in an overflight of the area on September 21. The overflight was conducted to assess damages to two affected facilities. Members of the USCG Atlantic Strike Team and the Federal On-Scene Coordinator arrived on-scene September 22 to inspect the damaged storage tanks. Approximately 1,000 barrels of heavy crude oil were in HOVIC's main tanker harbor. HOVIC employees had already begun countermeasures to contain the oil. HOVIC personnel appeared to need little assistance from the Coast Guard. Coast Guard personnel continued on to Virgin Islands Water Power Authority (VI WAPA) to assess the damages and needs at that facility. USCG district 7. Keyword: Atlantic Strike Team (AST), adverse weather conditions, boom, skimming pump, oil snares, clamshell bucket..