UNOCAL Cook Inlet Baker Platform; Upper Cook Inlet, north of Forelands, Alaska

Upper Cook Inlet, north of Forelands, Alaska | 1994-Apr-06

Initial Notification: The USCG received a report just before noon on April 6, 1994, from UNOCAL that a valve had been accidentally left open on their Baker Platform and 50 to 100 barrels of crude had escaped into Cook Inlet. UNOCAL immediately called their incident command team to Nikiski and established a command post at the Cook Inlet Spill Prevention and Response Inc. (CISPRI) headquarters. CISPRI immediately launched a mechanical cleanup capability (boats and skimmers) while completing the dispersant and in-situ burn (ISB) request forms. Neither of these alternative response techniques were needed because the oil thinned, evaporated, and dispersed too rapidly. A total of 40 barrels were collected mechanically. The USCG and the FOSC were onscene; however, their role was strictly one of consultation and monitoring. The response lasted about 8 hours. Weather was warm and sunny; although a small amount of floating ice (<10%) was in the area. USCG district 17. Keyword: dispersants, in-situ burning.