Barge Oregon; Ninilchik, Alaska

Ninilchik, Alaska | 1997-Jan-25

Initial Notification: On January 25, 1997, the tug Sea Valor, attempting to change the tow cable on the Crowley barge Oregon, punctured the #5 starboard tank of the barge. The tank flooded, causing the barge to roll upside down, releasing most of her 12,500 tons of bulk granular urea six miles west of Ninilchik, Alaska in Lower Cook Inlet at a water depth of approximately 120 feet. The COTP ordered the barge towed upside down into Kachema Bay for salvage. Once there, high winds forced the vessel to circle around before finally being anchored and boomed off just off the end of Homer spit. Of equal concern were fuel tanks with 1,000 gallons of diesel and roughly 250 gallons of other general oils. No sheen was noticed and these tanks appeared intact. Diver inspection of the overturned hull reported that all doors and hatches were closed and sealed, except for a port aft cargo door that was buckled in about two feet leaving a one-foot opening to the cargo hold. Initially, divers were unable to determine how much cargo remained onboard. Subsequent diving provided evidence that probably all the urea had been washed out. The upside-down barge was rigged with towing and other safety gear and towed in that configuration to Seattle for further salvage. The barge was owned by Crowley; UNOCAL owned the urea. Both become very involved in the response. Crowley brought a second tug to Kachemak Bay for standby; provided sea-curtain boom; and mobilized Chadux, the non-persistent fuels spill coop, to deal with any possible petroleum release. Meanwhile, UNOCAL had an environmental scientist from California on-scene to answer questions about the massive urea release, and to conduct a water-sampling program to assure officials and citizens the urea levels were low around the anchored barge in Kachemak Bay and at the initial release site. USCG district 17. Keyword: none.