June 11, 2021, by Jay Stilwell

In 1989, at least 11 million gallons of Alaska North Slope crude oil was spilled after the Exxon Valdez tanker ran aground. Mass clean-up efforts were soon taken; however, numerous scientific surveys conducted by government and industry scientists have shown that oil that made landfall persists is certain locations, fresh as the day it made landfall. The sequestered oil is estimated to be 0.6% of the total volume initially spilled, with the composition of the oil remaining unchanged decade after decade. 

SSSC today is partnering with NOAA and the Exxon-Valdez Trustee Council to monitor established sites across Prince William Sound for the presence of oil as part of a long-term monitoring effort. SSSC staff are gearing up to take part in an exciting week-long data-gathering expedition at the end of June. The data collected on this trip and from past studies is among the longest known records of spilled oil and provides scientists with invaluable information on how long oil from spills last in subarctic environments. This is a thrilling example of SSSC implementing scientific research beyond SE Alaska and highlighting environmental issues that affect numerous Alaskan communities and ecosystems. Keep a look out in the following weeks for expedition pictures from SSSC staff’s time in the field.