Exxon Valdez

Simeon Russell

512 Management Decision Analysis

Homework Assignment Module 5

Part 1

According to the Office of Response and Restoration on March 24, 1989, “the tanker Exxon Valdez grounded on Bligh Reef in Alaska’s Prince William Sound, rupturing its hull and spilling nearly 11 million gallons of Prudhoe Bay crude oil into a remote, scenic, and biologically productive body of water.”1 (Office of Response and Restoration, 2015) The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council (EVOSTC) states that no human lives were lost as a direct result of the disaster, though four deaths were associated with the clean up effort. Indirectly, according to EVOSTC human and natural losses were plentiful to fisheries, subsistence livelihoods, tourism and wildlife. EVOSTC estimates “250,000 seabirds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagle and up to 22 killer whales and billions of salmon and herring eggs were killed.”2 (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, 2015)

According to the EVOSTC approximately “1,300 miles of shoreline were impacted by the oil spill. 200 miles were heavily or moderately oiled (meaning the impact was obvious) and 1,100 miles were lightly or very lightly oiled (meaning light sheen or occasional tarballs).”2 EVOSTC claims the spill stretched from Bligh Reef, 460 miles to the village of Chignik on the Alaska Peninsula. (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, 2015)

EVOSTC states it took more than four summers to clean up the oil. At its peak the cleanup effort included 10,000 workers, 1,000 boat and approximately 100 airplanes and helicopters. According to EVOSTC, Exxon claims to have spent $2.1 billion on the cleanup effort. (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, 2015)

Part II

K.T. Situation Appraisal

Problem | Related Problems | Timing(H,M,L) | Trend(H,M,L) | Impact(H,M,L) | Next Process(PA, DA, PPA) |

Prevent more oil from spilling/Remove remaining oil from tanker | Number of damaged compartments from which oil...