Oil spill response drill conducted

The drill was conducted throughout the Puget Sound region.

“We’re working with MSRC as they demonstrate and affirm the ability of our regulated oil-handling and shipping companies to mount a rapid, aggressive and well-coordinated response if an oil spill happened in our waters today,” said Dale Jensen, Program Manager for Ecology’s Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program.

Jensen said MSRC has sent more than 25 experienced responders as well equipment to the Gulf of Mexico to help respond to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. MSRC has an agreement with another local spill response company to temporarily backfill for the people MSRC has sent to the Gulf. The call out today is designed to test that agreement.

Other spill-response contractors in Washington also have either sent people or equipment – or have been asked to inventory what they could send to the Gulf if and when it becomes necessary. It is expected that the requests for aid will continue as long as the Gulf spill is uncontrolled.      

“The BP Deepwater Horizon spill is a catastrophe of unimaginable environmental, economic and cultural consequences. We support helping the communities in the Gulf affected by this disaster as best we can, while maintaining our own readiness to respond.” Jensen said. “Drills are an important part of the oil spill readiness cycle.”      

For example, Ecology estimates that about 22 billion gallons of petroleum products are transported across Puget Sound waters every year. Throughout Washington, another 20 billion gallons of oil is transferred over state waters annually.  

“Preparedness requires continuous diligence to avoid complacency,” Jensen said.

He said another 50 drills to test all aspects of industry’s oil spill contingency plans are scheduled for rest of the year. To date, Ecology has conducted 23 equipment maintenance procedure drills and resolved a number of minor issues. About 25 percent of the spill response equipment in the state has been verified as ready and accessible since January 2008. Ecology’s goal is to verify 100 percent all equipment by 2014.

Spill-response drills form part of Ecology’s ongoing commitment to fulfill the Legislature’s mandate of zero spills to state waters, protect the public and the environment from toxic threats, and to meet the statewide goal of protecting, preserving and restoring Puget Sound.