RESPONSE TO THE APRIL 1988 OIL SPILL AT MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA

ABSTRACT A spill of approximately 9,400 bbl of San Joaquin Valley crude oil (13.5 API gravity) occurred on April 23, 1988, from the Shell Oil Company Martinez Manufacturing Complex. Part of the high-viscosity oil eventually reached Carquinez Strait and Suisun Bay. Areas initially affected by the spill included a 103-acre freshwater marsh, the shorelines of Carquinez Strait and Suisun Bay, saltwater marshes associated with both the strait and the bay, three marinas, two local parks, and waterfront properties in Benicia. To aid in the cleanup, Shell used the facilities of the local oil spill cooperative, Clean Bay, Inc., four oil spill contractors, and U.S. Navy skimmers. Two local organizations were actively involved in caring for birds and other widlife oiled by the spill. Within four weeks, over 90 percent of the spilled oil was judged by the federal On-Scene Coordinator to have been recovered. Cleanup of floating oil involved use of skimmers and vacuum trucks. Sorbent materials were used extensively for shoreline cleanup, and a substantial amount of vegetation was removed to reduce the risk of wildlife contamination. High-pressure hot water was used to clean some rocky shorelines.