2006年間艾克森美孚(ExxonMobil
Corporation)公司石油外洩案,美國聯邦政府23日以違反《淨水法》作出刑事裁罰,金額達610萬美元。
這起事件起於艾克森美孚(ExxonMobil
Corporation)公司獨資持有的子公司,2006年1月9日凌晨4:30在波士頓艾弗雷特(Everett)石油轉運站意外漏油,多達15000加侖的柴油流入神秘河(Mystic
River)。
在艾弗雷特轉運站,有裝備油槽負載架的內陸儲油場,以及29座大型油罐,眾多連接油槽的懸空管線及閥門就位於神秘河(Mystic
River)與島尾河(Island End Rivers)交會的海運轉換區內。
在當時當時,奈良號(M/V
Nara)油輪在第三區碼頭停泊,準備卸下包含310萬加侖低硫柴油在內的油品;之後,從奈良號油槽伸出的油管接上碼頭上的進油岐管(intake
manifold)後,奈良號的幫浦開始運作,將奈良號的油品抽到岸上油槽。
幫浦輸送油料時,油品會經過一個第一區碼頭的10英吋密閉閥,然而,由於設備老舊,油閥未完全封閉,導致第一區碼頭的油管開始漏油。
艾克森美孚的員工直到1月11日早上11:00時,海巡隊(Coast Guard)上船問起那海面上亮亮一片打哪來時,才驚覺到管線破裂問題。
根據艾克森美孚與聯邦政府的協議,該公司願意支付最高罰金359,018美元,相當於清潔費179,634美元的兩倍,另外支付的社會服務款5,640,982美元則給北美濕地保護法(North
American Wetlands Conservation
Act)基金會作為麻州保存濕地之用。艾克森美孚承諾未來三年,艾佛雷特設備將由法院指派機關來監督,同時也將嚴格遵守環境協議。
The federal government today charged a wholly owned subsidiary of ExxonMobil Corporation with a criminal violation of the Clean Water Act in connection with a spill of 15,000 gallons of diesel oil into the Mystic River from ExxonMobil's oil terminal in Everett, Massachusetts. It will pay a fine of more than $6.1 million
The Everett Terminal included an inland tank farm, with a tank loading rack and 29 large-scale oil storage tanks in which oil products were stored. Various above-ground pipes and valves connected those tanks to the Terminal's marine transfer area located at the confluence of the Mystic and Island End Rivers.
At 4:30 am on January 9, 2006, the oil tanker M/V Nara docked at Berth 3 to unload petroleum products, including 3.1 million gallons of low sulfur diesel fuel, which is blue-green in color.
Later that morning, hoses running from the Nara's tanks were attached to a product intake manifold on Berth 3. By mid-afternoon, pumps aboard the Nara began to pump the fuel from the vessel through the manifold into a product receipt line that was connected to storage tanks on the tank farm.
As it was being pumped from the Nara, the fuel flowed past a 10-inch seal valve located on Berth 3, which closed off a product receipt line from Berth 1. As a result of wear and tear, the valve did not close completely and leaked oil into the Berth 1 product receipt line.
ExxonMobil personnel did not discover the ruptured coupling until 11:00 am on January 11, when Coast Guard personnel arrived at the facility to ask questions about the origin of the sheen.
As part of its plea agreement, ExxonMobil has agreed to pay the maximum possible fine of $359,018, which amounts to twice the cost of the cleanup, the cleanup costs of $179,634, and a community service payment of $5,640,982 to the North American Wetlands Conservation Act fund to be used to restore wetlands in Massachusetts.
ExxonMobil further agreed that for the next three years, the Everett facility will be monitored by a court-appointed official and will be subject to a rigorous environmental compliance program.