Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Ixtoc I: A Case Study of the World's Largest Oil SpillAuthor(s): Arne Jernelöv and Olof LindénSource:

Ambio,

Vol. 10, No. 6, The Caribbean (1981), pp. 299-306Published by: Allen Press on behalf of Royal Swedish Academy of SciencesStable URL:

http://www.jstor.org/stable/4312725

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BY ARNEJERNELOVNDOLOFLINDENOnJune 3, 1979,theIxtocIexploratorywell in theBayofCampeche,blew out.Itwasfinally cappedonMarch23, 1980,290dayslater,butduringthattime 475 000 metrictonsof oilwerespilledintothe watersofthe Gulf ofMexico. The full extent of the damage isstillunknown.

On December10,1978,Petr6leos Mexica-nos (PEMEX)startedto drill theIxtoc Iexploratorywell at longitude92?13'Wndlatitude19'24'N,about80 kilometersnorth-westof Ciudaddel Carmen in theBahia de Campeche Figure1). Thewaterdepthat the site is about50 m.Thedrillingcontinuedthroughthe first partof 1979andbythe endof May a depth of 3600metershad been reached.Early onJune 2at adepthof 3615 meters,the well startedto loosedrilling mud;circulationwastotallyostabout3625 meters. Severalun-successfulattemptswere made toregaincirculation,but as the well appearedstable,it was decided to sealitbywith-drawinghe drill pipeand insertinga pluginthe emptyspace. On June3,duringheattemptsto sealthewell,theextremelyhigh pressure(about350kg/cm2)causedmudtoflowupthe drillpipeandontotheplatform.At 3:30amthe well blewout andcaughtfire. Theexplosionand firedes-troyedtheplatform,whichsanktothebottom anddamagedthe stackandwellcasing.This allowedthe oil and gastomixwith waterclose to the sea floor,begin-ningthelargestmarineoilspillinthehis-tory ofoilexploration.Initiallythespillwas estimated to beabout 4500 metric onsper day.However,bythebeginningofAugustthe well hadlost over225000metric tons-moreoilthan had been lostinany previousacci-dentinvolvingoffshore drilling ortrans-portation.Whenthewell was finally cap-ped on March23,1980-290 days afterheblow-out-atotal of about475 000 metrictons ofoil had beenlost,accordingtoPEMEX estimates(1).

Figure1.Location of theIxtoc I blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.

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AMBIO,1981

299

Figures 2a and b. The blowoutas seen from a helicopter.Wind andcurrentcarriedtheoilina northwesterlydirection. Therigintheforeground(leftabove)isareliefdrilling platform.2b onopposite pageis aclose-upof 2a.Allphotos:Olof Linden.

Theoil that was lostduring the blow-outpolluted aconsiderablepart oftheoffshore region in theGulf of Mexicoaswellas muchof thecoastalzone,whichconsistsprimarilyofsandybeaches andbarrierslands oftenenclosing extensiveshallowlagoons. A numberof studieswereintitiated o assess theextent of thedamage. Oneof thesewas set up bytheUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgram(UNEP)attherequestof theMexicangovernment.Asummaryof the resultsofthat study(2), whichfocussedmainlyonthe acuteimpact of the spill,is reportedhere.GENERALEHAVIOR FTHEOILThe oil fromIxtocIreached he ocean at adepth of51 mand wasinjectedintothewaterinitiallyat apressureof350kg/cm2.

Figure 3. A thick layer of"chocolate mousse"close to the blowout.300

AMBIO VOL 10NO. 6