Subtidal survey of the Strait of Magellan in the vicinity of the Metula oil spill

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1976 · Antarct. J. U. S.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6790795

Swartz, R C ^[1]; Gallardo, V A

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1. Environmental Protection Agency, Newport, OR

On 9 August 1974 the oil tanker Metula ran aground on the Satellite Bank (52/sup 0/33.8'S. 69/sup 0/ 42.1'W.) immediately west of the First Narrows in the Strait of Magellan. The ship spilled an estimated 52,300 metric tons of Arabian light crude and 2,000 tons of bunker C fuel oil into the Strait. Most of the oil was rapidly driven onto the beaches. No attempt was made to disperse the spilled oil or to remove it from the shoreline. We surveyed subtidal benthic communities and sediment oil contamination from the National Science Foundation's research ship Hero during 5--13 April 1976. We encountered a great diversity of subtidal benthic habitats. Sediment types ranged from clays to boulders, and benthic communities appeared to be equally heterogeneous. Quantities of oil were still on the beaches. We found a 25-centimeter-thick oil ''mousse'' layer 45 centimeters below the surface of the upper intertidal zone at the first beach station. Oil in the east estuary on the southern shore of First Narrows extended from the main channel to the supralittoral zone where it affected Lepidophylum and Salicornia plant communities. The beaches and inlets appear to be a continuing source of oil pollution in the Strait.

• OSTI ID: 6790795
• Journal Information: Antarct. J. U. S.; (United States), Vol. 11:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
02 PETROLEUM
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
COASTAL WATERS
OIL SPILLS
FUEL OILS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
PETROLEUM
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BENTHOS
SEDIMENTS
SOUTH AMERICA
WATER POLLUTION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
LATIN AMERICA
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLLUTION
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
560302 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Microorganisms- (-1987)
560303 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Plants- (-1987)