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Spill prevention
In 2009, there were approximately 27,000 marine vessel voyages, and there was only one leak of trace amounts of oil from a long-term leased vessel. There were no spills from ExxonMobil marine affiliate owned and operated vessels or barges. We attribute this performance in part to our rigorous screening process for all marine vessels, which examines hundreds of technical, operational, and other noncommercial factors. Only those vessels that meet the highest criteria are considered for hire to ensure high levels of overall safety and quality.
In 2009, the total volume of hydrocarbons spilled from nonmarine sources was about 18 thousand barrels, most of which was recovered at the site of the spill. This represents a decrease of 13 percent from 2008. The number of nonmarine spills greater than 1 barrel in 2009 was 35 percent lower than in 2005, making it our second-best performance, but increased by 14 percent from 2008. We did not meet our expectation for continued improvement of our spill performance in 2009. As a result, we have increased emphasis on equipment reliability, individual accountability in daily activities to reduce human error, training to address high spill risk areas, and increased infrastructure inspections.
View chart: Marine Vessel Spills
We will remain committed to safe operations and environmental protection in every aspect of what we do, every day. ExxonMobil is providing assistance to BP and the authorities in responding to the tragic incident in the Gulf of Mexico involving the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. The events in the gulf are a reminder to our entire industry of the need to be ever vigilant in protecting people, local communities, and the environment.
