January 12, 1997 -- VALDEZ, AK -- Morning overflights of Port Valdez show additional sheen approximately three to five feet wide stretching 10,000 feet long on the water extending from Berth 3 at the Valdez Marine Terminal. Skimming operations have resumed. The sheen begins above the discharge pipe of the Ballast Water Treatment (BWT) facility. The investigation is centering on the BWT facility and crews are taking additional samples of BWT discharge, and are checking the facility's operation to determine if it is the source of the sheen. Samples taken from the discharge pipe show hydrocarbon limits within permitted standards. A remote camera is being deployed to inspect the waters near the 200 foot deep discharge pipe of the BWT, to see if any foreign material is trapped in the water column. The surface water above the discharge port will be encircled by containment boom.

The Overseas Ohio, which was at berth when the sheen was first discovered, departed from the Terminal at 11:00 a.m. An Alyeska Security helicopter monitored the vessel through Port Valdez to the Narrows to ensure no sheen was being released from the vessel. Two tankers remain at Knowles Head anchorage, waiting for berths. Berths 3 and 4 will be temporarily taken out of service until the source of the sheen is determined.

Fourteen fishing vessels that participated in the response were cleaned, inspected and released from service late yesterday.

Crews reported seeing a dead seagull within the boom that had been placed around the ARCO Spirit. The bird did not appear to be oiled.

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