CHEMICAL SUPPLIER Oil Spill; Houston Ship Channel, Houston TX

Source report excerpt: “At five minutes after midnight, the morning of 26 September 2009, USCG Sector Houston notified the regional NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator of a collision between a ship and a barge on the Houston Ship Channel between the USCG Sector Office and Interstate 610 (NRC Notification #918913). According to the NRC report, the incident happened at about 2100 hrs local time on 25 September 2009. The details are sketchy at present, but 25,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil are reported in the water. NOAA has been asked to provide a trajectory.”

Source report excerpt: “News Release Date: Sept. 26, 2009 Coast Guard, partner agencies respond to oil spill in the Houston Ship Channel HOUSTON — A Unified Command consisting of the U.S. Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office, Port of Houston Authority, the Houston Fire Department and O'Brien's Response Management are responding to an oil spill in the Houston Ship Channel, Saturday. Watchstanders from Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at approximately 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, reporting that the 458-foot motor vessel Chemical Supplier had collided with Buffalo Barge #251 in the vicinity of Brady's Island near the I-610 bridge. The motor vessel was headed inbound attempting to turn around in the ship […]”

Source report excerpt: “At approximately 9 p.m. last night (Friday, Sept. 25, 2009), the 458-foot motor vessel CHEMICAL SUPPLIER collided with BUFFALO BARGE 251 in the upper Houston ship Channel. The tank vessel CHEMICAL SUPPLIER is reported to have a 2-foot by 4-foot gash in the hull, rupturing one of its fuel tanks approximately 5-feet above the water line. The USCG reports that the fuel tank contained an estimated 22,500 gallons of fuel oil. At present, approximately 10,500 gallons of #6 heavy fuel oil has been reported spilled into the Houston Ship Channel. The majority of the fuel oil is in the vicinity of the ship and under dock 28 where the ship has been moored. The actual location of the incident is […]”

Source report excerpt: “The SCAT Team conducted their survey today. The highest concentration of oil seems to be under the pier where the Chemical Supplier is moored, City Dock #28. As the tide began to drop, they began using fire hoses to flush the oil from under the dock towards the skimmers. This seemed to be effective and will take place again tomorrow with additional personnel. At approximately 1500, preparations began to take place to move the Chemical Pioneer which was moored at a pier east of the Chemical Supplier. The vessel was cleaned and cleared to leave at around 1800. There have only been two oiled cormorant(sighted but not captured), one dog, and a small snapping turtle reported as oiled wildlife. […]”

Source report excerpt: “The final sign-off process has been completed. Any further clean up wanted by the port will be pursued through private legal means. There were no follow-up requests for support made to the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator on this incident. There are no known additional NOAA trustee issues that require follow- up that are related to the Emergency Response Division’s role in emergency response. This record constitutes the final entry for this response.”