Spills

Gulf of mexico

Globtik Sun; Gulf of Mexico · NOAAORR-6224

issued
1975-08-15 00:00Z
status
cancelled 1975-08-29 00:00Z
self-cancels
1975-08-29 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
Gulf of Mexico
position
28.333, -93.050
vessel
M/V GLOBTIK SUN
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Globtik Sun; Gulf of Mexico.
Gulf of Mexico.
1. At 0130 on August 15, 1975, the M/V Globtik Sun struck an unmanned Chevron Oil Company oil production platform approximately 100 miles from Galveston while en route from Aruba to Baytown, Texas. The platform, designed for 12 oil wells, was unmanned because it was not yet in operation. Approximately 7,000 barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico after the vessel's port bow tank ruptured. As flames engulfed the vessel, the master gave the order to abandon ship. Forty of forty-six crew members were rescued, three charred bodies were found on board the ship August 17, and three crew members were lost at sea. Weather at the time was mild with clear skies, wind at 10 knots out of the SW, and seas 1-2 feet. Apparently, the ship was on autopilot with the radar turned off when the watch was relieved at midnight. The charts that were in use were not up-to-date and showed no fixed structures [...]
2. COMMODITY: ARABIAN CRUDE OIL. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 294000 GALLONS.
3. POSITION 28.333N 093.050W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6224: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6224

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