By: kXChange On: February 14, 2015 In: Publication Comments: 0

Intertidal Zone Oil Recovery from the Buried Derelict S.S. Catala

M.W. (MAC) McCARTHY and Devon Grennan

Abstract:
In the spring of 2006 a beachcomber discovered black oil within the shipwreck of the Catala, setting-off an effort to remediate the wreck before the winter storm season created a catastrophic persistent oil release. Heeled over and buried in the intertidal zone, the Catala’s keel was 26’ below grade; a robust sheet pile cell had to be constructed to provide worker safety from unstable soils and manage water inflow. Despite these conditions the project team was able to safely remove over 30,000 gallons of bunker oil from the ship delivering to the State of Washington a striking example of the benefits of a pro-active derelict vessel response.

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