Texas, 1979-Experience with Marco Filterbelt Skimmers on IXTOC 1 & Burmah Agate Crude Oil Spills

On June 3, 1979, the exploratory drilling rig, Sedco 135, hit a fractured stratum while drilling at 3624 m below the ocean floor in 48 m of water. This oil well is designated IXTOC 1, located 80 km NW of Cindad del Carmen, Mexico. After hitting the fractured stratum, events led to the uncontrolled oil blowout of the IXTOC 1 oil well. With seasonal current and wind patterns pushing the IXTOC 1 oil northward, the U.S. was impacted along the southern Texas coast during Aug & Sep, 1979. On Nov 1, 1979, the ore carrier Mimosa was heading out of the Galveston ship canal after offloading its cargo. At 0500 hours local time, the Mimosa struck the 61,674 DWT Burmah Agate amidships. Both vessels immediately caught fire.3F it was not un- til mid-Jan, 1980 that the Burmah Agate fire & resulting oil spill were under control. During the IXTOC 1 & Burmah Agate tanker spill recovery efforts, U.S. Navy-owned Marco Class V & a Marco Class XI Oil Recovery System were responsible for the major water-borne spill recovery. This paper will address the experiences involving the Marco oil spill recovery equipment during these two spills.