Abraham Lincoln JP-5 spill

Status updates

November 5, 2009

Thursday November 5, 2009 an oil spill was reported from the USS Abraham Lincoln at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

A two-to-one mixture of seawater and JP-5 (jet fuel) spilled from an overflow pipe on the side of the ship at approximately 2:42 p.m. today. More than 50 ship and shipyard personnel responded immediately.

The ship was already boomed as a standard precaution, and crews deployed 5,000 feet of additional boom around the ship as a backup. Cleanup teams are using absorbent pads and two oil skimmers to collect the oil inside the boom. The two skimmers in use include one on the water and one "weir" skimmer connected to a vacuum truck.

The leak was isolated and stopped. Navy officials estimate approximately 1500 gallons of oil and seawater mix spilled, 500 gallons of which was oil.

Washington State Department of Ecology and the U.S. Coast Guard were notified and are also responding to the situation.

The cause of the spill is under investigation. More information will be released as it becomes available.