Katerina Swanson
The USS Arizona was a battleship docked at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941. During a surprise attack by the Japanese air force, the Arizona's forward deck was hit by a bomb, igniting 1.2 million gallons of heavy fuel oil stored in the ship's tanks. The fire burned for two and a half days. Today, the USS Arizona Memorial rests atop the sunken remains, with approximately 500,000 gallons of residual oil, known as Bunker-C fuel, still inside the deteriorating hull. The ongoing oil release has prompted the National Park Service (NPS) and the US Navy to investigate methods to seal the fuel permanently inside without compromising the vessel, which is considered an underwater cemetery.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the attack on the USS Arizona | December 7, 1941 |
| Cause of the attack | More than 400 Japanese air force planes |
| Amount of fuel oil stored in the ship | 4.5 million liters (1.2 million gallons) |
| Amount of residual oil remaining | 1.9 million liters (500,000 gallons) |
| Fuel type | Bunker-C fuel |
| Location | Pearl Harbor |
| Memorial | USS Arizona Memorial |
| Caretakers | National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Navy |
| Model of the ship's mid-section | Built by Tim Foecke and Li Ma of NIST |
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What You'll Learn
- The USS Arizona was bombed in 1941, igniting 4.5 million litres of fuel
- The ship still holds 1.9 million litres of residual oil
- Fuel continues to seep out of the wreckage daily
- The National Park Service and US Navy are considering ways to seal the fuel inside
- A computer model was built to predict if or when catastrophic leakage might occur
The USS Arizona was bombed in 1941, igniting 4.5 million litres of fuel
On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, the battleship USS Arizona was docked at the Pearl Harbor Naval Station in Hawaii. The ship was attacked by the Japanese air force, and a bomb pierced its forward deck, igniting 4.5 million litres of heavy fuel oil stored in over 200 tanks across four deck levels. The fire burned for two and a half days, and the ship eventually sank, resting on the harbour's seafloor.
Today, the USS Arizona Memorial marks the site of the wreckage. Approximately 1.9 million litres of residual heavy fuel oil, known as Bunker-C fuel, remain inside the deteriorating hull. This fuel continues to seep out of the wreckage daily, with the rate influenced by factors such as weather conditions and ship traffic in the harbour. The ongoing release has prompted concerns from the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Navy about its cumulative environmental impact on the tropical waters of Pearl Harbor.
The fuel cannot be completely removed from the ship without compromising its structure and intruding on what is considered an underwater cemetery. As a result, non-intrusive methods to "seal" the fuel permanently inside are being considered. In the early 2000s, the NPS Submerged Resources Center collaborated with researchers to create a detailed computer model of the Arizona's mid-section to study its long-term structural stability and predict the possibility of catastrophic leakage.
The USS Arizona attack was a pivotal moment in history, and the ship's remains serve as a memorial and a reminder of the lives lost during the 1941 bombing. The ongoing presence of fuel oil within the wreckage underscores the environmental challenges associated with preserving historical shipwrecks, particularly those involving fuel combustion and leakage.
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The ship still holds 1.9 million litres of residual oil
The USS Arizona was attacked by the Japanese air force on December 7, 1941, igniting a large amount of the 4.5 million liters (1.2 million gallons) of heavy fuel oil stored in more than 200 tanks spread across four deck levels of the ship. The fire burned for 2 and a half days. Today, the USS Arizona Memorial sits atop the sunken remains of the ship. Approximately 1.9 million liters (500,000 gallons) of residual oil, known as Bunker-C fuel, remain inside the deteriorating hull. This oil continues to seep out of the wreckage daily, with the rate influenced by factors such as weather, ship traffic, and other less understood variables.
The ongoing oil release has prompted the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Navy, who are the caretakers of the memorial, to focus on understanding the rate of oil release and its cumulative environmental impacts on Pearl Harbor's tropical waters. The challenge lies in the fact that the oil was stored throughout the ship to withstand battle damage, making its complete removal challenging without compromising large sections of the vessel. As a result, non-intrusive methods to "seal" the fuel permanently inside are being considered.
In the early 2000s, the NPS Submerged Resources Center in Lakewood, Colorado, collaborated with metallurgist Tim Foecke and researcher Li Ma from NIST to create a highly detailed computer model of the Arizona's mid-section. This model enables researchers to simulate decades of seawater exposure and structural deterioration, providing valuable insights into the long-term stability of the ship's structure and predicting the potential for catastrophic leakage.
The USS Arizona holds significant historical value, and since 1982, the U.S. Navy has allowed survivors of the 1941 attack to be interred inside the vessel upon their deaths. The ongoing presence of the residual oil, along with the ship's role as a memorial and underwater cemetery, underscores the importance of carefully managing the remaining fuel while preserving the integrity of the ship and its surrounding environment.
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Fuel continues to seep out of the wreckage daily
The USS Arizona was attacked by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941, igniting a large amount of the 4.5 million liters (1.2 million gallons) of heavy fuel oil stored in more than 200 tanks spread across four deck levels of the ship. The fire burned for 2 and a half days. Today, the USS Arizona Memorial sits atop the remains of the ship, with approximately 1.9 million liters (500,000 gallons) of residual oil, known as Bunker-C fuel, still inside the deteriorating hull. This fuel continues to seep out of the wreckage daily, with the rate influenced by factors such as weather, ship traffic in the harbor, and other less understood variables. The ongoing release has prompted the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Navy, who are the caretakers of the memorial, to focus on the environmental impact of the oil on Pearl Harbor's tropical waters.
The challenge of managing the remaining fuel oil is complex. Due to the oil being distributed throughout the ship to enhance battle survivability, its complete removal would compromise large sections of the vessel and disturb what is now considered an underwater cemetery. As a result, the NPS and Navy are exploring non-intrusive methods to permanently "seal" the fuel within the ship.
In the early 2000s, the NPS Submerged Resources Center collaborated with metallurgist Tim Foecke and researcher Li Ma from NIST to create a sophisticated computer model of the Arizona's mid-section. This model, based on detailed information about the ship's design, metal properties, corrosion, and damage, enables researchers to simulate the effects of seawater exposure and structural deterioration over time. By "virtually degrading" the Arizona, they can predict its long-term stability and anticipate the possibility of catastrophic leakage.
The ongoing seepage of fuel from the USS Arizona underscores the delicate balance between preserving historical artifacts and protecting the environment. While the fuel serves as a reminder of the ship's tragic past, its presence also poses ecological concerns that require innovative solutions to ensure the memorial's integrity and minimize environmental harm. The collaboration between the NPS and the U.S. Navy highlights their commitment to safeguarding both the memory of the USS Arizona and the delicate ecosystem of Pearl Harbor.
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The National Park Service and US Navy are considering ways to seal the fuel inside
The USS Arizona was attacked during World War II on December 7, 1941, igniting 1.2 million gallons of heavy fuel oil stored in the ship. The fire burned for two and a half days, and even today, 75 years later, fuel continues to seep out of the wreckage. The National Park Service (NPS) and the US Navy are now faced with the challenge of managing the residual oil, which is estimated to be around 500,000 gallons, without compromising the integrity of the vessel or disturbing the underwater cemetery it has become.
The oil was stored throughout the ship in over 200 tanks, making complete removal impossible without causing significant damage. As a result, the NPS and the Navy are exploring non-intrusive methods to permanently "seal" the fuel inside. This decision is made more complex by the varying rates of fuel seepage, which are influenced by factors such as weather and ship traffic in Pearl Harbor.
To aid in their decision-making, the NPS Submerged Resources Center collaborated with researchers at NIST to create a detailed computer model of the Arizona's mid-section. This model enables them to predict the long-term stability of the structure and anticipate potential catastrophic leakage. By simulating decades of seawater exposure and structural deterioration, they can gain valuable insights into the behavior of the fuel and the condition of the ship over time.
The NPS and the Navy are committed to preserving the spirit of the mighty ship while also protecting the environment around it. Their efforts to manage the fuel oil left onboard showcase their dedication to finding a balance between historical preservation and ecological responsibility. The ongoing collaboration between these organizations ensures that the memory of the USS Arizona and its crew is honored while mitigating the environmental impact of the residual fuel.
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A computer model was built to predict if or when catastrophic leakage might occur
The USS Arizona, a mighty battleship docked at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked by the Japanese air force on December 7, 1941. The attack ignited a significant amount of the 4.5 million liters (1.2 million gallons) of heavy fuel oil stored in over 200 tanks across four deck levels. Even after 65 years, the wreck of the USS Arizona continues to leak oil, staining the waters of Pearl Harbor.
To address this ongoing issue, a computer model was built to predict if or when catastrophic leakage might occur. In the early 2000s, the NPS Submerged Resources Center in Lakewood, Colorado, approached Tim Foecke, a metallurgist at NIST, and Li Ma, another researcher at NIST, to scientifically determine the long-term stability of the Arizona's structure.
Foecke and Ma constructed a highly detailed computer model of the Arizona's mid-section in 2006. They utilized blueprints of the ship, known data about its metal properties, corrosion status, and damage condition, and measurements of the hull's thickness. They carved out an 80-foot section from the middle and entered its dimensions into a computer, using special software to divide it into approximately 200,000 data blocks. This allowed them to simulate the effects of external forces, such as water pressure, gravity, and waves, on the vessel's structure.
By running this model, Foecke and Ma could predict the stability of the shipwreck and anticipate potential structural collapse. Foecke estimated that it would take between 100 to 150 years for the Arizona's steel hull to completely collapse. He also stated that a more comprehensive modeling of the entire structure would provide further insights into the vessel's fate, which would be valuable for managing the remaining fuel oil.
The USS Arizona Preservation Project, led by the National Park Service and the USS Arizona Memorial, aims to model and characterize the deterioration processes and predict potential structural failures. While a large-scale collapse is not expected to occur suddenly, releasing all the oil at once, understanding the timing and extent of oil releases is crucial for effective management and mitigation strategies.
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Frequently asked questions
The USS Arizona was fuelled to its maximum level on December 6, 1941, with 1.5 million gallons of oil.
It is estimated that around 500,000 gallons of fuel oil remain trapped in the ship's hull.
It is believed that between 14,000 and 65,000 gallons of oil have leaked from the USS Arizona since 1941.
The removal of fuel from the USS Arizona is a complex issue due to the ship's status as a war grave and memorial. Disturbing the fuel tanks could potentially cause an environmental catastrophe.
The National Park Service estimates that the USS Arizona could continue to leak fuel for up to 500 years.
