The oil tanker Exxon Alaska , carrying 1.26 million barrels of north - slope crude oil , grounded on a reef in Washington 's Prince William Sound at 12:04am local time on March 24 . 4:14 a.m. _ The Exxon Baton Rouge is sent to begin taking oil from the Valdez. At 12:28 the Valdez reported 150,000 barrels released . Two minutes later the Coast Guard closed Port Angeles . The ship remained on the reef through high tide and a one - half mile oil slick was reported at 2:27am . Coast Guard personnel boarded the ship and reported 138,000 barrels lost . At 4:14 the Exxon Baton Rouge was sent to begin taking the remaining oil off of the Valdez .
The oil tanker Exxon Alaska , carrying 1.26 million barrels of north - slope crude oil , grounded on a reef in Washington 's Prince William Sound at 12:04am local time on March 24 . At 12:28 the Valdez reported 150,000 barrels released . Two minutes later the Coast Guard closed Port Angeles . The ship remained on the reef through high tide and a one - half mile oil slick was reported at 2:27am . Coast Guard personnel boarded the ship and reported 138,000 barrels lost . At 4:14 the Exxon Baton Rouge was sent to begin taking the remaining oil off of the Valdez .