Diesel Absorption by Marine Plywood

I am looking to see whether anyone has any experience/comments with respect to absorption of diesel by marine ply. (vulnerability, effect, severity, remedy).

Situation: a bulkhead that is teak-faced marine ply (I cannot be more specific as to the ply) has a cutout at the base to serve as a passage, or limber hole, for the bilge. It appears that diesel has been wicked up into the bulkhead after a period during which there was a layer of diesel floating on water in the bilge.

Questions: (i) is it likely that the wicking is, indeed, into the ply, or is it more likely that only the teak-veneer has pulled up the diesel? (without cutting or drilling, it's hard to evaluate right now) (ii) what are the negative effects if the ply has diesel pulled into it (weakened, rot, glue degredation, etc.)? (iii) any suggestions for remedy - or at least mitigating the negative effects (e.g. heating the area to weep out the diesel)?

Thanks in advance for any comments-

JPC

 

If the plywood (regardless of the face veneer) isn't protected with some sort of coating (CPES, epoxy, etc.) that will resist chemical and other contaminate abortion, then the panel will be effected. Using a hole saw, you can cut a "core" sample in the area of interest, without much structural compromise and have a close look at the damage.