Did an anchor from one of those ships strike an underwater oil pipe, causing a massive spill of tens of thousands of gallons of crude? That possibility is what the U.S. Coast Guard is now investigating.
A map projecting the movements of the oil spill indicates the greatest threat to the shore remains in the area between Huntington Beach and Laguna Beach.Martyn Willsher, president and chief executive of Amplify Energy Corp. — the pipeline operator’s parent company — said Monday that a ship’s anchor striking the pipeline was “one of the distinct possibilities” for the spill.
Oil platforms Elly, left, and Ellen stand about nine miles offshore from Huntington Beach in this image taken Aug. 27, 2019.The Marine Exchange of Southern California functions like air-traffic control at an airport, directing cargo ships to anchor at designated locations in San Pedro Bay, said James Fawcett, an adjunct professor of environmental studies at USC and director of marine science and policy outreach for the Sea Grant Program.
The Marine Exchange tracks all vessels entering and leaving the ports at all times, including when they’re offshore, Fawcett said.
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