Some of the crude oil that spilled from a pipeline into the waters off Southern California has been breaking up naturally in ocean currents, the Coast Guard says. The water and shoreline are still off limits in Huntington Beach and several other areas.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Steve Strohmaier said some of the oil has been pushed to the south by currents. Storms earlier in the week may also have helped disperse the oil, which he said could make it more challenging to skim as it spreads out.
Investigators have said the spill may have been caused by a ship’s anchor that hooked, dragged and tore open an underwater pipeline. Federal officials also found that the pipeline owner did not quickly shut down operations after a safety system alerted to a possible spill. Some reports of a possible spill, a petroleum smell and an oily sheen on the waters off Huntington Beach came in Friday night but weren’t corroborated and the pipeline’s operator, Amplify Energy Corp., didn’t report a spill until the next morning, authorities said.
Amplify’s CEO Martyn Willsher refused to directly answer questions about the alarm when pressed on the issue by reporters Wednesday. He repeated his assertion that the company didn’t learn of the spill until a boat saw a sheen on the water at 8:09 a.m.“We are conducting a full investigation into that to see if there’s anything that should have been noticed,” Willsher said, adding, “I’m not sure if there was a significant loss in pressure.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Dismayed by oil spill, some in Huntington Beach say it's time to end offshore drillingDisgusted by the oil spill, many Huntington Beach residents are questioning the oil industry off its shore and officials are calling for a ban on drilling off the coast.
Read more »
Oil Spill Off Huntington Beach Renews Decadeslong Move Away From Offshore DrillingOffshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico produces more crude oil in 2.8 days than the West Coast produces in an entire year. But a few decades ago, California’s coastline was humming with activity.
Read more »
Class-action lawsuit filed against energy companies following Huntington Beach oil spillThe lawsuit claims the companies in charge of operating the rig and connected pipelines caused harm to people, wildlife and the local ecosystem by failing to prevent the spill, and accuses them of not warning the public.
Read more »
Op-Ed: The Huntington Beach oil spill is a once and future catastrophe“But Big Oil has sold many of its offshore facilities to smaller firms with less capital and clout, and with lesser public reputations to protect.” (via latimesopinion)
Read more »
Pharrell Pulls Something In the Water Festival From Virginia Beach, Citing City's 'Toxic' EnergyPharrell Williams pulled the Something in the Water festival from Virginia Beach citing the city's 'toxic' culture.
Read more »
Belles Beach House, a vibey new restaurant and bar, is headed to VeniceThe tropical restaurant and bar will open with Hawaiian izakaya-inspired dishes and orchid-topped cocktails.
Read more »