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Ship’s anchor may have caused massive California oil spill

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Patriot Environmental Services’ crew is busy cleaning up oily remnants after a huge spillage at Huntington Beach on Tuesday, October 5, 2021.

Getty Images – Irfan Khan| Los Angeles Times | Getty Images

According to federal investigators, the anchor of a ship may have connected to an underwater pipe that dragged and tore, spilling tens to thousands of gallons worth of crude oil in the Pacific Ocean off Southern California. Federal investigators also determined the pipeline owner failed to immediately stop operations when a safety alarm was raised.

There were still questions about the timing of the spillage, which contaminated beaches and a marshland and could have led to closures for several weeks. This would also impact commercial and recreational fishing, possibly causing a serious economic hit.

Friday night brought in reports about an oily sheen, petroleum smell, and possible spillage of crude oil. However, these reports weren’t verified by the operator. Amplify EnergyAccording to authorities, he did not report the spillage until morning.

According to preliminary investigations into the incident, Amplify did not shut the pipe down until 6:01 AM.

An aerial view of cleanup workers wearing protective gear walks along Huntington State Beach after it was closed due to an estimated 126,000-gallon oil leak from an offshore oil platform.

Mario Tama | Getty Images

According to investigators, the Houston-based firm took an additional three hours to alert the U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center for oil leaks. Investigators also said that this further delayed the response to an incident for which Amplify workers had spent years prepping.

Martyn Willsher from Amplify insists that they weren’t aware of it until it noticed a sheen on water at 8:09 AM.

A spill-response strategy for the company requires immediate notification of any spillage. In the past, criminal charges were brought against companies that failed to immediately notify state and federal officials about a spillage.

Federal transportation investigators reported that Tuesday’s split of the pipe occurred at a depth approximately 98 feet (30 metres) and that nearly one-mile-long section was pulled to the seafloor by federal transportation investigators. It may have been hooked up and cause a partial tear.

Willsher stated that the pipeline had been “essentially pulled like a string.” It is now 105ft (32m) from its original location.

As they travel into the massive Los Angeles-Long Beach port, huge cargo ships often cross the pipeline. From loading to unloading, they receive coordinates that point them where they can anchor.

The shifting winds and tides can cause cargo ships to move. An anchor that is too heavy, such as 10 tons or 9 metric tons (8 tons) and not properly set, can make them drag. Steven Browne of the California State University Maritime Academy, a professor in marine transportation said anchors are prone to moving.

It was not clear whether investigators suspected that any particular ship had been involved.

An AP journalist saw absolutely no oil during a boat ride off Huntington Beach’s coast. On calm seas, pelicans and other sea birds floated by the boat. Additionally, four dolphins were swimming near it.

Meanwhile, Coast Guard officials defended their decision to wait until Saturday morning to investigate a possible spill first reported Friday night — some 10 hours earlier — near a cluster of boats that were anchored off Huntington Beach.

At 2:06 AM Saturday, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stated that satellite imagery showed a strong possibility of an oil well. The Coast Guard staff manned the National Response Center.

Newport Beach residents complained about Friday’s strong smell of petroleum. Police put out an alert to the public.

Coast Guard Rear Admiral Brian Penoyer said that although he was alerted by a good Samaritan to a sheen in the water, the Coast Guard did not have sufficient evidence to confirm the suspicion and struggled with darkness and lack of technology.

As they clean up oily debris from the Pacific Ocean, Huntington Beach (California) on October 5, 2021, environmental crews are wearing PPE.

AFP | AFP | Getty Images

Penoyer stated that oil sheens were quite common in major seaports.

Penoyer stated, “In hindsight it seems obvious but they weren’t aware that at the time.”

At a Tuesday news conference, Governor. Gavin Newsom reiterated his call for America to get beyond oil. Last year, Newsom signed an executive order prohibiting the sale of gas-powered new vehicles until 2035.

“It is time for us to forget that this must be part of our tomorrow. “This is part of the past,” he stated from Bolsa Chita State Beach where local, state, federal and federal officials met to discuss the spillage.

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