Whatever caused oil spill likely dragged ruptured pipeline 105 feet across seafloor, officials say
Officials also refused to comment on whether the pipeline’s internal leak-detection system was operational at the time of the rupture.
Officials also refused to comment on whether the pipeline’s internal leak-detection system was operational at the time of the rupture.
The U.S. Coast Guard got the first warning about a possible oil spill over 12 hours before the company involved reported a major leak and a cleanup effort was launched.
“It is absolutely critical that we determine the cause of this spill and determine what steps Congress can take to prevent such spills in the future,” Lowenthal said in a statement.
The head of the company that operates the pipeline said that divers have examined more than 8,000 feet of pipe and are focusing on “one area of significant interest.”
People who live and work in the area said they noticed an oil sheen and a heavy petroleum smell Friday evening, but the unified response didn’t start until Saturday.
“You drive cars; you heat your homes with natural gas. You can’t condemn all of this and live and embrace a lifestyle that demands the oil,” he said.
The sheen on the water shows much more oil is likely headed toward the beach, said Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr.
Long Beach waters are safe for now, despite a 21,000 gallon oil spill off Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara County earlier today, the Long Beach Bureau of Environmental Health Manager Nelson Kerr said.