Pipeline Shutdown Causes Oil Spill in Pacific Ocean

This weekend, a pipeline breach occurred about 5 miles off the coast of Huntington Beach in Orange County California. The Coast Guard reported an oil sheen at 9 am on Saturday. In a statement, the United States Coast Guard said that a total of 1,218 gallons of oily water mixture have been recovered from the spill. In all, 3,000 barrels worth of oil dispersed into the Pacific Ocean. Officials said they’ve ‘started to find dead birds and fish washing up on the shore.’ The pipeline is owned by Amplify Energy and CEO Martyn Willsher said “we are fully committed to being out here until this incident is fully concluded.” The company is working with local, state and federal agencies on recovery efforts.

According to the USCG, the response is a ’24/7 operation and efforts are scheduled to continue until federal and state officials determine that the response to the crude oil spill is complete.’ The National Transportation Safety board also announced that it’s sending investigators to gather information and assess the source of the spill.