Photo Courtesy of Flickr
By Helen Gloege ’23
Staff Writer
Offshore oil drilling is a common practice to remove oil from the ocean, and has led to a series of oil spills. On Oct. 1, the U.S. Coast Guard received a report of a petroleum smell off the coast of Huntington Beach, according to The Guardian. An underwater oil pipeline had cracked and was leaking oil into the ocean. The pipeline is owned by Amplify Energy based in Houston, Texas, who will likely be held as a responsible party. The exact timeline of the oil spill remains unclear, leading to an investigation into its origins by the U.S. Coast Guard. A Coast Guard official recently reported that the oil spill consisted of about 25,000 gallons, or 588 barrels, as reported by Associated Press. So far, it has also been reported by the Oiled Wildlife Care Network, that over four dozen animals were found dead due to the spill.
The pipeline was shut down by Amplify Energy several hours after control room operators were first alerted by a low-pressure alarm, according to Associated Press. The pipeline reaches between oil refineries on the coast of California, near Huntington Beach, to Platform Elly, an offshore drilling rig.
After objects covered in oil and balls of tar washed up on the shores of Huntington Beach, also known as “Surf City USA,” beaches were forced to close to the public. As it dispersed through the water, oil also was reportedly found in San Diego County according to NPR. Businesses around the oil spill that rely on tourism took a hit as people weren’t allowed in the water, according to CNN. Beaches have since opened after water quality tests that were conducted by officials of the City of Huntington Beach found no oil-associated toxins in the water. Huntington Beach officials have continued to test for toxins throughout the month of October.
On Oct. 12, the California Department of Justice opened an investigation into the cause of the spill and what could have been done to prevent or minimize it. According to Jason Neubauer, the chief of investigations and analysis for the U.S. Coast Guard, a crack over one foot long was found on the pipeline, CNN reported. The gash is speculated by the U.S. Coast Guard to have been created by the anchor of a passing ship. The pipeline had also moved over 100 feet from its prior location noted in October of 2020. According to CNN, the movement indicates that a ship may have pulled the pipeline across the ocean floor. Coast Guard investigators estimate the hit happened months to a year before it was discovered. Amplify Energy has subsequently been hit with several lawsuits, the first being filed only about 48 hours from when the oil spill was discovered. Two additional class-action lawsuits were filed against the company, according to Associated Press. Neubauer and other investigators will also be looking into which ship’s anchor likely hit the pipeline and caused the crack. Those navigating the ship will also be held responsible, likely through financial means, for the spill.
California’s coasts have seen devastating impacts as a result of oil spills caused by offshore drilling. California has imposed more restrictions on the offshore drilling industry than the rest of the United States. The state “hasn’t issued a new lease in state water in five decades,” and legislation to halt all future drilling in federal waters has been promoted by California’s congressional delegation, according to Associated Press. Prior action was motivated by the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, which prompted various pieces of environmental legislation, helping form the modern environmental movement in the United States. According to Smithsonian Magazine, local activists in Santa Barbara took matters into their own hands through grassroots group Get Oil Out. Additional work by local activists is believed to have inspired Gaylord Nelson, a Wisconsin senator, to have a “nationwide teach-in on the environment” which inspired Earth Day. According to data from FracTracker Alliance reported in The Associated Press, California coasts have 1,200 active wells. Active wells are dangerous to health, based on information from the University of Southern California saying that active wells are likely to release hazardous air pollutants. Additionally, with the number of active wells that exist, the push to eliminate or decrease the number of wells will take a lot of time and pressure. There are also 370 unused wells and 1,300 plugged wells, or wells that have been filled with cement which no longer allows oil to come up.
Residents of Huntington Beach and impacted areas have expressed anger around the recent spill. According to the Associated Press, two class-action lawsuits have been filed by Huntington Beach residents who lost business due to the oil spill. California State Senators Dave Min and Henry Stern joined actress Jane Fonda at a Laguna Beach rally on Oct. 18 to call for an end to offshore oil drilling. California Governor Gavin Newsom also echoed sentiments in favor of ending offshore drilling during a news conference on Oct. 5 at the Bolsa Chica State Beach. In addition to calls for the end of offshore drilling, legal action has been taken. Based on an article from the Orange County Register, a couple who own condominiums on the beach have filed a lawsuit against Amplify Energy.