The U.S. Coast Guard Says They Are Handling The Oil Spill As Worse Case Discharge Scenario

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA — On the same day that Huntington Beach was teeming with oil spill response units and city officials, a rare electrical storm struck the county. Scattered showers, thunder boomed and lightning flashed over empty and shuttered beaches following one of the largest oil spills in recent history.

The U.S. Coast Guard declared Tuesday that they are handling the oil spill incident as a maximum worst-case discharge scenario. Coast Guard Spokeswoman Rebecca Ore says that a mere 4,000 gallons of oil have so far been recovered though resources are arriving hourly to assist with the cleanup efforts even as residents clamor for ways to help ailing wildlife.

The oil stretching across the Orange County coastline stems from the 17.7-miles of pipeline off Huntington Beach's Platform Elly. Of that length of pipe, a section was displaced roughly 150 feet, according to Ore. Divers discovered the "slight bend" in the line, according to Ore, as well as a 13-inch split in the side of the pipe which is likely the source of the leak. No oil is currently spilling from the line, which was cleared, according to Amplify Energy CEO Martyn Willshire in the Tuesday conference. Though he declared an anchor from one of the many cargo ships offshore the cause one day prior, Willshire stopped short of making that same declaration Tuesday.

"This is a terrible tragedy and we are so sorry this happened," Willshire said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Orange County this week following the spill, and early reports indicate that it took more than 12 hours for authorities to respond to the seeping crude and launch a cleanup effort.

The reports also raised questions about the Coast Guard's response time and whether Amplify Energy — the company that operates the pipeline operation in question and three offshore platforms — notified authorities of its compromised pipeline in time.

The leak sent as much as 144,000 gallons of crude oil spewing into waters off the coast of northern Orange County, though Seal Beach was spared from the spill. The governor visited Orange County on Tuesday and decried offshore drilling.

"This tragedy did not need to occur and does not need to persist into our future," he said.

READ MORE: A Rare Ecological Gem: Marshes Slicked With Spilled Oil — Again

The timeline of events is undergoing heavy scrutiny Tuesday. Reports say that the crew from a ship anchored off the coast reported seeing an oily sheen on the ocean's surface Friday evening.

The Coast Guard followed their reporting process and confirmed that the reporting ship was not involved in the spill.

Six hours later, a federal agency identified a possible oil slick through satellite imagery, according to reports from the California Office of Emergency Services.

Despite these early indications and reports of a gas smell from residents, authorities and the public were at last made aware of the spill on Saturday.

From Original Report To Oil Spill Discovery...

Federal authorities require oil companies to immediately report a spill or possibly face criminal prosecution.

In 2019, a judge fined Plains All American Pipeline $3.35 million for its 2015 spill at Refugio, near Santa Barbara, CalMatters reported.

On Monday, criminal investigators with the U.S. Coast Guard were looking into the cause of the spill and whether the company failed to notice pressure anomalies in the pipeline as early as Friday when the oil sheen was first observed.

The investigation is being handled as a "potential negligence case," federal authorities told the Los Angeles Times.

The Office of Spill Prevention and Response with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife received a report of an “observed sheen in federal waters several miles off the coast of Huntington Beach” Friday at 10:22 p.m., according to the Times.

Approximately 10 hours later, Amplify Energy officially reported the leak.

Since the oil spill was reported Saturday, Amplify Energy has sent remotely operated underwater robot vehicles with cameras to investigate the pipeline. The cameras have looked at 8,000 feet of pipe since Monday and found one area of interest, Amplify Energy CEO Martyn Willsher said in a news conference.

An automated leak detection system was supposed to trigger an alarm for instances in which a change in the flow of oil is reported. The system was supposed to report any issues to a control room.

The system has the potential to warn that a break in the pipeline could cause “substantial harm to the environment” and, in a worst-case scenario, release 131,000 gallons of crude oil.

Willsher said required agencies were notified "instantly" when the company recognized the leak was from its pipe. But records reviewed by The Associated Press showed that Amplify Energy did not report the spill. Rather, it was reported by Witt O’Brien’s, a crisis and emergency management firm listed on the spill response plan as the point of contact to notify authorities.

The compromised 17.5-mile pipeline was suctioned out to stop the spill, but crews were still being deployed by sea and land to clean up the toxic oil and save oiled animals from the crude oil. The sticky matter continued to wash up onshore along a shuttered stretch of popular coastline between Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach which according to Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley could remain closed for weeks or even months.

The Coast Guard led the response to the spill, which covered about 5.8 nautical miles of shoreline.

The White House was reportedly "monitoring the oil spill," press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday. The administration of President Joe Biden was working with California and local partners to mitigate the ecological damage from the spill, assess the devastation and investigate potential causes.

Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr described the spill as a "potential ecologic disaster" over the weekend.

READ MORE: CA Oil Spill: How To Help OC's Marine Wildlife After Disaster

On Friday evening, Rick Torgerson, the owner of Blue Star Yacht Charter, said locals asked him, "Do you smell that?" alluding to a scent reminiscent of exhaust and gasoline which still permeates the area.

By Saturday morning, boats were reentering the marina with their hulls slick with crude oil, he told The Associated Press.

A History of Environmental Violations, Citations...

Amplify announced Monday that the leaky pipeline and the three oil platforms it serves were shut down. Operations at the Beta Field, where the platforms are located, were also stopped.

The facility has been cited 72 times for safety and environmental violations that were severe enough to curtail or stop drilling to fix the problem, according to regulatory records.

The last "smart pig" inspection on the pipeline was done in 2019, according to Willsher. A smart pig inspection entails a camera that flows along with the oil, traveling inside of the pipeline to assess any potential internal damage.

"Whatever needs to be done, regardless of cost, we will take care of it," Willsher said Tuesday. The money to clean up the oil spill will come from the company's "significant insurance" and other funds on hand, Willsher said.

Following The Flow Of Oil, Wildlife Impacts...

The spill has been moving south, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. This is due to natural factors, including winds and coastal currents.

Residents, business owners and environmentalists questioned Monday whether authorities responded to the slick in time to contain the disastrous spill.

"By the time it comes to the beach, it's done tremendous damage. Our frustration is, it could have been averted if there was a quick response," said Gary Brown, a Huntington Beach resident and president of the environmental group Orange County Coastkeeper.

This incident brings to mind an environmental crisis from decades earlier, when an estimated 3,400 birds were killed after the American Trader oil tanker ran over its anchor and punctured its hull on Feb. 7, 1990, spilling an estimated 416,600 gallons of crude oil off the coast of Huntington Beach.

The Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center was established as a result of that spill to help injured and orphaned wildlife, including oil-soiled birds. It treated birds injured in the 1990 spill, according to the center's website. What began as a makeshift facility has evolved into the center that exists today.

It’s too early to determine the spill’s full impact on the environment, experts said this week, but so far the number of animals found harmed is minimal. As of Monday morning, officials collected and treated at least four birds that were oiled. One of them, a brown pelican, had to be euthanized because of "chronic injuries," according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

"There are significant ecological impacts in Huntington Beach. Oil has washed up now onto the Huntington beachfront. We've started to find dead birds and fish washing up on the shore," Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley tweeted at 12:48 a.m. She added that the damage from the spill could be irreversible, calling the beaches and marshlands "part of our heritage" that draw countless people to the shore.

The spill also affected protected wetlands. Chunks of oil reportedly seeped into the Talbert Marsh, a 25-acre ecological reserve for marine life.

"Our wetlands are being degraded, and portions of our coastline are completely covered in oil," Mayor Carr said Sunday.

Damage to the reserve was curbed Sunday as workers closed the tidal inlet with sand berms, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Skimming equipment and booms were deployed to prevent the flow of oil into the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and Huntington Beach Wetlands, although officials said wildlife was already being affected.

Functioning wetlands — Talbert, Brookhurst and Magnolia — were affected by the spill, officials said. Some of the areas affected by the spill are home to threatened and endangered species, including a plump shorebird called the snowy plover, the California least tern and humpback whale.

What's Closed?

The spill prompted the closure of popular beaches from Seapoint Street in Huntington Beach to the Santa Ana River. Laguna Beach closed all of its beaches Sunday evening as the oil neared its shoreline. Newport Beach Harbor was also closed to allow better access for vessels working cleanup of the spill.

Huntington Beach's mayor says the closures could last anywhere "from a few weeks to a few months."

On Tuesday, Dana Point Harbor was closed, and boaters were advised to use Huntington Beach Harbor or Long Beach's harbor. Baby Beach in Dana Point was also closed. County beaches in Dana Point — Salt Creek Beach and Strands Beach — were closed as well. Capistrano Beach and Poche Beach were both closed due to construction.

Newport Harbor was still closed to vessel traffic Tuesday in an attempt to keep oil from entering the harbor, Newport Beach officials said. Beaches will remain open with water advisories in place, the city said. The spill did not affect Long Beach's beaches and swimming areas since currents were pulling south from Huntington Beach, city officials said.

Health officials warned people not to swim, surf or exercise by the affected beaches in Orange County because of potential health hazards. People were also urged not to fish in the area as the waters are considered toxic.

"Unfortunately, the size and potential impact of this oil spill make it necessary for people to stay out of the water and avoid contact with the oil," Newport Beach Mayor Brad Avery said in a statement. "The City's top priority is to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors during the cleanup effort."

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife warned of a "threat to public health" from consuming any fish or shellfish taken from near the shoreline from Huntington Beach to about 20 miles south of Dana Point.

Read More About The Southland Oil Spill:

• CA Oil Spill: How To Help OC's Marine Wildlife After Disaster
• Huntington Beach Closed Due To 'Disastrous' 126K Oil Spill
• Orange County Oil Spill: Photos As Cleanup Ensues
• Orange County Oil Spill: Seal Beach Spared From Damage
• Orange County Beaches Closed Due To 'Disastrous' 126K Oil Spill
• Newport Beach Harbor Closed Due To 'Disastrous' 126K Oil Spill
• Laguna Beaches Close Due To Massive Oil Spill In Orange County
• Orange County Oil Spill: Seal Beach Spared From Damage
• Dana Point Closes Beaches, Harbor Due To Oil Spill
• Orange County Beaches Closed Due To 'Disastrous' 126K Oil Spill

The Associated Press, City News Service and Patch staffers Ashley Ludwig, Miranda Ceja and Paige Austin contributed to this report.