California Offshore Oil Spill Pipeline Shutdown...Estimated Spill Volume 470,000 Liters

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] A large-scale oil spill occurred off the coast of Southern California, leading to the closure of nearby oil pipelines.

According to the Associated Press, Martin Wilsher, CEO of the American oil company Amplify Energy, stated on the 3rd (local time) that no more oil is leaking into the southern California sea.

At a press conference that day, he said regarding the oil spill, "We do not expect any additional leakage. That is the full capacity of the entire pipeline," and announced that Amplify Energy had shut down the nearby operating pipeline. He also added that divers are continuing to work to identify the source and cause of the oil leak.

Katrina Foley, the administrative supervisor of Orange County in Southern California, revealed on Twitter that oil was leaking from the rupture point of the pipeline connected to the oil drilling platform called 'Eli.'

Local authorities estimated that about 470,000 liters of oil had leaked into the Orange County offshore area since the afternoon of the 1st or the morning of the 2nd. The oil slick was found to have spread over 10 km from the popular beach Huntington Beach to Newport Beach in the south.

Kim Carr, mayor of Huntington Beach, stated that the beach closures ordered due to this accident could last for weeks or even months.

He said, "This oil spill is one of the most disastrous situations the community has faced in decades," expressing particular concern that it could cause ecological devastation. The Huntington Beach authorities are working to prevent the spilled oil from flowing into wetlands inhabited by various birds, including endangered species.

The oil spill was first reported to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) on the morning of the 2nd, and Huntington Beach officials canceled the final day of the scheduled 'Pacific Airshow.'

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