The leaking pipeline that created a huge oil spill off the coast of California may have been caused by an anchor. After all, the affected part of the pipeline has moved more than 32 meters.
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More than half a million gallons of oil have leaked since Saturday from the pipeline, which is owned by oil drilling company Amplify Energy Corp. The rupture in the pipeline is about 33 centimeters and is believed to have been caused by the pipeline being dragged about 105 feet (32 meters) over the seafloor, Martyn Willsher, CEO of Amplify Energy Corp, told a news conference. This was also confirmed by the Coast Guard.
In the first instance, the anchor of a cargo ship is thought of. The pipeline is located approximately 9 miles off the coast of Southern California, in a region with dozens of oil and gas platforms where many cargo ships pass every day. While anchors are more likely to damage pipelines, dragging them along is not that easy. After all, the affected pipeline was anchored in concrete, Willsher emphasized. An in-depth investigation remains necessary.
The affected pipeline is now empty and oil is no longer leaking, but the damage is extensive. Dozens of dead fish and birds have already washed up, and several beaches are heavily soiled. California Governor Gavin Newsom reiterated at a news conference that the natural disaster proves to him that it is time to stop being dependent on the oil industry. “This is our history, not our future,” Newsom said.
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