Oil pipeline that caused massive spill off the coast of Huntington Beach to restart operations soon
Nearly two years after rupturing and spilling over 25,000 gallons of oil into the ocean off the coast of Huntington Beach, the oil pipeline responsible is expected to restart operations within days.
The pipeline, owned by Texas-based Amplify Energy, suffered damage in October 2021 after it was believed that a ship's anchor dragged across it.
According to the company, the necessary improvements have been made to fix the pipeline, including the installation of a new leak detection system. Amplify Energy confirmed that the pipeline will be fully operational within the month.
However, environmental groups and Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley are concerned about the safety of the pipeline. They argue that while the damaged pipeline may have been repaired, most of the other pipes in the area were built in the 1970s and 1980s, which raises questions about their reliability.
"We missed an opportunity to move towards a decommissioning of that rig," said Foley. "That's my first thought, and it is disappointing."
In the aftermath of the spill, Amplify Energy agreed to pay $13 million in criminal fines for violating the federal Clean Water Act. The company also settled with local businesses and the county to repay for their losses.
The incident highlights the ongoing concerns over the safety of offshore drilling and the environmental risks posed by aging infrastructure. The issue of offshore drilling has become increasingly contentious in recent years, with some calling for a complete ban on drilling in sensitive areas.
