Cause of oil spill probed as cleanup of Calif. coast continues

GOLETA, Calif. — State and federal officials on Wednesday investigated what caused a 2-foot-diameter underground pipeline to leak thousands of gallons of crude oil that polluted several miles of wildlife-rich beach and ocean along the scenic Santa Barbara coast.

Houston-based Plains All American Pipeline said that in a "worst-case scenario," up to 105,000 gallons of oil spilled Tuesday from its ruptured onshore pipeline and that an estimated 21,000 gallons swept down a storm drain that empties into the Pacific.

The company said a control room operator noticed "abnormalities" and shut down the pipeline around 11:30 a.m. PT (2:30 p.m. ET). Around the same time, Santa Barbara County firefighters responded to a report of a strong gasoline smell at Refugio State Beach and found oil pouring into the ocean.

Two hours later, a Plains employee "visually confirmed the release" from the pipe, which was built in 1987 and carried 50,400 gallons per hour, the company and the Unified Command said Wednesday. It's not known why the pipeline ruptured.

"Plains deeply regrets this release has occurred and is making every effort to limit its environmental impact," the company said in a statement. "Our focus remains on ensuring the safety of all involved."

Santa Barbara County Supervisor Doreen Farr called the " beautiful and pristine" stretch of coastline "unique to the world."

"This is more than an inconvenience," she said. "This is just a disaster. We are taking it very seriously."

Built in 1987 and installed in 1991, the pipeline transfers oil from ExxonMobil's Las Flores Canyon Processing Facility to a pumping station in Gaviota owned by Plains. The oil then flows east to refineries in Kern County.

The pipeline underwent a "major internal inspection" in 2012 and again "a few weeks ago," though the latest results are not available, Plains said Wednesday. No problems were reported.

Pipeline routes are also checked weekly by aircraft, the company noted.

Kevin Drude, head of the county's energy division, told the Santa Barbara Independent he was puzzled why the pipeline did not shut down automatically. He said its sensor system can "pick up pinhole leaks."

About 4 miles of beach were inundated with oil, and the Coast Guard reported Wednesday that two slicks stretched over 9 miles. Boats deployed booms to contain the oil and protect habitat of shore birds, including the snowy plover, and skimmers sucked up the surface oil. Cleanup crews worked along the shore to clear the black, gooey crude from the rocks and sand.

The oil has spread south from Refugio State Beach, where it was originally centered. A thick layer of the tarry sludge covers the beach. Offshore, a boat chugged through the waters, skimming floating oil off the surface. The foul smell of oil permeated the roadway, where thousands of drivers zip by daily along the picturesque coast.

On a beach about a mile south of Refugio, a group of Santa Barbara City College students showed up in T-shirts and shorts to pitch in and clean the beach. They hauled large buckets of oil off the beach and placed them on long sheets of plastic for pickup, covering themselves in the goop in the process. Some wore gloves. Others were barehanded.

State crews organized a bucket brigade, pulling even more tar from the beach.

The extent of the damage was not clear. Initial reports of harm to marine life included some oil-soaked birds and one dead octopus. The coastal area is habitat for seals, sea lions and whales, which are migrating north.

Officials closed Refugio State Beach and nearby El Capital Beach through the Memorial Day weekend, when their campgrounds would normally be filled.

It's the second time in a year that a Plains pipeline has ruptured in California. Last May, a stretch of a 130-mile pipe spilled about 19,000 gallons of crude through the streets of Atwater Village in Los Angeles County, forcing nearby buildings to be evacuated.

The Santa Barbara Independent reported that in a settlement in 2010 with the federal Environmental Protection Agency, Plains agreed to spend $41 million to upgrade 10,400 miles of pipeline nationwide and pay $3.2 million in civil penalties.

"Unfortunately with accidents and oil development, it is not a question of if, but of when," said Owen Bailey, executive director of the Environmental Defense Center. "But to see this level of spill into such a sensitive and treasured environment is devastating."

Contributing: Chris Woodyard from Los Angeles