Delay after alarm puts California spill response in question
This Oct. 22, 2012, photo provided by the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, BSEE, shows the platforms Ellen and Elly offshore near Long Beach, Calif., in the BSEE's Pacific Region. Officials said late Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, that at least 126,000 gallons (572,807 liters) of crude spilled into the waters off Orange County from a pipeline that runs to shore from an oil platform maintained by Beta Operating Company, a subsidiary of Houston-based Amplify. (Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement via AP)
(AP) — Amplify Energy's emergency response plan for a major oil spill like the one unfolding in coastal Southern California depended heavily on a quick shutdown of its pipeline if sensors pick up a sudden loss of pressure.
Federal investigators said Tuesday that's not what happened. They say the Houston-based company waited more than three hours to shut down the pipeline after getting a low-pressure alarm early Saturday.
The alarms also are supposed to trigger immediate follow-up actions to quickly ascertain if anything is wrong.
It's uncertain why that process dragged out hours in San Pedro Bay, potentially worsening the spill.