The pipeline under the ocean which caused the significant oil spill on the shores of Southern California was likely first damaged by the anchor of a ship "several months" in the past, prior to the leak was discovered, said an official from the Coast Guard official.
Anchors of massive vessel could have hit the pipeline in a massive collision, shattering the concrete casing but it is unlikely to have caused the crack that released several thousand the crude over the week, Coast Guard Capt. Jason Neubauer, the chief of the office of investigation and analysis announced at a press conference Friday.
"This event could result in multiple strikes and incidents in the pipeline that occurred after the initial incident that we're certain was some months or one year earlier," he said.
The investigators made their decision partly based on underwater growth around the pipeline that was discovered during one of the surveys underwater.
Officials have not yet identified vessels that might be involved in the incident.
"We're going to monitor every vessel's movements over that pipeline, and also every close encroachment on the anchor throughout all of the time," Neubauer said.
A minimum of 126,000 gallons crude was spilled into the water of Orange County a week ago when boaters reported that the water was smoky officials claimed.
"I don't think it will be much more. This is what the pipeline can handle. pipeline in its entirety," said the CEO of Amplify Energy, the Houston company that manages the pipeline. The pipeline was sucked out, and several nearby oil platforms run by Amplify were closed.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said in an announcement that the leak "serves as an example of the massive costs that fossil fuels impose on our society and environmental health."
