Refugio oil spill
Refugio oil spill | |
---|---|
Location | Gaviota Coast, west of Santa Barbara, California |
Coordinates | 34°27′45″N 120°05′11″W / 34.46250°N 120.08639°W[1] |
Date | May 19, 2015 |
Cause | |
Cause | Ruptured pipeline[2] |
Operator | Plains All American Pipeline |
Spill characteristics | |
Volume | 105,000 U.S. gallons (2,500 barrels) |
Shoreline impacted | 7 miles (11 km) coated with crude oil; tar balls damaged beaches more than 100 miles (160 km) down the coast[3][4] |
The Refugio oil spill on May 19, 2015, contaminated one of the most biologically diverse areas of the
The
Hundreds of animals along the coast were coated with the thick crude oil and many died.[10] State parks and beaches located along the Gaviota Coast were temporarily closed. While much smaller than the oil rig blowout that resulted in the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill, this spill may have greater long term effects due to its potential impact on four state marine protected areas. Due to the unique characteristics of the area, it is one of the most studied marine environments in the United States.
Background
The area was one of the earliest locations in California developed for
Pipeline corrosion
Before the spill, an inspection of the 28-year-old Line 901 pipeline found extensive
Offshore oil production
Of the seven offshore platforms that used the line,
Gaviota Coast
The narrow
The Gaviota coast with its Mediterranean climate is considered unique for the biodiversity of ocean life.[19][20] The unusual species found here are the result of the cold water from the north meeting the warm water from the south.[21] The annual migration of about 19,000 Gray whales through the Santa Barbara Channel was in progress at the time of the spill. They may come as close as 100-foot (30 m) from the shoreline.[21]
Oil spill
Detection and response
On May 19, 2015, the pipeline operators in
Company officials in Bakersfield who were responsible for notifying the National Response Center did not do so until 2:56 pm.[24] The Center, staffed by United States Coast Guard officers and marine science technicians, is the sole federal point of contact for reporting all hazardous substances releases and oil spills.[25] An oil spill triggers mandatory federal notification requirements in a timely manner but company officials said they were unable to contact employees on site as the employees were busy dealing with the immediate demands and distractions of the situation.[4]
By the next day, the state parks agency closed Refugio State Beach and El Capitán State Beach. Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency.[26][27][28] Santa Barbara County also declared a state of emergency. The Santa Barbara emergency management team eventually recommended that the Board of Supervisors keep the proclamation of local emergency intact till until May 2016. They anticipated that a significant winter storm could bring up submerged oil and the situation could be reassessed in the spring.[29]
Ecologically sensitive area
The oil quickly spread along 7 miles (11 km) of the coastline from Arroyo Hondo Creek to the west to El Capitán State Beach on the east.[3] The slick reached four marine protected areas that have ecological or cultural significance: Naples, Kashtayit, Campus Point and Goleta Slough.[30] Culturally significant land and artifacts to the Chumash people are also found in this area.[31]
An immediate concern of environmentalists was the potential use of
Size of spill and cleanup efforts
Plains All American Pipeline stated on May 20, 2015 that at the time of the spill the pipeline was operating at maximum capacity of 84,000 US gallons; 320 cubic metres (2,000 bbl) per hour.[32] They reported on August 14, 2015 that a total of 142,800 U.S. gallons (3,400 barrels; 541 cubic meters) crude oil had leaked from the pipeline.[7]
Preliminary reports estimated that 20,000 U.S. gallons (480 bbl; 76 m3)
Scientists from multiple disciplines at the University of California, Santa Barbara and elsewhere began collaborating immediately after the spill.[34] Based on lessons learned from studies of earlier spills,[35] and using refined computer models, they predicted the spill spread and dispersion, including impacts on Los Angeles area beaches. They used this information to provide guidance to cleanup agencies and to monitor the effects on the ecosystem.[36][37][38]
Some 3,000 feet (900 m) of floating
Tar balls
Days after the spill,
Many officials and scientists said at first the tar balls appearance might be a coincidence unrelated to the spill.
By a month after the spill, 93% of the approximately 100 miles (160 km) of beaches damaged after the spill had been cleaned. The remaining 8 miles (13 km) was the area at the spill site near Refugio State Beach and the rest of the Refugio coastline south of the spill.[4]
Aftermath
Environmental effect
The spill was much smaller than the nearby
The thick crude oil damaged the
Of the 69 animals freed after being cleaned and nursed back to health,[47] 10 were adult Brown pelicans that were released at Goleta Beach after spending three weeks in San Pedro with a team of scientists from the Oiled Wildlife Care Network that is administered by the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.[46] In September 2015, SeaWorld San Diego released the last three sea lions affected by the oil spill at Border Field State Park. Scientists will monitor the movements of some of the sea lions and at least five of the pelicans with satellite transmitters.[48]
The spill cleanup occurred during the nesting season for
Marine researchers note that mammals and birds get the most attention but smaller creatures at the base of the ocean
Researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara began collecting samples within hours of the spill to monitor the impact on the
Economic impact
Plains All American Pipeline estimated that the cleanup had cost $96 million during a joint oversight hearing of the State Assembly Natural Resources Committee and Senate Select Committee on June 26, 2015.[6] Overall expenses related to the spill were estimated to be $257 million in an earnings report for Plains All American Pipeline issued around the same time. This included the emergency response and cleanup efforts along with the expected legal claims and potential settlements. The CEO stated in the report that all but $65 million would be covered by insurance and that the figure did not include lost revenue from the pipelines that have been shut down.[7] The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires whoever spills the oil to pay for the cleanup.[50]
The economic consequences for the county were more difficult to quantify. The financial impact on the county was estimated by the California Economic Forecast Director at $74 million if Line 901 remains dormant for three years because of the dependence of the region's oil and gas industry to move product through this line. Workers' income, property taxes, and federal royalties are reduced while the line is out of service.[5] The impact on tourism was not as bad as predicted and thousands of workers involved in the cleanup appear to have benefited some hotels.[7]
In response to the spill, 138 square miles (360 km2) of fisheries were closed. The order was lifted after six weeks when the
Recreation impacts
Although lightly populated, recreation brings outdoor enthusiasts to the Gaviota Coast. The spill affected visitors to both public and private facilities in the area. The state closed heavily used El Capitán State Beach for a month, which was finally reopened on June 26 for camping and day use.[51] Refugio State Beach was more heavily damaged and did not reopen until July 17, 2015.[52] These two popular parks quickly filled up with summer crowds when they reopened. Eric Hjelstrom, California State Parks sector superintendent said, “We were booked full the day we opened. Half of the people didn’t know we had been closed, which is a good testament to how clean the park was.”[7]
Litigation
Almost a year after the spill, the Santa Barbara County Grand Jury handed down 46 criminal indictments against Plains. The Santa Barbara County District Attorney also announced a misdemeanor count against one of the company's employees. California state Attorney General Kamala Harris, who had also opened a criminal investigation right after spill, said this prosecution will send a message to Plains and to the oil and gas industry in California.[53][54][55]
The profound economic impacts on local fishermen, who couldn't fish during the fishery closures, led to the filing of several lawsuits.[7] These suits, along with those by homeowners who are alleging losses in property value, were consolidated into a class-action lawsuit against Plains. An additional class-action suit was filed by stockholders claiming Plains provided “false and misleading statements” regarding pipeline maintenance and monitoring.[56]
Plains All American Pipeline was ordered in March 2016 to stop misleading claimants who sought interim damages. A U.S. District Court issued an order that stated that Plains was misleading "victims towards unwittingly waiving their rights to full recovery" through the class-action lawsuit where they could obtain further compensation.[57][58][59]
The city of Santa Barbara filed a lawsuit in May 2016 seeking $2.1 million in compensation from Plains. The media coverage of the spill had created the perception that the oil spill was in the city of Santa Barbara rather than 20 miles (32 km) away in Santa Barbara County according to the city officials. This discouraged visitors during the peak tourism season, losing the city millions of dollars in tax revenue.[60]
The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration was requested to provide all records regarding the internal inspection of Line 901 conducted in 2012 and details of all other inspections since 2013 such as maintenance data, monitoring information, incident reports and repair logs. The Environmental Defense Center of Santa Barbara (EDC), who had requested the release of the records along with the Santa Barbara Channelkeepers, filed a lawsuit against the agency in December 2015 since it had been over six months and they had not received any of the requested documents.[61]
After a jury found that their negligent practices contributed to the spill, Plains agreed in March 2020 to pay $60 million for penalties and damages.[62] While admitting no guilt for their role leading up to the spill, the settlement by the Plains All American Pipeline Company included a consent decree with a multitude of federal regulatory and environmental agencies which includes various conditions.[63]
Oil and gas industry
The estimate of $74 million financial impact over three years to the county includes approximately $37 million in lost property taxes, $32 million in lessened worker income and $5 million in reduced federal royalties.[5] This is the result of the region's oil and gas industry being heavily dependent on Lines 901 and 903. Prior to the spill, ExxonMobil, which was the region's biggest oil operator at the time, was on pace to generate approximately $636 million in revenue in Santa Barbara County during 2015 but as of November 5, 2015 had only generated an estimated $216.6 million.[5] The seven offshore oil platforms that rely on the lines were forced to shut down when onshore storage tanks were filled.[64] With the bankruptcy of Veneco, the state is looking at spending $58 million to begin dismantling Platform Holly.[65] Truck transport of continuing production from the offshore platforms was not allowed by local agencies. Exceptions have been closely scrutinized by local officials such as allowing Venoco in August 2015 to transport crude oil that was already onshore by truck for a limited period. The oil had been evacuated from tanks and pipelines to allow maintenance of the onshore Ellwood facility in Goleta that serves Platform Holly.[66][67]
On August 15, 2017, Plains submitted an application to the Energy and Minerals Division of Santa Barbara County Planning and Development for the replacement of Lines 901 and 903. The replacement pipeline would restore crude oil pipeline transportation service in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Kern Counties as the old pipelines can not be used.[68]
ExxonMobil finished the environmental impact report in 2020 of a plan to truck oil.[69] Phillips 66 Santa Barbara County refinery was the primary destination for the trucked oil but after the release of the report it was announced that it would be closing.[70] The Planning Commission of Santa Barbara County rejected the proposal for 78 additional truck trips a day over the steep, narrow, and winding Highway 166 to the Pentland processing plant in the San Joaquin Valley.[71][72] ExxonMobil acquired lines 901 and 903 from Plains All American Pipeline in 2022 through a subsidiary, Pacific Pipeline Company.[73] Being unable to transport the oil by truck, a pipeline is needed for ExxonMobil to restart its three platforms and the Santa Ynez Unit in Las Flores Canyon.[74] Pacific Pipeline Company withdrew the application in 2023 to build a new pipeline as it instead will work on restarting Lines 901 and 903.[75]
Legislation
Three bills were signed into law in response to the spill. Under a new law, the California Fire Marshal will be required to review the oil pipelines conditions every year while federal regulations only mandate a review every five years. Another new law provides for making oil spill response times faster and more effective. Finally, a new law will force intrastate pipelines to use the best-known technology such as automatic shut-off valves.[5][76] Another bill was signed into law in 2020 by Governor Gavin Newsom that increased the state’s oil spill penalties for the first time in 30 years.[77]
Regulations
The Pipeline Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) is responsible for developing and enforcing regulations for pipeline operation transportation having been created in 2004 within the United States Department of Transportation. In the months following the spill, they found that the in-line inspection tool used by Plains in Line 901 and Line 903 had miscalculated the degree of corrosion. The company also withheld in-line inspection data so “it could enhance its interpretation of the data,” according to a corrective order issued by PHMSA. In October, PHMSA proposed new rules to assist in preventing such inspection discrepancies.[56]
See also
References
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External links
- Broke The Santa Barbara Oil Pipeline Spill of 2015 film website
- Refugio Response Joint Information Center at the Wayback Machine (archived 2021-03-21)
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Refugio Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration
- Refugio Incident Cal Spill Watch
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Refugio Beach Oil Spill Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- Preliminary Factual Report, (PDF) Plains Pipeline, L.P., Failure on Line 901; February 2016
- Failure Investigation Report[permanent dead link], (PDF) Plains Pipeline, L.P., Line 901, Crude Oil Release, May 19, 2015, Santa Barbara County, California; May 2016