Coast Guard investigates possible oil spill off Huntington Beach

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating an oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach in Orange County, with initial estimates of an oil sheen visible on the surface of the water stretching about two miles wide, officials said Friday.

County Supervisor Don Wagner’s office confirmed by phone that “details are scant,” but officials have confirmed that the oil sheen visible about 1.5 miles off the coast is not from natural causes.

Wagner and her colleague Supervisor Katrina Foley both tweeted about the incident Friday morning to their constituents.

“Early thoughts are that it’s from a platform,” Foley stated online at 8:05 a.m. “Initial estimates are about 2 miles wide,” Wagner stated on the social media platform X at 9:05 a.m. “Emergency personnel are on scene and working to identify the source.”

In a phone interview with the Times, Foley said that officials were alerted Thursday night of a potential leak near an offshore oil rig but were only able to confirm a spill early Friday. The city of Huntington Beach has not announced any beach closures, but mariners have received a safety alert to stay out of the area. A county emergency response team is currently on the water assessing the situation, according to Foley’s office.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is involved in trying to determine if this is an active spill, state Sen. Dave Min said in a statement. Gov. Gavin Newsom commented on the social media platform X that state officials “are actively monitoring” the situation in collaboration with “local, state and federal partners.”

A KTLA-TV News helicopter captured images and video of a dark, reflective substance floating across the waters. “We’re seeing some tarballs coming up on the [Huntington] Dog Beach,” said Foley.

Costa Mesa resident Kent Adams was out on a walk with his dog where he noticed a frisbee-sized spot of oil washed up on the south end entrance to the dog park. “You rarely see that,” said Adams. “I usually stay away from the beach if I know about them, because I don’t want it all over her.”

In 2021, a ruptured underwater oil pipeline in San Pedro Bay spilled about 25,000 gallons of crude into the ocean and along the coast in Huntington Beach.

The spill was quickly linked to an oil processing platform called Elly, which stands roughly nine miles from shore, in federal waters, according to investigators. In the days and weeks that followed, Elly’s operator, Amplify Energy Corp., fell under increasing scrutiny for a 15-hour delay in notifying federal regulators about the spill.

A federal grand jury later indicted Amplify Energy and two subsidiaries on criminal charges for their alleged role in the spill. Amplify also participated in the cleanup effort.

In 2023, National Transportation Safety Board investigators concluded that the ruptured pipeline was struck by two cargo ship anchors and the pipeline company subsequently failed to follow protocols.

Last April, a $50-million settlement was awarded to individuals and businesses affected by the spill. The City of Huntington Beach received $1-million for costs associated with the three-month long clean up.

Following its investigation, the NTSB called for shipping containers to anchor further from offshore pipelines to prevent future accidents.

Last August, officials a 40-foot vessel carrying 300 gallons of diesel sank just off the coast, spilling about 300 gallons of the fuel.

Daily Pilot reporter Matt Szabo contributed to this story.

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating an oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach in Orange County, with initial estimates of an oil sheen visible on the surface of the water stretching about two miles wide, officials said Friday.

County Supervisor Don Wagner’s office confirmed by phone that “details are scant,” but officials have confirmed that the oil sheen visible about 1.5 miles off the coast is not from natural causes.

Wagner and her colleague Supervisor Katrina Foley both tweeted about the incident Friday morning to their constituents.

“Early thoughts are that it’s from a platform,” Foley stated online at 8:05 a.m. “Initial estimates are about 2 miles wide,” Wagner stated on the social media platform X at 9:05 a.m. “Emergency personnel are on scene and working to identify the source.”

In a phone interview with the Times, Foley said that officials were alerted Thursday night of a potential leak near an offshore oil rig but were only able to confirm a spill early Friday. The city of Huntington Beach has not announced any beach closures, but mariners have received a safety alert to stay out of the area. A county emergency response team is currently on the water assessing the situation, according to Foley’s office.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is involved in trying to determine if this is an active spill, state Sen. Dave Min said in a statement. Gov. Gavin Newsom commented on the social media platform X that state officials “are actively monitoring” the situation in collaboration with “local, state and federal partners.”

A KTLA-TV News helicopter captured images and video of a dark, reflective substance floating across the waters. “We’re seeing some tarballs coming up on the [Huntington] Dog Beach,” said Foley.

Costa Mesa resident Kent Adams was out on a walk with his dog where he noticed a frisbee-sized spot of oil washed up on the south end entrance to the dog park. “You rarely see that,” said Adams. “I usually stay away from the beach if I know about them, because I don’t want it all over her.”

In 2021, a ruptured underwater oil pipeline in San Pedro Bay spilled about 25,000 gallons of crude into the ocean and along the coast in Huntington Beach.

The spill was quickly linked to an oil processing platform called Elly, which stands roughly nine miles from shore, in federal waters, according to investigators. In the days and weeks that followed, Elly’s operator, Amplify Energy Corp., fell under increasing scrutiny for a 15-hour delay in notifying federal regulators about the spill.

A federal grand jury later indicted Amplify Energy and two subsidiaries on criminal charges for their alleged role in the spill. Amplify also participated in the cleanup effort.

In 2023, National Transportation Safety Board investigators concluded that the ruptured pipeline was struck by two cargo ship anchors and the pipeline company subsequently failed to follow protocols.

Last April, a $50-million settlement was awarded to individuals and businesses affected by the spill. The City of Huntington Beach received $1-million for costs associated with the three-month long clean up.

Following its investigation, the NTSB called for shipping containers to anchor further from offshore pipelines to prevent future accidents.

Last August, officials a 40-foot vessel carrying 300 gallons of diesel sank just off the coast, spilling about 300 gallons of the fuel.

Daily Pilot reporter Matt Szabo contributed to this story.