U.S. Coast Guard officials investigating the Huntington Beach oil spill said Friday the pipeline that leaked thousands of gallons into the Pacific Ocean might have initially ruptured months ago.
The Coast Guard theorized the pipe off the coast of Orange County might have been displaced up to a year ago. The department said it was last investigated by remote-operated vehicles in October 2020.
Marine growth on the pipeline's exposed metal is helping investigators narrow down their timeline. Captain Jason Neubauer suggested the fracture could have grown in size over time.
Officials said the oil pipeline was originally intended to be buried under the ocean floor.
One hypothesis investigators are considering: a cargo ship's 30-ton anchor may have dragged and knocked the oil pipe out of place. The Coast Guard said other ships could have also hit the piping.
Authorities estimated 126,000 gallons of oil had leaked into the ocean but cautioned that figure could be turn out to be lower.
This is a developing story.
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