Santa Barbara oil spill: Crude flowed 'well below' capacity in ruptured pipe

May 22, 2015 02:37

The onshore pipeline behind this week's Santa Barbara oil spill was operating "well below its maximum operating capacity" when it ruptured and leaked more than 100,000 gallons of crude on coastal lands and into the ocean, the oil company said Thursday.

What caused the oil spill, however, remained under investigation Thursday.

The underground oil pipeline was carrying 1,300 barrels an hour, below its maximum capacity of 2,000 barrels an hour, said Rick McMichael of Plains All American Pipeline.

"Line 901 was not operating at capacity before or during the release," McMichael told reporters.

Crews continued to clean beaches and coastal waters Thursday, and officials reported that the leak killed an undisclosed number of lobsters, kelp bass and marine invertebrates.

As of Thursday, vessels had skimmed 7,770 gallons of oily water from the ocean, McMichael said.

Eighteen vessels were expected to scour the ocean surface Thursday, he said.

Read full story HERE.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Rains, gusty winds cause chaos in Mumbai; flights, trains, metro hit

Owing the sudden rains, Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji international airport too announced a temporary suspension of flights. While incoming flights have been diverted to other destinations like Goa and Ahmedabad, outgoing flights have...

Phase 4: Over 62% turnout till 5 pm amid violence in Andhra, Bengal

A voter turnout of over 40 per cent was recorded till 1 pm on Monday in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections in 96 constituencies spread over 10 states and Union Territories amid incidents of violence in Andhra Pradesh and reports of...

'Focus on Test cricket, not T20 leagues'

Vengsarkar urges young players to target playing Test cricket

3 killed, many feared trapped after billboard falls in Mumbai

Personnel of the fire brigade and police rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation, he said.

Deve Gowda's son HD Revanna gets bail in kidnap case

The case was registered following a complaint by the woman's son, who alleged that his mother was sexually abused by Revanna's son Prajwal.