Ruptured pipeline was shut down more than 3 hours after low pressure alert, officials say
The energy company at the center of the oil spill off Orange County was alerted early Saturday that something was awry with its offshore pipeline, but it took more than three hours before the pipeline was shut down, federal regulators said Tuesday.
The timeline appears to contradict statements by the pipeline operators parent, Amplify Energy Corp., that the firm discovered the oil slick later on Saturday morning and immediately notified authorities.
Federal regulators said that employees in the control room of the subsidiary that operates the San Pedro Bay Pipeline received a low pressure alarm, indicating a possible failure, at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday.
Martyn Willsher, Amplifys president and chief executive, told The Times on Tuesday that the company first learned of the leak at 8:09 a.m. Saturday. He denied that anyone at the firm was alerted to the leak at 2:30 a.m. by a change of oil pressure in the pipe but would not elaborate, saying the facts would emerge during the investigation.
Read more: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-10-05/ruptured-pipeline-was-shut-down-more-than-3-hours-after-low-pressure-alert-officials-say