An oil sheen discovered off the coast of Southern California last week may have been caused by natural seepage from the ocean floor, but the exact source is not yet known, U.S. Coast Guard officials said Monday. stated.
Authorities discovered a 4-kilometer-long (2.5-mile) sheen of oil off the coast of Huntington Beach on Friday morning. Crews recovered approximately 85 gallons (322 liters) of oil from the water and 1,050 pounds (476 kilograms) of oily waste and tar balls from the shoreline, the Coast Guard said.
Coast Guard estimates more than 1 million gallons of oil spilled off the coast of Louisiana
Laboratory tests so far have not definitively identified the source of the oil, but preliminary analysis indicates it is not a refined product like gasoline or diesel, officials said.
“Laboratory results also did not match archived samples taken from oil platforms in the area,” the statement said. Officials said the samples showed more of the “newly produced” oil characteristics typical of natural leaching.
Officials initially suspected it was a one-off oil spill from the ocean floor, as there were no reports of spills or leaks from oil platforms operating offshore, and the sheen did not appear to be increasing. However, this happens quite often. .
A sheen of oil has been discovered off the coast of Huntington Beach, California. Preliminary analysis revealed that the sheen may have been caused by natural ocean seepage. (Personnel 1st Class Richard Brahm/U.S. Coast Guard, via AP, File)
By the time response forces conducted flights over the area on Saturday, there was no longer any sign of recovery. There were some patches of tar along the beach, but not enough to warrant a weekend closure and there did not appear to be a public health threat, officials said.
Three live birds – a cormorant, a loon and a grebe – were found covered in oil and are being treated, the Coast Guard said.
An offshore pipeline leak in 2021 washed up chunks of crude oil on the shores of Huntington Beach, a surfing city about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles.
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