A small crack in a pipeline that spilled crude oil off Southern California could indicate a slow leak that initially was difficult to detect, experts say. The cause of the spill is still under investigation as the cleanup continues.
The 13-inch-long narrow gash could explain why signs of an oil slick were seen Friday night but the spill eluded detection by the pipeline operator until Saturday morning, said Richard Kuprewicz, a private pipeline accident investigator and consultant.
When pipes experience a catastrophic failure the breach typically is much bigger, what’s referred to in the industry as a “fish mouth” rupture because it gapes wide like the mouth of a fish, he said. The Coast Guard is investigating whether a ship’s anchor might have hooked and bent the pipeline. Amplify has said publicly that no more than 126,000 gallons leaked. But it also told federal investigators the total amountOfficials said Wednesday they were investigating whether a ship waiting to offload its cargo might have had something to do with the leak. Coast Guard investigators boarded the massive German-flagged container ship Rotterdam Express to determine if it was involved in the spill.
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