Incident Archive
The complete set of public incident records Tarline collects for the California coast, from four independent sources: NOAA IncidentNews case pages, raw National Response Center caller reports, satellite oil-signature detections, and California Spill Watch response notices. Search the text, narrow to one source, and page through the whole history.
Every row here is a source report, not a confirmed release. National Response Center entries in particular are self-reported by callers with no agency verification step, satellite detections are possible signatures rather than sampled oil, and a report saying nothing about a beach is not evidence that the beach was clean. Follow the link on a row and read the original record before citing it.
Search The Archive
Records
Showing 301 to 319 of 319 records for IncidentNews
- IncidentNews
F/V Pioneer; Santa Cruz Island, California
unknown · ID 7115 · 34.090, -119.952
Read Full Report
On October 29, 1995, at about 2040, MSO Los Angeles/Long Beach received a call that the fishing vessel Pioneer had capsized approximately one and one-quarter nautical miles north of the west end of Santa Cruz Island in the Santa Barbara Channel. The vessel was taken in tow but sank during transit in about 39 fathoms of water with approximately 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel onboard. At the time, the weather was clear, winds 0 to 5 knots from the southeast, with calm seas. Oil sheen measuring about one by two nautical miles was observed at the sinking site. USCG district 11. Keyword: none.
- IncidentNews
Port of Los Angeles Hydrochloric Acid Release; Wilmington, California
unknown · ID 7104 · 33.827, -118.245
Read Full Report
On July 20, 1995, the Wilmington, California Department of Water and Power facility experienced a release of hydrochloric acid from a ruptured 2,700-gallon holding tank. The acid ran into a bermed containment area. The local fire department was on-scene and evacuated about 300 people from a ten-block area. Another tank, holding ammonium fluoride, was in the area and caused some concerns about a reaction if the two chemicals mixed. Vacuum trucks were brought on-scene to remove the hydrochloric acid from the containment area. The second tank remained intact and the incident was closed July 21. USCG district 11. Keyword: none.
- IncidentNews
F/V American Heritage; Santa Monica Bay, California
unknown · ID 7097 · 33.858, -118.700
Read Full Report
On the morning of May 3, 1995, the 161-foot fishing vessel, American Heritage sank in Santa Monica Bay near the 350-fathom curve. USCG district 11. Keyword: none.
- IncidentNews
Cape Bover, Suisun Bay, California; San Francisco Bay, Carquinez Strait
unknown · ID 7076 · 38.072, -122.058
Read Full Report
On the afternoon of January 4, 1995 the MARAD Ready Reserve Vessel Cape Bover , a cargo vessel, was under tow from the Columbia River to Suisun Bay where it was to be moored along with the rest of the "mothballed" reserve fleet. At approximately 1430 Coast Guard 11th District Operations Center received a message from MSO San Francisco stating that the vessel had arrived in Suisun Bay with two of its holds compromised and taking on water. The vessel was reportedly listing 10? or better and was estimated to be carrying 475,000 gallons of fuel oil. The MSO reported that the vessel had been anchored and that tug boats had been brought along side in the event that support was needed to move the vessel. USCG district 11.
- IncidentNews
Santa Fe Pacific Pipeline; San Diego, California
unknown · ID 7072 · 32.783, -117.108
Read Full Report
During the early afternoon of December 22, 1994, Santa Fe Pacific Pipeline (SFPP) reported that their facility in San Diego, California accidentally spilled Aviation-A fuel into San Diego Creek. Originally it had been reported that 500 to 1,000 gallons of product had bypassed an oily-waste treatment facility at the tank farm, been pumped directly to a charcoal filtration system, and then discharged into the creek. The creek empties into the San Diego River at the southeast corner of the parking lot next to Jack Murphy Stadium (between interstates 15 and 805). As the spill response progressed, the SFPP reported that approximately 60,000 gallons of Aviation-A fuel may have been pumped to the charcoal filtration system. The filter had been secured once the spill had been discovered, but as much as 40,000 gallons of product may have been discharged into the creek. The holding capacity of the filtration system is about 20,000 gallons. USCG district 11. Keyword: containment boom, endangered species, evaporation, low-pressure washing, shallow water recovery, siphon dams, skimmers, sorbent boom, sorbent pompoms, vacuum trucks.
- IncidentNews
Guadalupe Beach; Guadalupe, California
unknown · ID 7005 · 34.975, -120.650
Read Full Report
An oil production field leased and operated by the UNOCAL Corporation near Guadalupe, California, has for many years been the site of a constant release of a diesel-like substance known as diluent. The diluent, which is a mid-grade condensate product, had been injected into the production wells throughout recent decades to increase the yield from the oilfield. For economic reasons, the practice of injecting diluent into the wells replaced the use of steam during the 1950s. UNOCAL stopped injecting diluent by 1990. Either through poor injection practices or through a faulty pipeline system, diluent was released into the field in large quantities. Current estimates are that there may be as much as 8.5 million gallons of diluent located in various plumes throughout the 2,300 acre site. The diluent plumes are below ground, riding on top of the water table. USCG district 11. Keyword: bioremediation, endangered species, propane cannons, sand replacement, seafood harvesting ban, skimmers.
- IncidentNews
Pacheco Slough; Pacheco Slough, Concord, California
unknown · ID 6981 · 38.050, -122.100
Read Full Report
MSO San Fransisco paged SSC at 1230 on January 26th to report a diesel and/or gasoline spill near Martinez, California. The spill occurred at 2130 on January 25th. The spill is reportedly from a ruptured pipeline that is running through a marsh adjacent to and west of Pacheco Slough (approximate position: 38 deg. 03 min. N/122 deg. 06 min. W). The slough runs south to north and empties into the Suisun Bay (pronounced "sah-soon") just east of the Carquinez Straits. The reported amount of product spilled has ranged from 3,000 to 10,000 gallons. It is also reported that there may be two separate spills concurrently impacting the area. Inital reports state that a vegetated area south of Waterfront Road, and north of a railroad line has been impacted by gasoline. Another vegetated area south of the railroad line has apparently been impacted by a Diesel Quality Reformate (Cutter Stock). The Executive Officer of MSO San Francisco, CDR Dan Ryan, conducted an overflight on the morning of the 26th. No oil was observed to have impacted Suisun Bay at that time. There is no reported Responsible Party at this time but cleanup crews from the nearby Tosco Refinery are responding. USCG district 11. Keyword: Clean Bay Inc., containment boom, evaporation, sorbent boom, sorbent pads, vacuum trucks.
- IncidentNews
Santa Clara River Pipeline; Santa Clarita, California
unknown · ID 6980 · 34.425, -118.085
Read Full Report
The Northridge Earthquake of January 17, 1994, caused the rupture of a crude oil pipeline owned by ARCO/Four Corners near the city of Santa Clarita, California (approximately 35 miles north of Los Angeles). Approximately 3,500 barrels of San Joaquin Valley Crude exited the pipeline and traveled through a culvert to a drainage ditch and then into the Santa Clara River. The oil traveled downstream (west) roughly 15 miles to a point where the river runs subterranean. The impact site was located 35 miles inland of the Pacific Ocean in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) zone. USCG district 11. Keyword: containment boom, drum skimmers, endangered species, filter fences, International Bird Rescue Research Center, shallow water recovery, skimmers, sorbent boom, sorbent pompoms, vacuum trucks, vegetation cutting, watercress, weed cutters.
- IncidentNews
McGrath Lake Spill; McGrath Lake, Ventura, California
unknown · ID 6976 · 34.220, -119.253
Read Full Report
On the morning of December 25, 1993, a failure of a pipeline belonging to Berry Petroleum was reported. The failure occurred below the ground near a pipe junction on the east side of Harbor Boulevard just south of Ventura, California. Approximately 2,000 barrels of a heavy crude produced from a local field, percolated through the ground to the west and underneath the road. The oil surfaced 50 yards west of Harbor Boulevard and entered a creek, traveled along this creek approximately 150 yards to the south where it entered McGrath Lake. McGrath is a freshwater lake (approximately 800 by 100 yards) situated amongst medium-coarse grained sand dunes and is located 100 to 200 yards inshore of the intertidal zone. The lake serves as a drainage basin for the surrounding agricultural fields and has no natural communication with the ocean. To control the lake level, water is routinely pumped out of the lake and into the Pacific Ocean through a pipeline running through the dunes and onto the beach. When the oil entered the lake, the pump was on and oil was discharged onto the sand beach and into the nearshore environment. Less than 100 barrels of oil entered the ocean; the majority was contained in the lake, the creek, or was saturated in the sediment. The mouth of the Santa Clara river was bermed to prevent oil from entering the estuary. To control the amount of water flowing through the spill site, water was diverted from the creek to the Santa Clara River via pumps. Underflow dams and filter fences with sorbent pompoms were installed along the creek. The vegetated shoreline of the creek and the lake, consisting mostly of tules, was heavily coated with oil. Because all pumping operations had ceased, the water level in the lake was rising and began covering over already impacted shoreline and affecting more habitat as it rose. After consulting with the Regional Water Quality Control Board, pumping the lake into the ocean began again and the water level was lowered to where it had been before the spill. USCG district 11. Keyword: containment boom, International Bird Rescue Research Center, propane cannons, shallow water recovery, siphon dams, skimmers, sorbent boom, sorbent pompoms, tule, vacuum trucks, vegetation cutting, volunteers, weed cutters, weir/pump skimmer.
- IncidentNews
UNOCAL 76 Tank Farm; Avila Beach, San Luis Obispo Bay, California
unknown · ID 6893 · 35.175, -120.722
Read Full Report
On the evening of August 3, 1992, a transfer pipeline at the UNOCAL Tank Farm in Avila Beach, California failed. A reported 150 barrels of San Joaquin heavy crude were pumped through a hole roughly 10 by 5 inches before pumping operations could be stopped. The crude oil flowed downhill through a gully and over a 30-foot bedrock cliff into the Pacific Ocean. UNOCAL Oil Company reported the incident to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Group Monterey, who in turn reported to USCG Marine Safety Office (MSO) San Francisco. UNOCAL assumed responsibility for the incident and called in the services of the local cooperative, Clean Seas, to mitigate the spill. The USCG Captain of the Port assumed the role of Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC). USCG district 11. Keyword: absorbent pads, boom, California Department of Fish and Game, Clean Seas Inc., containment boom, fog, high-pressure washing, high-pressure warm-water washing, International Bird Rescue and Research Center, low-pressure washing, oil snares, Pacific Strike Team, pompoms, shallow water recovery, skimmers, sorbent boom, sorbent pompoms, vegetation cutting, volunteers, weir/pump skimmer.
- IncidentNews
USS Kiska; 15 miles southwest of the Farallons Islands
unknown · ID 6865 · 37.590, -123.215
Read Full Report
On January 10, 1992, the USS Kiska, a U. S. Navy (USN) ammunition ship, intentionally discharged 900 gallons of oily water waste and lubricating oil to avoid a fire hazard. The hazard was caused when a flange on a lubricating oil pump failed, spilling several hundred gallons of lube oil into the bilges. The accident occurred 15 nautical miles southwest of the Gulf of the Farallons National Marine Sanctuary. At the time of the spill, the winds were out of the northwest at 20 to 30 knots. The oil was not expected to reach land. The USN contacted the National Response Center, which in turn contacted U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Marine Safety Office (MSO) San Francisco. The USCG conducted overflight operations but observed no oil. The case was closed on January 11, 1992. USCG district 11. Keyword: Gulf of the Farallons National Marine Sanctuary.
- IncidentNews
M/V Lavaux; Long Beach, California
unknown · ID 6849 · 33.688, -118.228
Read Full Report
On the evening of November 28, 1991, the motor vessel Lavaux spilled approximately 30 barrels of #2 fuel oil into Long Beach Harbor during a bunkering operation. The vessel's Master contacted the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Marine Safety Office (MSO) Los Angeles/Long Beach. The Chief of Port Operations assumed the role of Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC). The shipping agent contracted Ship's Services to mitigate the spill. At the time of the spill winds were out of the east at 15 knots; seas, one to two feet. Ship's Services installed containment boom around the Lavaux, the barge Phoenix, and the nearby breakwater that leads out into open water (Queen's Gate) during the evening of November 28, 1991, and the early morning of the next day. Overflight operations the morning of November 29 showed that there was a large slick of rainbow sheen around the riprap and that some of the oil had escaped the harbor and was drifting to the west. Cleanup operations continued throughout the day. A boom watch was deployed at dusk. During the evening of November 29, 35- to 45-knot winds out of the east and seas up to four feet forced the contractor to abandon operations. A small boat survey of the area on the morning of November 30 revealed no oil. Ship's Services was directed to recover and secure the boom that had been blown onto the riprap during the evening. The case was closed on November 30, 1991. USCG district 11. Keyword: adverse weather conditions, boom, California Department of Fish and Game, containment boom, evaporation, International Bird Rescue and Research Center, sorbent boom.
- IncidentNews
M/V ZIM CANADA; Los Angeles, California
unknown · ID 6820 · 33.722, -118.242
Read Full Report
On July 10, 1991, the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office (MSO) Los Angeles/ Long Beach personnel discovered a heavy fuel oil spill of approximately 25 barrels near Los Angeles berth 146. There were four vessels in the area at the time, but none were conducting bunkering operations that might account for such a spill. The MSO activated the Oil Pollution Fund and responded to the spill. During the spill response, samples of oil were drawn for analysis from the four vessels berthed in the area, including motor vessel ZIM CANADA, in an attempt to pinpoint the cause of the spill. There had been another fuel oil spill from an unidentified source in this area and a phantom pipeline was also suspected as the source. USCG district 11.
- IncidentNews
UNOCAL Platform GINA; Port Hueneme, California
unknown · ID 6808 · 34.143, -119.204
Read Full Report
On May 10, 1991, a work boat trying to locate and retrieve a mooring buoy anchor near the northwest corner of the UNOCAL platform Gina, snagged the production pipeline with a grappling hook and damaged a 10-inch riser. The pipeline was also damaged about 500 feet from the rig. Damage to the rig and pipeline caused approximately 300 gallons of a California crude oil and water mixture (10 to 20% oil) to enter the water.Oil is produced at GINA by injecting seawater into the well and forcing the oil and water mixture out through the 5-mile long pipeline to a Mandalay Beach facility for separation and processing. The actual amount of crude oil spilled was estimated to be 50 barrels out of a pipeline capacity of 3,500 barrels of oil and water. USCG district 11.
- IncidentNews
Chevron El Segundo Mooring; El Segundo, California
unknown · ID 6797 · 33.905, -118.447
Read Full Report
On March 16, 1991, the tanker OMI DYNACHEM severed a 26-inch pipeline at mooring #3 of Chevron's El Segundo, California offshore marine terminal in Santa Monica Bay. When the DYNACHEM attempted to anchor and hook up to the #2 mooring, a hydraulic winch failed and caused the ship to abort the attempt and weigh anchor. The #3 mooring pipeline was severed when it was snagged by the starboard anchor. The ship was not damaged nor at risk and moved off and anchored at a safe distance. At the time of the accident there was a maximum potential of 7,320 barrels of gas-oil in the pipeline (a combination of the 26-inch cargo transfer line and a 12-inch line in a looped configuration). The gas-oil, a non-marketable diesel-like product, is used to push remaining product out of the 26-inch line after tankers have finished transferring their cargo. It is left unpressurized in the looped lines after transfer operations are completed. Terminal personnel were notified about 10 minutes after the mishap and immediately began pumping the gas-oil out of the severed line. Chevron hired Clean Coastal Waters as their primary response contractor and the U.S. Coast Guard requested four skimmers from the U.S. Navy Supervisor of Salvage and U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team personnel with an offshore skimming barrier. The Clean Seas Cooperative was requested to standby to provide any additional assistance necessary. 33-54.3 N and 118-26.8 W USCG district 11.
- IncidentNews
M/V SAMMI SUPERSTARS; Los Angeles, California
unknown · ID 6784 · 33.722, -118.242
Read Full Report
On Tuesday night, January 8 the bulk freighter SAMMI SUPERSTARS spilled approx. 308 barrels of an Intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO 380) into the East Basin Channel of Los Angeles harbor (berth 176.) The spill occurred when a SUPERSTARS crewmember left his station and failed to notice that a fuel tank was overflowing during bunkering operations. USCG district 11.
- IncidentNews
Seal Beach Well Blowout; Seal Beach, California
unknown · ID 6764 · 33.767, -118.183
Read Full Report
On October 30, 1990, a drilling rig within the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) blew out. The blowout resulted when the drill hit a high pressure gas pocket and a bolt on the safety collar gave out. Natural gas and a mist of approximately 20 barrels of crude oil were propelled into the air. The oil mist was carried into the adjacent tidal wetlands by the wind. Breit Burn Energy Corporation, the owners of the drilling rig, assumed responsibility, and hired L & J Vaughtco International to clean up the spill. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) supervised the cleanup and bioremediation operations. USCG district 11. Keyword: National Wildlife Refuge, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), blowout..
- IncidentNews
CONTAINER SHIP; Los Angeles, CA
unknown · ID 6741 · 33.717, -118.267
Read Full Report
Last evening, 22 Feb., one of the containers in a container ship moored at the Evergreen Terminal in the Port of Los Angeles was determined to be leaking 3,3,3-trifluoropropene. The leaking container is in the bottom of the ship's hold with no other containers on top of it. The chemical is reported to be stored in 13-15 forty foot long cylinders in the container. Measurements of the chemical concentration, taken from a small hatch at the top of the hold, are in the 1-2 ppm range. Trifluoropropene is a highly flammable gas. Towing the vessel out of the port or inerting the hold with CO2, a heavy gas, are options being considered at this time. SSC On-Scene: Gary Petrae USCG district 11.
- IncidentNews
T/V American Trader; Huntington Beach, California
oil · ID 5000 · 33.633, -118.017
Read Full Report
On February 7, 1990 at 1620, the single-hull tank vessel American Trader grounded on one of its anchors while approaching the Golden West Refining Company's offshore mooring. Two holes were punctured in one of the vessel's cargo tanks, releasing 9458 barrels of heavy crude oil into the water approximately 1.3 miles from Huntington Beach, California. The master of the vessel immediately reported the incident to the USCG Marine Safety Office/Group Los Angeles-Long Beach (MSO/Group LA-LB). The master moved the American Trader into deeper water one mile to the south. The commanding officer of the MSO/Group assumed the role of the Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC). The responsible parties assumed full financial responsibility for the spill and sent representatives to the Long Beach area. Oil began to come ashore on February 8 in light concentrations around Newport Pier. By February 9, oil was ashore at Huntington Beach; in some instances, oil in the surf zone here appeared to be in heavier concentrations than observed earlier at Newport Beach. Calm seas and fair weather for most of the response period resulted in a rapid and successful cleanup. All of the beaches were cleaned by March 2. The FOSC concluded all cleanup operations by April 3. The 22,000 barrels of crude remaining in the damaged cargo tank were lightered by personnel from the USCG Pacific Strike Team and the responsible party using the USCG Air-Deliverable Anti-Pollution Transfer System (ADAPTS). By 1200 on February 9, the oil from the damaged tank plus 90,000 barrels from the mid-body tanks had been transferred into barges to decrease the draft of the vessel. Temporary patches were applied to the holes in the hull and the American Trader was moved to an oil transfer facility in Long Beach Harbor to off-load the remaining 470,000 barrels of crude oil. The vessel was moved to San Francisco on February 18 for drydocking and repair. USCG district 11. Keyword: Boom, Open Water Oil Containment and Recovery System (OWOCRS), U.S. Navy Superintendent of Salvage (NAVSUPSALV), sorbent pompoms, sorbent boom, sorbent pads, California Department of Fish and Game (CA DFG), International Bird Rescue and Research Center (IBRRC), Air-Deliverable Anti-Pollution Transfer System (ADAPTS), Expandiboom, vacuum truck, Marco skimmer, hot-water flushing, Clean Coastal Waters, Clean Seas, Pacific Strike Team (PST), National Wildlife Refuges, manual removal..
Ordered by the date each record reports, newest first, 25 per page. Dates are California local time.
Export CSV ↓ Downloads the complete IncidentNews archive: every record Tarline holds for that source. The export ignores the text search above and is never limited to the page you are on.