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.
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Records
Showing 2,151 to 2,160 of 2,160 records for all sources
- IncidentNews
UNOCAL 76 Tank Farm; Avila Beach, San Luis Obispo Bay, California
unknown · ID 6893 · 35.175, -120.722
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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