Federal Officials Recommend Increasing Anchor Distance from Undersea Pipelines

The recommendation follows a 2021 oil spill in Southern California, caused by ships dragging their anchors across a pipeline.

Federal officials have recommended increasing the distance from undersea pipelines that vessels are allowed to anchor in Southern California, following a 2021 oil spill.
The spill, which resulted in 25,000 gallons of crude oil washing ashore, was caused by ships whose anchors were dragged across a pipeline after a storm.
The National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the pipeline rupture was likely caused by the proximity of anchored shipping vessels.
The agency's board members recommended that authorities increase the safety margin between ships anchored on their way to and from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and undersea pipelines in the area.
Since the spill, Amplify Energy, the owner of the ruptured pipeline, has agreed to install new leak-detection technology and reached a civil settlement with local residents and businesses.