Spills

El segundo, california

Chevron El Segundo Mooring; El Segundo, California · NOAAORR-6797

issued
1991-03-17 00:00Z
status
cancelled 1991-03-31 00:00Z
self-cancels
1991-03-31 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
North Pacific Ocean
position
33.905, -118.447
vessel
TANKER OMI DYNACHEM SEVERED A 26-INCH
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Chevron El Segundo Mooring; El Segundo, California.
El Segundo, California.
1. 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 [...]
2. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 307000 GALLONS.
3. POSITION 33.905N 118.447W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6797: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6797

This area · spills & pollution incidents

159 within 180 nm since 1969 · 11 in the last 12 months · 1 in force now

69
70
75
80
85
90
95
00
05
10
15
20
25
26

Season · when spills & pollution incidents happen here

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

month of issue, all years in the archive

Nearby now · within 120 nm

Worldwide now

8 spills & pollution incidents in force · see all

Spills

Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents

Not for navigation. This is a re-rendering of an official navigational warning for awareness; mariners must use official NAVAREA broadcasts and their national MSI service.