Spills

Santa barbara, california

Heritage Platform (exxon); Santa Barbara, California · NOAAORR-7138

issued
1996-05-02 00:00Z
status
cancelled 1996-05-16 00:00Z
self-cancels
1996-05-16 00:00Z
authority
NOAA OR&R
sea
North Pacific Ocean
position
34.350, -120.280
source
incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z

Original warning text

Heritage Platform (Exxon); Santa Barbara, California.
Santa Barbara, California.
1. On May 1, 1996, as the platform Heritage restarted operations, oil was forced through the platform's gas-flame exhaust pipe. Some product was ignited as it was released but did not continue burning on the open seas. Weather was foggy with winds east-southeast at 10 to 12 knots, seas 1 to 2 feet with swells 4 to 6 feet. Platform personnel deployed containment boom and secured the source. Clean Seas was contacted. They brought skimming vessels on-scene and began open-water cleanup operations. When visibility allowed, Exxon and the USCG conducted overflights and estimated the volume of spilled material was between 50 and 200 barrels. Clean Seas collected larger concentrations of oil with skimmers and towed booms. During night operations, oil was corralled in booms and skimmed. The cause of this incident is being investigated by MMS and the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary was [...]
2. COMMODITY: HONDO CRUDE. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 8400 GALLONS.
3. POSITION 34.350N 120.280W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 7138: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/7138

This area · spills & pollution incidents

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Spills

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