Feds order company behind Calif. oil spill to take safety steps

Federal officials issued a “corrective action order” Friday, forcing the company responsible for this week’s crude oil pipeline spill in California to fix various problems.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is ordering Texas-based Plains Pipeline to make any necessary safety improvements on the Santa Barbara County pipeline that was breached and submit an in-depth analysis of what contributed to the spill before resuming operation of the line.

{mosads}The action is not considered a disciplinary enforcement. But it will require Plains Pipeline to analyze the root cause of the breach and any contributing factors to it.

“PHMSA is requiring Plains Pipeline, LP to take a number of actions to assess the current condition of the pipeline, identify the factors that led to the crude oil release, and to address any potential future risks to people or the environment,” PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tim Butters said in a statement.

PHMSA, a part of the Department of Transportation, is responsible for overseeing the safety of all of the nation’s pipelines.

The breach caused about 105,000 gallons of crude to spill, and much of it entered the Pacific Ocean about 20 miles west of Santa Barbara.

From there, it has formed a 9-mile-long sheen and washed up onto beaches, including San Refugio State Beach, which remains closed for the popular Memorial Day weekend.