Oil Platforms Escape Earthquake Damage
Following weeks of extensive surveying, the federal Minerals Management Service has determined that none of the 12 oil platforms offshore of Ventura County sustained damage in the Jan. 17 Northridge earthquake.
The agency, which regulates oil production in federal waters, sent out a team of inspectors two days after the earthquake to survey a total of 24 platforms and their connecting sea-floor pipelines off the California coast.
“Based on our analysis, we are pleased to announce that platforms on the outer continental shelf withstood January’s major earthquake,” said MMS Director Tom Fry in a statement released late last week.
MMS officials said the only notable incident occurred on Platform Hogan off of Rincon Point, where a three-barrel oil spill was discovered. The spill, which was contained and cleaned up, occurred when an onshore facility connected to the platform by pipeline lost power.
Without electricity, the onshore facility allowed oil-fouled water back into a pipeline leading back to the platform.
Hogan is owned and operated by Pacific Operators Inc. according to MMS documents.
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