A ruptured pipeline near Goleta spilled 21,000 gallons of crude oil into the ocean Tuesday creating an approximately four-mile wide oil slick.
The portion of the pipeline near Refugio State Beach broke in the early afternoon spilling oil into a culvert that ran under U.S. Highway 101 and into a ditch that drained into the ocean. Three hours after the spill was identified, the pipeline was shut down by the Plains All American Pipeline.
“Plains deeply regrets this release has occurred and is making every effort to limit its environmental impact,” the company said in a statement.
Officials are urging people to stay away from the Santa Barbara coastline.
Southern winds are expected to move the spill two to four miles south overnight. It is unknown at this time how long the cleanup will take and when the beaches will reopen.
