HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. Operators of an oil rig in Huntington Beach waited more than three hours to shut down a ruptured pipeline despite receiving a low-pressure alarm early Saturday morning, and it appears a ship’s anchor may have hooked the pipe and caused the leak, according to preliminary findings by federal investigators. Meanwhile, divers contracted to investigate the source of the massive oil leak off the coast of Orange County confirmed that a large section of the 17.7-mile pipeline was moved out of place by as much as 105 feet, and a 13-inch “split” in the line was detected in the displaced section 4 1/2 miles offshore. According to the unified command responding to the leak—including the Coast Guard, state Department of Fish & Wildlife and oil rig “Elly” and pipeline operator Amplify Energy—the divers confirmed conditions originally spotted by remotely operated vehicles that were initially sent to inspect the …
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