Bolsa Chica oil sheen likely caused by pipeline leak unrelated to October spill

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Investigators have identified a company they say could be responsible for an oil sheen spotted near Bolsa Chica State Beach earlier this month.

The sheen, measuring roughly 20 by 15 yards, was spotted around Dec. 16 off the coast of Huntington Beach. Crews deployed booms to contain the spill and make sure it didn't reach the fragile wetlands nearby.

Investigators were initially trying to determine if it was related to the massive October spill or from a new source.

Now the California Department of Fish and Wildlife says a pipeline belonging to DCOR - a Southern-California-based oil and gas producer - may have leaked some oil.

Crews investigating oil sheen reported off Bolsa Chica State Beach


So far there has been no new evidence of oil or sheen, but divers will go back out to inspect the area Tuesday.

They have also determined this was not related to the pipeline breach that temporarily closed a large chunk of the Orange County coastline in October.