Will those responsible for California oil spill pay for the damage? It could be a battle
LOS ANGELES — Six years ago, a ruptured oil pipeline in Santa Barbara County sent 140,000 gallons of crude oil gushing onto the sands of Refugio State Beach.
The company that owned the pipeline survived the onslaught of lost revenue and lawsuits that followed, but the offshore producer that used the line to transport its oil did not. After twice seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Venoco Inc., eventually walked away from its drilling operation in Southern California, leaving the state to deal with millions of dollars in costs to close down the inactive wells.
This month’s spill off the shore of Orange County, which dumped an estimated 25,000 gallons into the ocean, could become an expensive repeat of the Refugio spill, some experts say. The firm that operates the San Pedro Bay pipeline is facing intense pressure from federal regulators as well as
