Effects Of The Santa Barbara Blowout

The Santa Barbara Blowout was an oil spill that took place in the Santa Barbara Channel in January of 1969 and now ranks as the third largest oil spill to take place in the United States. An estimated 10,000 barrels of crude oil spilled into the ocean over several months. The spill severely harmed thousands of sea birds and other forms of marine life in the waters. This was one of the most impactful environmental disasters in American history, as it led to some of the most restrictive regulations on offshore oil drilling that are still in place today.

Union Oil was controlling the oil rig at the time and was responsible for the oil spill. A platform known as Platform A has a well that extends nearly 3500 feet beneath the seafloor and. The

However, after a few weeks, another leak in the well started; and more oil, mud, and cement spewed into the ocean. The effects of the oil spillage extended from Santa Barbara to as far as San Miguel and Santa Rosa. Birds were largely affected, because the oil on their feathers prevented them from floating properly. The oil also clogged the blowholes of many whales and dolphins, ultimately not allowing them to breathe properly. One of the largest economic consequences was to the fisherman in the Santa Barbara area, who were unable to harvest fish to sell. The Santa Barbara channel was also the home to many endangered species such as grey whales, blue whales, and pelicans. Marine vegetation can also be negatively affected from prolonged oil exposure. Spilled oil on the surface is especially problematic, as it is worsened by the wind and

Immediately after the spill, a moratorium was placed on all offshore drilling in California waters. President Nixon, who originally lived near the location of the spill, signed legislation that his own party opposed to prevent accidents like it from occurring again. Some of this legislation also included the observation of the first Earth Day. Currently, California has some of the toughest regulations on offshore drilling in all of the United States. Within a year, Nixon had established the Environmental Protection Agency, the largest government agency for protection of the environment. Union Oil and several other oil companies collectively paid $9 million dollars in a civil suit to the state of California and the city of Santa Barbara. Offshore oil drilling was banned for the next 16 years in