Early on May 11, a fire broke out on the offshore Habitat platform located off the coast of Santa Barbara during decommissioning operations.
The platform is situated approximately 13 kilometers off the California coastline in the Santa Barbara Channel.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the incident was caused by a gas leak that occurred while crews were working on the structure.
Platform personnel and emergency responders managed to shut off the gas flow using a safety valve, helping to contain the fire and prevent further escalation.
The fire was fully extinguished by approximately 11:40 a.m. local time.
A total of 26 workers were evacuated from the platform, while two people suffered minor injuries. Some personnel later returned to the site to carry out additional safety procedures.
The U.S. Coast Guard established a 1,000-yard safety zone around the platform and continues to monitor environmental conditions in the area.
Officials stated that there were no signs of oil spills or water contamination, and no impact on wildlife or nearby communities has been reported.
The Habitat platform, also known as Pitas Point, was built in 1981 and began production in 1983. Until operations ended in 2016, the facility primarily produced natural gas.
The platform is owned and operated by DCOR LLC.
The incident comes amid renewed discussions in the United States regarding offshore drilling licenses off the California coast for the first time in decades.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway.
