On Huge Oil Spill’s 10 Year Anniversary, Sable Announces Restarted Drilling on Santa Barbara Coast

“Announcing a restart 10 years to the day since this pipeline system smothered the coast in crude is a slap in the face to Californians who don’t want oil-coated pelicans and poisoned dolphins washing ashore again,” said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It’s alarming that no agency comprehensively looked at the environmental risks of restarting this aging, corroded pipeline, and that Sable steamrolled over orders to halt construction. We’ll keep working to protect the sensitive habitats, species and communities harmed by offshore oil drilling.”

The oil spill on May 19, 2015, at Refugio State Beach near Santa Barbara ravaged 150 miles of the California coast. What is believed to be 450,000 gallons of oil polluted thousands of acres of shoreline and habitat and killed hundreds of marine mammals and birds, shutting down beaches and fisheries. Restoration and compensation cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and the spill resulted in a felony conviction for the pipeline’s former owner.

The onshore and offshore pipelines, three offshore platforms, and onshore processing facilities known collectively as the Santa Ynez Unit have been shut down for 10 years since the pipeline failed. In 2024 a new company, Sable Offshore Corp., purchased the Santa Ynez Unit from ExxonMobil, largely using funds it borrowed from Exxon. Sable has worked hastily to try to restart oil operations and repair the failed pipeline.

On the eve of the 10-year anniversary, California State Parks gave the company a key authorization that facilitated the infamous pipeline’s restart. The green light from State Parks came after the California Coastal Commission and the Central Coast Water Board rebuked the company for reported construction violations. In April the Coastal Commission issued Sable an unprecedented $18 million fine along with a third cease-and-desist order and a restoration order for damage from the company’s unpermitted work.

Despite the reported violations, a lack of opportunity for public input and inadequate transparency, Sable received additional approvals for aspects of the restart process from the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Santa Barbara County.

California’s coastline is also facing threats from President Trump, who has repeatedly made calls to “drill, baby, drill.” His administration recently requested proposals to expand offshore drilling in public waters, including in the Pacific.


The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.8 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

http://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/on-huge-oil-spills-10-year-anniversary-sable-announces-restarted-drilling-on-santa-barbara-coast-2025-05-19/