Remember When Oil Darkened Santa Barbara’s Beaches in 1969, and How the Coast Reclaimed Its Beauty

More than 50 years ago, an infamous oil spill in Santa Barbara defined California’s history and shaped the way the world responds to ecological disasters. 

What began as a regular drilling operation on a well drilled on Platform A near the coast of Santa Barbara suddenly blew out, sending gallons of tarry black crude oil into the pristine blue waters of Southern California. 

In the following weeks and months, countless marine animals and birds died, and newspapers were filled with heartbreaking images of slick, oil-covered birds being rescued or washing ashore. 

Fifty-six years later, the oil spill is remembered not only for its massive scale and aftermath, but also for the change it inspired. 

A look back at one of the worst ecological disasters

What Happened That Day

On January 28, 1969, drilling was underway on Union Oil’s new drilling rig, Platform A, when the blowout happened, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The drilling platform was less than 8 miles offshore in the Santa Barbara Channel. 

El Segundo-based Union Oil had reportedly convinced the government to grant a waiver for its fifth well. While other areas mandated a protective steel casing to extend at least 300 feet under the ocean floor, Union Oil was permitted to install only 239 feet of casing for the new well. 

The shortcut proved deadly. Two weeks into drilling, the pressure resulted in a blowout, sending mud and oil 90 feet above the platform’s floor. As crews rushed to contain the spill, they soon noticed oil and gas bubbling on the ocean’s surface. The pressure had caused oil and gas to leak through faults and fractures in the upper layer of the ocean bed. 

Observers said the ocean water looked like it was “boiling” for hours. 

Not only did the waves fall silent due to the oil, but the odor of petroleum also spread for several miles. 

Extent of the Spill

In the next two days, the pool of black, tarry oil had spread over 150 miles.  

For the next 10 days, the oil slick began to spread further, inching closer to the coastline. More than 11,000 tons of oil had spread over 200 sq km, according to EBSCO. 

In total, around 3 million gallons of oil – close to 4.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth of oil – had leaked, contaminating 35 miles of coastline, according to the Smithsonian Magazine.  

Nearly 10,000 barrels of oil reached the shoreline, coating the gravel-sized beach rocks and infiltrating the sand, according to EBSCO. The gooey, black oil coated the light-colored Goleta Cliffs, a short distance north of Santa Barbara. 

Although the well was capped after 11 days, the spill triggered a series of undersea faults to open, releasing oil and gas until December 1969, according to the NOAA. Oil from Platform A reached as far as Pismo Beach and Mexico. 

While the scale of the spill was monumental, the lack of technology and advanced scientific tools led to significant delays in containing it and preventing further damage. 

For the first time, a CIA spy plane was deployed for non-defense related aerial photography to assess the magnitude of the spill, according to the NOAA. The U.S. Geological Survey partnered with the CIA to use a Cold War-era plane to take aerial photographs. The information was classified at the time and was declassified in the 1990s. 

Cleanup Methods

Several methods were tried to absorb the oil and control its further spread, including burning the oil, spraying chemical dispersants, and steam cleaning and vacuuming the beach areas. 

Straw and plant material were thrown into the water to absorb the oil. Residents and student volunteers from the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) worked tirelessly for hours spreading and collecting the oil-soaked plant material and later disposing of it. 

A total of 1,800 barrels of skimmed oil-water were recovered from the ocean, according to the UCSB. 

Impact on Wildlife

Seabirds and animals were the worst affected by the oil spill. 

The oil-drenched birds that tried to scramble up the shore to clean the oil from their feathers ended up ingesting it. 

Despite residents’ and professional attempts to rescue and clean the wildlife, 3,700 birds were officially recorded dead, though researchers believe the true number was significantly higher, according to the Smithsonian Magazine.

The survival rate for the rescued birds was a dismal 12%, according to UCSB.   

Numerous porpoises, seals, dolphins, whales, and fish also perished. 

In February 1969, a group of UCSB students found a dead dolphin on the beach. A necropsy confirmed that the female dolphin was close to giving birth, and a large amount of crude oil was deposited on its blowhole. 

Personnel of the U.S. Navy were concerned that porpoises near the naval base at Point Mugu would be affected by the oil spill, according to the Smithsonian Magazine. 

Commercial fishing was suspended in the area as the water was severely contaminated. 

Activism and People’s Movements

Devastated by the sight of the ocean and oiled animals, several residents and UCSB students were motivated to protest offshore drilling operations and the disaster it had caused. 

The oil spill led to the creation of a local anti-oil group, Get Oil Out! (GOO) and several more environmental activists. Within months, GOO had collected over 100,000 signatures on anti-oil petitions, according to UCSB. 

Citizens created groups such as the Community Environmental Council and the Environmental Defense Center. 

The oil spill also led to the creation of the National Environmental Policy Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Marine Sanctuaries system. 

UCSB faculty launched the Environmental Studies Program. 

The extensive media coverage and public protests also led to President Richard Nixon visiting the Santa Barbara beach to assess the damage. 

“The Santa Barbara incident has frankly touched the conscience of the American people,” he had said. 

The State of California and many coastal communities sued Union Oil and its three partners, as well as the U.S. Department of the Interior, for damages, according to EBSCO. The claims ranged from $500 million to nearly $1.3 billion. 

The Birth of Earth Day

In many ways, the 1969 oil spill became a catalyst for environmental protections and policy reforms. 

Following public outcry over the extent of damage, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin established the first national Earth Day on April 22, 1970. Around 20 million Americans took to the streets on that day to show their support for the environment. 

April 22 is now celebrated worldwide as Earth Day, and the month of April is considered Earth Month.  

The California Coastal Commission was also created following a statewide initiative. 

While the oil spill left a deep scar among the communities, wildlife, and the coastline, it sparked a much-needed awakening that prompted the country to recognize the fragility of its natural resources and safeguard them.