"An oil pipeline that ruptured and spilled an estimated 383,000 litres (101,000 gallons) of crude near Santa Barbara in May had been allowed to corrode to a tiny fraction of its original thickness, federal regulators have said.

The preliminary findings released on Wednesday by the federal pipeline and hazardous materials safety administration point to a possible cause of the 19 May spill that blackened popular beaches and created a 14.5km (nine mile) slick in the Pacific Ocean.

The agency said investigators found corrosion at the break site had degraded the pipe wall thickness to about 1.5mm (one-16th of an inch). The report also said the area of the pipeline that failed was close to three repairs that had been made because of corrosion after 2012 inspections."

Michael R. Blood and Brian Melley report for the Associated Press June 3, 2015. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Oil Spill Works Its Way Down To Malibu" (Acorn) [3]

"New Calif. Beach Closure Is Far From Oil Spill" (USA TODAY) [4]