seepage

The samples are more characteristic of “freshly produced” oil typical of natural seepage, according to officials.

March 11, 2024An earlier version of this article stated that a Coast Guard official said the oil spill was caused by natural seepage from the ocean floor off Huntington Beach.

“We don’t know what caused the natural seepage to be so much.”

“It could be natural seepage, it could have been a discharge. We’re not sure.”

“There will always be some seepage but as long as it’s not too much, we’re OK.”