![A man watches an oil slick wash up on a beach along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta California Oil Spill Refugio State Beach Goleta](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/california-oil-spill-4.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
By TIME Photo
Updated: | Originally published: ;
![An oil spill is seen in the Pacific Ocean near Santa Barbara in Goleta California Oil Spill Refugio State Beach Goleta](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/california-oil-spill-1.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![An oil slick washes up on a beach along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta California Oil Spill Refugio State Beach Goleta](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/california-oil-spill-3.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Workers clean up an oil leak that caused a slick in the Pacific Ocean along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta California Oil Spill Refugio State Beach Goleta](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/california-oil-spill-2.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![A man watches an oil slick wash up on a beach along the coast of Refugio State Beach in Goleta California Oil Spill Refugio State Beach Goleta](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/california-oil-spill-4.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![US-OIL-POLLUTION-EXXONMOBIL California Oil Spill Refugio State Beach Goleta](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/california-oil-spill-5.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Ruptured Pipeline Spills Oil Along Santa Barbara Coast California Oil Spill Refugio State Beach Goleta](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/california-oil-spill-6.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![An oil spill is seen in the Pacific Ocean near Santa Barbara in Goleta California Oil Spill Refugio State Beach Goleta](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/california-oil-spill-7.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![An oil spill is seen in the Pacific Ocean near Santa Barbara in Goleta California Oil Spill Refugio State Beach Goleta](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/california-oil-spill-8.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Ruptured Pipeline Spills Oil Along Santa Barbara Coast California Oil Spill Refugio State Beach Goleta](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/california-oil-spill-9.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
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