On April 24, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter approved the $50 million class action settlement for Amplify Energy Corporation, resolving the legal dispute surrounding the October 2021 oil spill that affected homeowners and businesses off of the coast of Orange County, Calif.

The combined settlement, which is estimated to be nearly $100 million, will compensate those who were harmed by the spill. The settlement involving plaintiffs’ claims against shipping companies alleged to have damaged the pipeline, the MSC Danit and M/V Beijing, is still pending court approval.

The spill occurred when a pipeline operated by Amplify Energy ruptured, releasing approximately 25,000 gallons of crude oil into the Pacific Ocean near Huntington Beach. Under the terms of the settlement, Amplify Energy agreed to implement a new leak detection and warning system and increase staffing on its oil platform, among other improvements, and individuals and businesses affected by the spill will receive compensation for economic losses and property damage.

The Larson team representing the plaintiffs included partners Stephen G. Larson, Steven E. Bledsoe, Rick Richmond, Paul A. Rigali, and counsel Andrew J. Bedigian.

Read the full article by City News Service in the Los Angeles Times here, the full article by Quinn Wilson in Law360 (subscription required) here, and the press release here.