An estimated 126,000 to 144,000 gallons of oil spilled from a broken pipeline near Orange County, California over the weekend.

The timeline for the event is unclear as the pipeline owner failed to shut down operations quickly when a safety system alerted them to a possible oil spill. 

The spill was first reported early Saturday morning, however some local boaters had began to report a sheen in the water late Friday night. 

According to federal investigators, a portion of the pipeline was split open and a mile long section was pulled for around 150 feet. 

The Coast Guard is currently investigating if the spill was caused by a commercial ship that set anchor in an unauthorized location, and if so whether or not the captain of the ship was aware of the disturbance. 

The spill has shut down nearby beaches, and California Governor Gavin Newson has declared a state of emergency for Orange County. Cleanup crews work on lessening the impending negative environmental and ecological impact in the area.