Public Notice – Temporary Use of Lookout Park Parking Lot & Beach Area

UPDATE: On November 29, 2020, the Commission and InterAct PMTI completed the re-abandonments of the Treadwell #10 and NorthStar #815 and wells using a barge, divers, and heavy equipment. This re-abandonment work was an essential part of the Commission’s efforts to permanently stop the hydrocarbon source from leaking into surrounding waters and onto the beach. The work was conducted from a derrick barge and a dive vessel anchored nearby.

Summerland NorthStar 815 and Treadwell 10 Well Re-Abandonment

What:

The California State Lands Commission and its consultant, InterAct, will perform well re-abandonment (re-sealing) work on two leaking wells, known as NorthStar 815 and Treadwell 10 immediately offshore Summerland Beach using a barge, divers, and heavy equipment. The wells are located roughly 130 ft. and 300 ft. offshore, respectively. Re-abandonment activities are an essential part of the Commission’s efforts to permanently stop the hydrocarbon source from leaking into surrounding waters and onto the beach. The legacy wells date back to the largely unregulated development of the Summerland Oil Field in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Work will be conducted from a derrick barge and a dive vessel anchored nearby. The dive crew will use jetting tools to fully expose the wellheads for abandonment. A pipe pile will be placed over each wellhead and then driven into the ocean floor into the impermeable bedrock to encapsulate the wellheads. Each pipe pile will be cleaned out and pumped full of cement. The cement will act as a barrier to the migration of hydrocarbons. The final step is to weld on a steel plate to the top of the pipe pile. This will act as a secondary barrier to hydrocarbon migration.
As a precautionary measure, spill response equipment and trained personnel will be staged in the Lookout Park parking lot. Please note that natural oil seeps and potential leakage from other legacy wells in the area often cause oil sheen in the ocean waters and oiling of the beach.

When:

Well re-abandonment operations are scheduled to begin on or about November 1 and conclude two weeks thereafter.

Why:

Though the NorthStar and Treadwell wells are no longer in production, they regularly leak oil in small quantities. The wells are roughly 100 years old and must be re-abandoned to prevent ongoing leakage. It is in the best interest of the state, the public, and the environment to seal the wells and keep our beaches clean.