Santa Clara Unit Well Conductor Removal

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces the availability of an Environmental Assessment (EA) that analyzes potential environmental impacts of removing 66 well conductors from two non-producing oil and gas platforms, located 10 miles offshore of Ventura County, California. 

BOEM prepared the EA at the request of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) to inform BSEE’s permitting decision on whether the project is technically and environmentally sound, including consideration of mitigation measures. The EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts based on the project’s technical and environmental information provided by Chevron U.S.A. Inc. (Chevron) in support of its permit application to BSEE.

As described in the EA, Chevron is responsible for plugging and abandonment of all wells and removal of 66 well conductors on Platforms Gail and Grace. Once Chevron has permanently abandoned a well, it will proceed with removal of the well conductor. Well conductors are the metal tubes extending from the platform to the seafloor, which are used to house drilling activities and subsequent production. Removing the conductors is a precursor to future removal of the platforms. The remaining platform structure, including decks and subsea jacket, will remain in place until this conductor removal project is complete and BSEE receives and approves a forthcoming decommissioning platform removal application.

BSEE is the permitting agency for the well conductor removal project analyzed in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis document released by BOEM today. BOEM provides NEPA support to BSEE by developing the Environmental Assessment to identify and address real and potential consequences and mitigations associated with the conductor removal project.