591034_SoCalGas_UGS
Summary
SCH Number
2024070772
Public Agency
California Department of Conservation
(DOC)
Document Title
591034_SoCalGas_UGS
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/19/2024
Document Description
Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) submitted a Notice of Intention (NOI) to plug and abandon an existing underground gas storage (UGS) well at the Aliso Canyon Gas Storage Facility (Aliso Canyon Facility) in Los Angeles County (Project).
The well that will be plugged and abandoned is part of the Aliso Canyon Facility, an existing facility of an investor-owned utility that is used to provide natural gas services. The proposed Project is located at the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Field in northwest San Fernando Valley, north of Porter Ranch, Los Angeles County, California. The Aliso Canyon field began as an oil field in 1939 before being converted to gas storage in the early 1970s by SoCalGas. It is the largest natural gas storage facility in California, with a (current) maximum allowable inventory of 68.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas.
The purpose of the proposed Project is to plug and abandon a UGS well. Activities include pulling completion string, clean to total depth, lay cement from total depth to surface, set mechanical barriers where applicable, perform regulatory cement tags, critical zone remediation as proposed, witness bubble test at surface, weld identification plate, and restore location to ensure compliance with revised regulations (14 CCR § 1726 et seq.) to enhance the safety of UGS projects.
In 2018, CalGEM promulgated regulations that establish standards for the design, construction, and maintenance of all gas storage wells. The regulations include stringent well construction standards that are required to ensure that gas storage wells are safe and will maintain their integrity over time. The well construction standards promote environmental safety by focusing on leak prevention.
The proposed Project consists of CalGEM approving one permit for SoCalGas to plug and abandon the UGS well listed below, in the Aliso Canyon Gas Field.
API # 0403721354, Well Name: Porter 32F
Contact Information
Name
Jan Perez
Agency Name
Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division
Job Title
Senior Environmental Scientist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Southern California
Township
03N
Range
16W
Section
27
Base
NAD 83
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
14 CCR §§ 15301
Reasons for Exemption
Class 1, Existing Facilities (14 CCR §§ 15301, 1684.1): Class 1 exemption applies as CalGEM’s regulations state: “Class 1 consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing previously. The Class includes, but is not limited to: remedial, maintenance, conversion, and abandonment work on oil, gas, injection, and geothermal wells. This plugging and abandonment of this well involves pulling completion string, clean to total depth, lay cement from total depth to surface, set mechanical barriers where applicable, perform regulatory cement tags, critical zone remediation as proposed, witness bubble test at surface, weld identification plate, and restore location. The plugging and abandoning of the well does not expand the well’s existing or former use. Rather, the well will cease to be used.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
14 CCR §15302
Reasons for Exemption
Class 2, Replacement or Reconstruction (14 CCR § 15302): Class 2 exemption applies because it consists of “replacement or reconstruction of existing structures and facilities where the new structure will be located on the same site as the structure replaced and will have substantially the same purpose and capacity as the structure replaced[.]” Examples of Class 2 include, but are not limited to, “Replacement or reconstruction of existing utility systems and/or facilities involving negligible or no expansion of capacity.” The proposed Project is the plugging and abandoning of a well. The plugging and abandoning will be on an existing well pad, utilize the upper portion of the well, and no additional construction will occur.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
14 CCR §§ 15304
Reasons for Exemption
Class 4, Minor Alterations to Land (14 CCR §§ 15304, 1684.2): Class 4 exemption applies. The proposed Project would be conducted entirely on an existing pad, and when combined with existing roads, has enough space to contain all equipment. The Project would not disturb any undisturbed areas. The proposed Project is located within an industrial area. Therefore, the proposed Project “consists of drilling operations that result in only minor alterations with negligible or no permanent effects to the existing condition of the land, water, air, and/or vegetation.” The plugging and abandoning of the well does not expand the well’s existing or former use.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
14 CCR §§ 15307, 15308
Reasons for Exemption
Classes 7 and 8, Protection of Natural Resources and the Environment (14 CCR §§ 15307, 15308): Class 7 and Class 8 exemptions apply. The exemptions are for actions taken by regulatory agencies as authorized by law to assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, or protection of a natural resource or the environment where the regulatory process involves procedures for the protection of the environment.” As demonstrated in the record, the plugging and abandoning of the well does not expand the well’s existing or former use. Rather, the well will cease to be used. Furthermore, the plugging and abandonment of the well will restore the location to ensure compliance with revised regulations (14 CCR § 1726 et seq.) to enhance the safety of UGS projects, thereby maintenance, restoration, enhancement, and/or protection of a natural resource and the environment.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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