530526_SoCalGas_UGS
Summary
SCH Number
2024100291
Public Agency
California Department of Conservation
(DOC)
Document Title
530526_SoCalGas_UGS
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/8/2024
Document Description
Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) submitted a Notice of Intention (NOI) to sidetrack 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 sidetracked 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 sidetrack a UGS well, to assess the mechanical integrity of casing and remediate conditions impacting well integrity. Activities include pulling kill string redrill to a target depth, run a new casing and cement in place, and a new production liner, run inspection logs, and finally run a new completion tubing flow only 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 sidetrack the gas storage well listed below, in the Aliso Canyon Gas Field.
API # 0403721359, Well Name: Fernando Fee 32C
Contact Information
Name
Jan Perez
Agency Name
Department of Conservation,
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
B&M: SB
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
14 CCR §§ 15301, 1684.1
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…”. The purpose of the sidetrack is to assess the mechanical integrity of casing and install cement casing, run inspection logs, and run new completion tubing flow. The tubing will comply with CalGEM’s revised regulations. Once the work is completed the well will be returned to service. This required well construction upgrade will maintain or diminish the throughput capacity of the reworked gas storage well resulting in negligible or no expansion of the existing use. This sidetrack is considered remedial because it is attendant to compliance with CalGEM’s heightened well construction standards and safety regulations and involves associated maintenance of the well in order to ensure continued operation.
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 a sidetrack of an existing wellbore which is needed to comply with well construction standards while maintaining throughput capacity of the well. The sidetracking includes pulling kill string redrill to a target depth, run a new casing and cement in place, and a new production liner, run inspection logs, and finally run a new completion tubing flow only to ensure compliance with revised regulations (14 CCR § 1726 et seq.) to enhance the safety of UGS projects. The sidetrack will be on an existing well pad, utilize the upper portion of the well, and no additional construction will occur. The sidetracked well will serve the same purpose as other UGS wells in the Aliso Canyon Facility and continue to provide the same measure of deliverability or capacity.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
14 CCR §§ 15304, 1684.2
Reasons for Exemption
Class 4, Minor Alterations to Land (14 CCR §§ 15304, 1684.2): Class 4 exemption may apply. 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 sidetrack would not expand the facility and is conducted in order to comply with CalGEM’s safety regulations (remedial) and maintain level of service.
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 may apply, which include 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 sidetrack will inspect and remediate conditions impacting well integrity to ensure compliance with the regulations CalGEM promulgated in 2018 (14 CCR § 1726 et seq.), that establish standards for the design, construction, and maintenance of all gas storage wells. The regulations include stringent well construction standards that decrease the risk for adverse impacts to natural resources in the area. The sidetrack of this well would ensure that potential impacts to natural resources and the environment from compliance issues associated with the well are minimized, and the approval for the sidetrack will also include conditions that protect natural resources and the environment. Therefore, as demonstrated in the proposed Project file description of the well, sidetrack and rework operations would assure the maintenance, restoration, enhancement, and/or protection of natural resources and the environment.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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