State Abandonment of Orphan Wells Project: Griffin Wells
Summary
SCH Number
2024120425
Public Agency
California Department of Conservation
(DOC)
Document Title
State Abandonment of Orphan Wells Project: Griffin Wells
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/11/2024
Document Description
The proposed Project consists of the plug and abandonment (P&A) of 25 existing orphan wells in Kern County identified in CalGEM’s Phase-1 State Abandonment of Orphan Wells Expenditure Plan. (See the listing of wells below) The proposed work involves well abandonment and decommissioning of tanks and other production-related facilities attendant to the wells. For well abandonment, each well will be cleaned out and then plugged with cement to surface. All construction materials, cellars, and production pads will be removed, and the well casing cut down to approximately five feet below ground level. The location will then be backfilled with soil up to ground level and compacted properly to prevent settling. The location will be cleared of equipment, trash, or waste materials, and returned to as near a natural state as practicable. Attendant facilities will be decommissioned in accordance with CalGEM statutes and regulations.
CalGEM has approved a task order for its contractor to perform the proposed work on the wells listed at the end of this NOE. Notices of Intention will be issued to the contractor for administrative purposes only and do not constitute a subsequent discretionary approval.
API County Field Lat Lon Operator
0402908236 Kern Fruitvale 35.36691, -119.06449 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908237 Kern Fruitvale 35.36696, -119.06440 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908245 Kern Fruitvale 35.36589, -119.05985 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908242 Kern Fruitvale 35.36774, -119.06214 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908250 Kern Fruitvale 35.35868, -119.06226 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908255 Kern Fruitvale 35.36053, -119.05772 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402900741 Kern Fruitvale 35.35694, -119.06000 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908249 Kern Fruitvale 35.36053, -119.06227 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908251 Kern Fruitvale 35.35692, -119.06213 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908239 Kern Fruitvale 35.36230, -119.06223 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402906739 Kern Fruitvale 35.36410, -119.06662 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908244 Kern Fruitvale 35.36404, -119.06228 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908253 Kern Fruitvale 35.35874, -119.05992 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908257 Kern Fruitvale 35.35754, -119.05718 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908260 Kern Fruitvale 35.35815, -119.05875 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908258 Kern Fruitvale 35.35636, -119.05740 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908241 Kern Fruitvale 35.36228, -119.05775 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908259 Kern Fruitvale 35.36153, -119.05902 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908252 Kern Fruitvale 35.36050, -119.05994 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908238 Kern Fruitvale 35.36376, -119.06438 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908256 Kern Fruitvale 35.35931, -119.05724 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908243 Kern Fruitvale 35.36576, -119.06214 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908240 Kern Fruitvale 35.36267, -119.05997 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402906740 Kern Fruitvale 35.36649, -119.06365 Griffin Resources, LLC
0402908246 Kern Fruitvale 35.36411, -119.05996 Griffin Resources, LLC
Contact Information
Name
Greg Chittick
Agency Name
Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division
Job Title
CEQA Program Contractor
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Counties
Kern
Regions
Statewide
Township
29S
Range
27E
Section
34
Base
MD
Other Location Info
Fruitvale Oil Field
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Emergency Projects: California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15269(b) or (c)
Reasons for Exemption
As the CEQA Lead Agency for the Project, CalGEM determined that the proposed Project is exempt from further environmental review requirements of CEQA, pursuant to the statutory exemption, Emergency Projects. Per the Emergency Projects exemption: “Specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency. This does not include long-term projects undertaken for the purpose of preventing or mitigating a situation that has a low probability of occurrence in the short-term, but this exclusion does not apply (i) if the anticipated period of time to conduct an environmental review of such a long-term project would create a risk to public health, safety or welfare, or (ii) if activities (such as fire or catastrophic risk mitigation or modifications to improve facility integrity) are proposed for existing facilities in response to an emergency at a similar existing facility.” (14 CCR § 15269(c)).
The majority of the wells proposed for P&A are leaking or have leaked combustible gas at high concentrations in the past. Several of the attendant facilities have also had hydrocarbon spills and gas leaks associated with them, including two clean-ups involving the use of CalGEM’s emergency funds. In addition, two recent facility leaks include a significant gas leak from an attendant pipeline which shut down a major road, and an attendant facility which backflowed hydrocarbons, resulting in the contamination of a municipal drinking water supply in Bakersfield. Considering the well(s) proximity to residences and the significant public risk associated with gas leaks and/or hydrocarbon spills, immediate action is needed to P&A the wells associated with the proposed Project. Furthermore, the well(s) in the proposed Project also have a history of zonal communication, whereby fixing only one leak may lead to another one of the wells leaking. Therefore, it is essential to immediately plug and abandon all of the wells in the proposed Project. As noted above, the goal of the proposed Project is to reduce and ultimately stop the release of hydrocarbons into the environment. Therefore, the use of the statutory emergency project exemption is appropriate.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 1: California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15301
Reasons for Exemption
The 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…” These abandonments could be considered a minor alteration to the existing facilities because the wells will be permanently sealed. After abandonment the wells will cease to be used for oil and gas activities. Therefore, there would be no expansion of use beyond that previously existing.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4: California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15304
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed activities are also exempt under Class 4 as the project would be conducted entirely on existing pads of sufficient space to contain all equipment and existing roads to the pad would be utilized with minimal new disturbance. No impacts to biological resources or vegetation are expected. Therefore, the project “consists of … 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.”
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Classes 7 and 8: California Code of Regulations, title 14, sections 15307, 15308
Reasons for Exemption
Orphan wells, due to their inherent lack of maintenance and open pipe to potential reservoir pressure and fluids, present an increased risk for potential leaks that could affect and impact natural resources and environment in the area. In addition, because some of the wells are within 3,200 feet of residences, the increased risk of leaks of hazardous substances could negatively impact surrounding sensitive receptors. Some of the wells are currently leaking and the other orphan wells present an increased risk of leaks when compared to a properly abandoned well and therefore must be plugged and abandoned to minimize a potential threat of a release and subsequent impact. Abandonment of these orphan wells would ensure that risks from leaks and potential impacts to natural resources and the environment are minimized to the extent feasible, and therefore, the Class 7 and Class 8 exemptions are potentially applicable.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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